Growing stuff

My oul lad recently announced that he was going to plant a few drills of spuds in a corner of the garden. This is becomming a trend down our lane; a couplke of others have started growing their own vegetables.

Does anyone else know of any recently started patches, or is this a local thing? I heard that allotments were becoming fashionable in Dublin for such a purpose; I didn't even know ye had allotments.

I grew carrots one year in the flower beds amongst the flowers and stuff. Worked a treat.
But I haven't seen any allotments around.

It's very rewarding growing a few things, even if you only get a few kilos or whatever.

I grow herbs, and I'm planning on planting rhubarb once I get a back garden of my own (I'm not planting stuff so that the next tenants can have dessert).

I'm a bit concerned about branching out further than that. I have a remarkable knack of killing plants.

I did quite a bit last yeat but I took my eye off the ball and the garden has grown over since then sand I don't have the time or energy to do much this year.

I planted a few seeds (mostly flowers) in the greenhouse and I have about 20-30 strawberry plants and a few other berry bushes so that'll keep me happy enough. 

I grow herbs, and I'm planning on planting rhubarb once I get a back garden of my own (I'm not planting stuff so that the next tenants can have dessert).

Why not TheBear? Share the love... I had a friend who has planted dozens of different varieties of daffodils in his rented garden which will be there for the next owners to enjoy when he's moved on.

Meanwhile you can grow rhubarb pretty well in a big pot - though there's less maintenance if you grow it in the ground because in the summer you probably won't have to water it as much.

When the weather improves you could invest in some strawberry plants, put them in pots and you'll have the unadulterated pleasure of admiring them and eating the fruit with the heat of the sun still on them.

If you have a sunny wall you can grow some peas against, I'd do that too. Picking and podding as you wander by - and your nieces and nephews will have more fun with those than the Easter eggs you mentioned before.

Kate P wrote:

I grow herbs, and I'm planning on planting rhubarb once I get a back garden of my own (I'm not planting stuff so that the next tenants can have dessert).

Why not TheBear? Share the love... I had a friend who has planted dozens of different varieties of daffodils in his rented garden which will be there for the next owners to enjoy when he's moved on.

Meanwhile you can grow rhubarb pretty well in a big pot - though there's less maintenance if you grow it in the ground because in the summer you probably won't have to water it as much.

When the weather improves you could invest in some strawberry plants, put them in pots and you'll have the unadulterated pleasure of admiring them and eating the fruit with the heat of the sun still on them.

If you have a sunny wall you can grow some peas against, I'd do that too. Picking and podding as you wander by - and your nieces and nephews will have more fun with those than the Easter eggs you mentioned before.

I did invest in quite a few flower bulbs, from which we'll only get one year, but which the next tenants can enjoy. There's a great array of different types of tulips expected over the next month, as well as some others. I guess I just like rhubarb too much to share.

Are strawberries really that easy to grow? For some reason, I imagined them being more difficult, and requiring more particular conditions than I would be able to muster. I was considering tomatoes too, but again with the difficulty.

Currently hoping to buy a particular house which has a back garden bigger than the house I'm currently in. If we manage to get that, there'll be so much space, I may be back for some more suggestions.

Herbs? Strawberries? We're talking about manly stuff here like spuds and turnips! Should the world government collapse and world trade break down I'm not going to be too concerned about the strawberry situation.

I was thinking along the lines of a massive increase in vegetable prices or some sort of slow-food mania assaulting our shores to explain this new trend.

Kate P wrote:

I grow herbs, and I'm planning on planting rhubarb once I get a back garden of my own (I'm not planting stuff so that the next tenants can have dessert).

Why not TheBear? Share the love... I had a friend who has planted dozens of different varieties of daffodils in his rented garden which will be there for the next owners to enjoy when he's moved on.

Meanwhile you can grow rhubarb pretty well in a big pot - though there's less maintenance if you grow it in the ground because in the summer you probably won't have to water it as much.

When the weather improves you could invest in some strawberry plants, put them in pots and you'll have the unadulterated pleasure of admiring them and eating the fruit with the heat of the sun still on them.

If you have a sunny wall you can grow some peas against, I'd do that too. Picking and podding as you wander by - and your nieces and nephews will have more fun with those than the Easter eggs you mentioned before.

I wonder are you a guerilla gardener Kate P? One of those of us who strike at a quiet moment and plant a climbing plant up against an ugly building, or a row of trees on council's "concrete grass" wastelands?

To any poster who thinks they need a big piece of land: you can grow strawberries very well in hanging baskets and herbs on window cills. I had a small balcony in London once and managed to grow enough beans, peas and loganberries in growbags for the whole building while in season. Potatoes can be grown in a bucket. Getting compost is the biggest challenge in a small space, but most people know someone who can spare a few buckets of earth.

Are strawberries really that easy to grow? For some reason, I imagined them being more difficult, and requiring more particular conditions than I would be able to muster. I was considering tomatoes too, but again with the difficulty.

[quote]

I got a present of some strawberry plants in a window box last year and I neglected them shamefully and still had glorious berries all summer. Obviously I'd have had more if I'd been more diligent but...

