Hello all
I posted for the first time the other evening concerning my new veg patch in Brittany. Following the advice I was given the patch in now covered in black plastic to help kill the grass that had started to appear. It does not seem to be deep seated and my fingers of firmly crossed.
I have just been reading the instructions on the seed packets that were given to me mum-in-law. I seem to need about 30 window sills, a seed bed and cold frame! All the 'food' plants that I have grown before were started in a greenhouse, which I no longer have. I do have four deep window sills, as we live a stone cottage with really thick walls. I have seen the small plastic greenhouses for sale here, would it be worth buying one of these to propigate the seeds in? I know this sounds really silly but what is a seed bed, and if I need one what is the difference between that and the patch we have cleared? My husband could build a coldframe but would the plastic greenhouse surfice.
I know that these questions have been probably been asked before but my enthusiasm took a bit of a nose dive when reading the packets. One of the main reasons for our move was to be able to be more self-sufficient and I was probably a bit naive about how easy it would be. I am sorry to ask so many questions, is there a good book that I could by that would help?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
what's your weather like, like ours ?
we start things off on the windowsill, when they're up enough, move into the greenhouse, into a coldframe to harden off then in to the ground
if your weather's warmer than ours, you may be able to grow them on in a coldframe any more ideas, people ?
also, a seed bed's just a patch of finely tilled soil that you can start things off in, i think brassicas 'n' things, before you move them in to their permanent beds
whatever you do, don't panic or get disheartened,
we also grow a lot of things, like lettuces etc, in succession, a few at a time, with a week between, so's we don't get a glut :)
Hi Dandylion
Those little greenhouses are cute and practical. But you can also try to start things off in foodcontainers with transparant lids. The ones they sell with yoghurt, snacks or other pre-packaged stuff in them.
I also use normal flowerpots and a plastic bag to make my own small greenhouses. A stick in the pot will keep the plastic up. You can have every veg or variety in its own greenhouse. And as the pots vary in size, you can chose them according to the amount of seeds you use.
Don't get disheartened, you'll be fine. Maybe some failures this season, but there is always something that will not die and tastes good in the end. Remember to have fun.
I think the oddest thing about being here is the weather. I was told that it was like the Scilly Isles and Cornwall. It now appears that it is, but we have tonnes more rain until spring. In summer it is normally are really warm but to Med hot. Nobody here seems to have greenhouses.
It's a good idea about the yoghurt pots, my little ones love yogurts. Another strange thing is you cannot buy anything until it's the 'right season' so the local garden centre had no seed trays etc. when I went in last week. I would love take advice from our farmer neighbours, who are really welcoming, but they speak Breton not French. Not even our Fronglaise could get us through the mountain of questions we have.
Thanks again.
Three excellent books IMO for a planned and maneagable harvest, with copious notes on sowing in modules and flats to save space, succession planting for continuous reads, and rotation. In preferred order for your question, but I seem to have em all :-[ ;D
http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Grow-More-Vegetables-Berries/dp/1580082335/sr=1-4/qid=1169242165/ref=sr_1_4/202-1970606-0279044?ie=UTF8&s=books
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-season-Harvest-Organic-Vegetables-Garden/dp/1890132276/sr=1-1/qid=1169242196/ref=sr_1_1/202-1970606-0279044?ie=UTF8&s=books
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetable-Gardeners-Bible-John-Story/dp/0715317814/sr=1-1/qid=1169242227/ref=sr_1_1/202-1970606-0279044?ie=UTF8&s=books
The best guides of all will be your own year by notes notes on variety, yield, first/last planting and first/last harvest!
Hi Dandylion,
Where in Britany are you? I take it if the speak mostly Breton you may be near the north coast or very rural?
My mum lives in central Britany (just outside of Glomel) and they speak mostly french.
She said that poly tunnels are very cheap over there and unlike the UK they have there sales prior to a season rather than after.
Have you tried a look in the "Brittany Ex Pat" magazine (don't know what it is call but can find out for you), or they have a web site (again can find out the address for you if you want)
All I do know (from what I was told last year) is that the French "garden centres" are getting better as more and more British are moving over there.
Please feel free to PM me and I will send you any infomation you want or pass you my mums e-mail address so you could talk direct if it helps.
Gary
To save space; If I am growing different varieties of one genus I put up to 4 different varieties in a ¼ tray or punnet.
(http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing/Sowing%209.jpg)
Quote from: dandylion on January 19, 2007, 19:53:40
....... My husband could build a coldframe but would the plastic greenhouse surfice......
A coldframe would be more solid. The plastic greenhouses and very heavy and robust.
I use a plastic greenhouse for propagating and bringing on seedlings and find it a real boon. I have no southfacing windowsills in my house :( and when I didn't have it, really struggled as all my seedlings got too leggy if it was too cold to expose them to the full elements.
If you don't get frost there, it will probably be ok to start some seeds off in trays, put them outside in a sheltered place, maybe with just a sheet of plastic on a few raised bricks to keep the worst of the rain off. I use plastic mini "greenhouses" too, the sort with 4 shelves - the do fine, but you must remember to unzip them in the daytime when it's sunny, or seedlings can frazzle very quickly as the heat really builds up in them, They also need to be out of the wind, or at least secured very well because they have a tendency to blow away.
Thank you to all that have replied. I am now clearer about what I need to do.
My brain is still working on Midlands weather ::) I was told that it constantly rains in Brittany in winter, and by goodness it does. My parents back in the UK told me that they have had none stop rain for almost two months so not much difference there :D Not had the promised snow today so my eldest (6) is disappointed.
A very good comment was about timing, I want to make sure that we have a constant supply of vegetables, so I will sow over a period of time. Being a bit soft, I think the thinning out may be a problem, as we want to cut costs and eat our own food I will have to be tougher. I am going to buy the plastic 'greenhouse' as soon as I see one.
Thanks again for all the advice and pics.