My starter vegetable (container) garden.

[Traceyash]

Hi all.

Well ive got all of my veg currently in containers of all shapes and sizes and have only been growing veg now for 4 weeks and so far,im really chuffed with the results.

Now for helping my crops more,would you please advise me of what foods to feed my veg with as ive only ever used Miracle Grow for my plants and flowers which works wonders (6 foot Foxgloves amongst some! )

The veg i cureently have are as follows:

Potatoes - planted 1 week ago and already have one inch shoots sprouting through the top of the soil.
Runner beans (and dwarf runner beans) - planted from seed 4 weeks ago and they're doing fantastic,already 8" tall.
Carrots (and Parmex carrots) - planted again from seed 4 weeks ago and have 1 1/2" shoots sprouting through. I think ive made a mistake here though as the planters are really crowded so when would it be advisable to thin these out please?
Brussel sprouts - this has overtook my neighbours brussel sprout plant at nearly 2 foot tall from a 6" baby 4 weeks ago (obviously enjoying the hot sunshine unlike me).
Cucumber - Currently has 2 flowers on it and about 8" tall
Peppers - Currently 1 open flower on it with more buds ready,8" tall
chives - planted from seed 3 weeks ago and only just very slowly poking minute shoots out.
Tomatoes - Seem to be doing well,both plants about 15" tall,no flowers or anything as yet.
Leeks - Planted again from seed 2 weeks ago and just sprouting shoots now.
Baby lettuces - doing well,small clusters of 3/4 leaves on each.
Salad leaves - doing extremely well,growing very fast.

I know about earthing over the potatoes when they're bigger but if you can give my advice on the above veg,id be extremely grateful for your time.

Many thanks in advance.

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Tracey, I use an organic liquid seaweed feed for most of my vegetable plants once a week. Here's the one that I use:-

Vitax Organic Liquid Seaweed - 500ml

With tomatoes I use a tomato feed once a week. But don't start feeding until the first tomatoes start to form or else you will just grow leaves! Tomorite is one that I use:-

Garden Center Plants | Levington Tomorite Liquid Tomato Fertilizer With Seaweed Extract 500ml | Garden Centre | Plant Care | Choiceful.com

I never feed potatoes, just water the plants properly. The same goes for carrots but don't over water as this can cause the roots to crack. Where thinning out carrots is concerned if you wait until they are about 6 inches tall you should pull baby carrots that you will be able to eat!

Again don't feed the brussel sprout plant as this can cause lots of leafy growth.

I wouldn't feed runner beans either as they fix their own nitrogen from the air and store it in their roots so you can over - do the nitrogen if you feed them.

Cucumber and pepper plants can be fed with the tomato food but again wait until the fruit starts forming. I feed my cucumber plants with the seaweed feed.

My pot of chives is left to look after itself!! So there is no need to feed the chives. The same goes for leeks. There is no need to feed them unless you were growing for the showbench. Really there is no need to feed the salad leaves or lettuce either. Water is the best food!!

You should get a great harvest Tracey!

[Ace]

Originally Posted by Traceyash

Hi all.

Potatoes - planted 1 week ago and already have one inch shoots sprouting through the top of the soil.

I hope you've quickly covered those shoots over with soil Tracey. Bury the shoots and leaves completely under another layer of compost then wait for the shoots to poke through again, then repeat the process again and keep doing this till the container is full of compost.

[Traceyash]

Originally Posted by Ace

I hope you've quickly covered those shoots over with soil Tracey. Bury the shoots and leaves completely under another layer of compost then wait for the shoots to poke through again, then repeat the process again and keep doing this till the container is full of compost.

I havent soiled up as yet as i thought they had to be about 8 inches tall before doing this? Please advise.

[Traceyash]

Many many thanks Lesly for that informative post for me,very much appreciated. I have taken heed of what you've said but my chives still arent showing as yet? They got planted about 2 weeks ago. Do you think the seeds are duff or am i being impatient as always?

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Tracey, chive seeds can take up to three weeks to germinate and the cold weather that we keep getting will slow the growth down. So, patience is a virtue!!

[Ace]

Originally Posted by Traceyash

I havent soiled up as yet as i thought they had to be about 8 inches tall before doing this? Please advise.

Hmmm I haven't heard or read that anywhere. Lesley can you elucidate at all?

For my own spud bags, as soon as any shoots or leaves poked through the surface of the compost I added about 2-3 inches more compost to quickly and completely cover them. My understanding is that it's important to keep the shoots in the dark which encourages them to keep tunnelling upwards thus producing long tubers. Only when they got right to the top of the bag did I let them see the light.

I think the danger of leaving them to grow 8" out of the soil is that they'll think they're done growing and instead start to concentrate on flower production. Then you'll have short tubers and less crop. But I'm not entirely sure so I'll let someone else comment :-)

[Traceyash]

Originally Posted by Lesley Jay

Hi Tracey, chive seeds can take up to three weeks to germinate and the cold weather that we keep getting will slow the growth down. So, patience is a virtue!!

Lol,what cold weather's that then? We been baking down here in Surrey for the past 3 weeks..............need rain desperately. All the grass everywhere down here is yellow,it looks terrible. Ive had my sprinkler on every evening which is helping but it'll only be a matter of time b4 we're in the hose pipe ban gang.

But thank you Lesley,i shall be patient and wait. Every morning first thing im out in the garden having a look at how everythings doing,i must get out more,lol.

[Traceyash]

Originally Posted by Ace

Hmmm I haven't heard or read that anywhere. Lesley can you elucidate at all?

For my own spud bags, as soon as any shoots or leaves poked through the surface of the compost I added about 2-3 inches more compost to quickly and completely cover them. My understanding is that it's important to keep the shoots in the dark which encourages them to keep tunnelling upwards thus producing long tubers. Only when they got right to the top of the bag did I let them see the light.

I think the danger of leaving them to grow 8" out of the soil is that they'll think they're done growing and instead start to concentrate on flower production. Then you'll have short tubers and less crop. But I'm not entirely sure so I'll let someone else comment :-)

Many thanks Ace for your reply,will wait and see what Lesley says. Im intrigued now.

[Traceyash]

Originally Posted by Ace

Hmmm I haven't heard or read that anywhere. Lesley can you elucidate at all?

For my own spud bags, as soon as any shoots or leaves poked through the surface of the compost I added about 2-3 inches more compost to quickly and completely cover them. My understanding is that it's important to keep the shoots in the dark which encourages them to keep tunnelling upwards thus producing long tubers. Only when they got right to the top of the bag did I let them see the light.

I think the danger of leaving them to grow 8" out of the soil is that they'll think they're done growing and instead start to concentrate on flower production. Then you'll have short tubers and less crop. But I'm not entirely sure so I'll let someone else comment :-)

This is where i got my info from Ace,towards the bottom of the page under 'caring for your plants'.
How to grow potatoes for the very best and tastiest vegetables

What do you think?

[Ace]

Originally Posted by Traceyash

This is where i got my info from Ace,towards the bottom of the page under 'caring for your plants'.
How to grow potatoes for the very best and tastiest vegetables

What do you think?

These directions are for growing potatoes in the ground rather than in pots and containers but reading around a few other websites said once the shoots reach 5-6" then cover them over.

I conclude from what I've read (and from my own spud plants) that it doesn't make a lot of difference whether you keep the shoots totally buried or whether you allow them to get uo to 8". What IS important is that they are never allowed to go green as that's when they become poisonous and are ruined. So personally I wouldn't gamble especially with the extra hot weather we are having. Don't let the shoots get too high, just bury them and keep them in the dark because light is our enemy here.

[Traceyash]

Hmmmm,well my stems are now about 4" tall so im going to heed your advice and soil them up tomorrow morning. Thank you so much for your help.

[Traceyash]

I know ive read about it somewhere but now i need the post to see the answer and i cant find the bu99er!
My tomatoes are getting curling leaves around the bottom of them. They're tumbling toms and have been doing wonderfully in hanging baskets but hubby noticed the bottom leaves are curling.
Is this a major problem?

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Tracey, tomato plants are really sensitive to changes in the conditions that they grow in and they do curl their leaves alot because they are so sensitive. You need to look out for changes to the leaf colour, wilting, insects and marks on the stems for any possible problems.

[Traceyash]

Well im all chuffed as my dwarf runners and runner beans have flower buds on them now! My potatoes also have alot of buds appearing and my tumbling tomatoes are really going for it with about 15 small tomatoes on each plant with tons of flowers still left. Its so rewarding when you see these things happening and think,i grew them from seed myself!

[Ace]

Originally Posted by Traceyash

Well im all chuffed as my dwarf runners and runner beans have flower buds on them now!

Hi Tracey

You've reached the point with you're beans where the pesky pigeons and other birds will be starting to get real interested in them. I grew some dwarf french beans and as soon as the tiny little beans began emerging from the flower heads the pigeons tucked into them each morning for breakfast !!

So, just be sure you have your beans well netted off, otherwise it's all going to be in vain.

[Traceyash]

Thank you so much Ace for your reply. I have some netting left over from my gardening yesterday,spotted a cabbage white flutterby on my cabbages so netted both those and the cauliflower over to protect,hope i did right?
I shall net the runners today. Shall i net both the dwarf runners and the runner beans over?

Oh,and i know this is going to sound silly but when is a cucumber ready to harvest? I have one on my cucumber plant at the minute that is 9" long and about as thick as an old 50p coin. My neighbour said that i should pick it when it gets to about 10" otherwise the other cucumbers wont grow. Is this correct or should i wait for it to fatten out a bit more?

Thanks in advance.

[Ace]

Originally Posted by Traceyash

I have one . . . at the minute that is 9" long and about as thick as an old 50p coin.

Some women are just never satisfied !!!!!

Get it eaten

And yes, net off all your beans and any peas if you're growing them.

Only this morning I was out on my decking area where my dwarf beans are and a pigeon swooped in and landed just above them, ready for his breakfast I think. He took one look at me and flew straight off again - little bu99er!!

[Lesley Jay]

Originally Posted by Traceyash

My neighbour said that i should pick it when it gets to about 10" otherwise the other cucumbers wont grow.

Hi Tracey,

You must keep harvesting the cucumbers and as Ace said don't worry about the size. If you stop harvesting or leave the cucumbers on the plant too long then the plant will stop producing fruits. If it is an outdoor cucumber variety then peel it before eating as the peel can be bitter tasting.

[Traceyash]

Originally Posted by Ace

Some women are just never satisfied !!!!!

Get it eaten

Funny that,just what my other half said!

And as for my runner beans and peas,i forgot to say that they are positioned right next to the patio doors of the house up against a wall. Still think i should net them?