Am I a guerilla gardener? Hmmm. My niece and nephew who are making their confirmation and communion this year will be getting an apple tree, some fruit bushes, rhubarb and bits of their own. Their Grandad is a great gardener and will encourage them along.

I start off gardening with great intention (as I do with so mant other things) but WRT the strawberries I just have them in containers outside and water them. When the berries grow I pick them and usually have them eaten before I get back to the house.

Go for it 905! Buy yourself a few deep pots, if you have space for them, or window pots as per cf's suggestion. Before getting an allotment (I live in London) a couple of years ago, we grew spuds, tomatoes, baby aubergines, carrots, strawberries and raspberries in pots. In fact, i think we grew the spuds in old compost bags. It is deeply satisfying.

Since getting a 25ft x 60ft allotment, which we share with a friend, there has been no stopping us. Last year had spuds, onions, garlic, leeks, swedes, all different kinds of salad leaves, sweetcorn, aubergines, various types of peppers, beetroot, peas, tried parsnips but didn't work, tons of carrots, purple-sprouting broccoli, rhubarb, gooseberries, strawberries, various herbs ... can't rem what else, but it's been great.
I spend min. 3 hours commuting every day followed by 8-9 hrs at a computer, so it's great to get out in the fresh air at the weekend and dig - better than a gym workout!

Emm, yeah we have around eighty acres so I think we can forego the deep pots.

On the subject of allotments, can you keep animals on them? A few chickens or maybe a pig? I wonder what ye do for manure; chickens are good for that sort of thing.

80 acres and no OPP??

...sorry, em no, no animals, though the kids who sometimes carry out raids during the night and destroy things could come under that heading.

What's OPP?
What about rabbits? Surely they can keep animals in some sort of pet capacity, which might then have an unfortunate accident while playing with the butcher knives.

Outline Planning permission.

seems no green field is complete without one in my own home county!

Atticus wrote:Outline Planning permission.

seems no green field is complete without one in my own home county!

Well, we're thinking of putting in a few sheds.

Was looking around on the web for more detailed advice on growing fruit and veg and such like (no offence meant, guys), and came across this site. It has a great forum on growing fruit and veg, with info on how to get the best results, what works here, etc. Thought somee of you might be interested.

Also, 905, I don't have quite 80 acres, so my plans are starting small. I think I've decided on herbs, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, probably some peas, and a greenhouse full of tomatoes (which I eat like apples! Yum!).

Last year when I was living in a rented apartment I grew herbs and rocket on the balcony.
This year I'm in a rented house.
I have a little tent greenhouse thing that I got in Lidl.
I'm growing spinach, lettuce, rocket and onions in pots in the greenhouse. Tomatoes inside the house. Strawberries in an old oil can.
And I planted some rhubarb which the next occupants will hopefully enjoy.
The last occupants bequeathed me lots of daffodils which I was grateful for.

eoinmn wrote:Last year when I was living in a rented apartment I grew herbs and rocket on the balcony.
This year I'm in a rented house.
I have a little tent greenhouse thing that I got in Lidl.
I'm growing spinach, lettuce, rocket and onions in pots in the greenhouse. Tomatoes inside the house. Strawberries in an old oil can.
And I planted some rhubarb which the next occupants will hopefully enjoy.
The last occupants bequeathed me lots of daffodils which I was grateful for.

Any tips with the rhubarb? Mine didn't do much last year?

Ashes are supposed to be good for rhubarb, but I disremember the science behind that.

The best rhubarb I ever saw was in a garden across the road from my ma's house. The guy there used to tip fresh grass clippings around the root stub, and just let the grass compost away. Deadly rhubarb.

cactus flower wrote:

eoinmn wrote:Last year when I was living in a rented apartment I grew herbs and rocket on the balcony.
This year I'm in a rented house.
I have a little tent greenhouse thing that I got in Lidl.
I'm growing spinach, lettuce, rocket and onions in pots in the greenhouse. Tomatoes inside the house. Strawberries in an old oil can.
And I planted some rhubarb which the next occupants will hopefully enjoy.
The last occupants bequeathed me lots of daffodils which I was grateful for.

Any tips with the rhubarb? Mine didn't do much last year?

Apparently, it doesn't do much the first year, but after that you can pretty much leave it to do its own thing. I know we never tended to the rhubarb in my parents' garden, but never went short of it.

I do remember hearing that you shouldn't harvest the rhubarb from a new plant, that you should leave it to settle into its new home for a year or so before picking some.

I know nothing about growing rhubarb, except that once established it will look after itself. I only planted it because someone handed it to me.

Anyone here have any experience with community gardens?

I'm part of a group who are looking to set one up on county council lands.

eoinmn wrote:I know nothing about growing rhubarb, except that once established it will look after itself. I only planted it because someone handed it to me.

Anyone here have any experience with community gardens?

I'm part of a group who are looking to set one up on county council lands.

Would suggest linking with your Green councillor/s if you have one.
And find a bit of land that no one would object to you using? What stage are you at?

cactus flower wrote:

eoinmn wrote:Anyone here have any experience with community gardens?

I'm part of a group who are looking to set one up on county council lands.

Would suggest linking with your Green councillor/s if you have one.

We're trying to get one of those too!
I'm in the local green party. We have no councillor in the county.


Yet!

eoinmn wrote:And find a bit of land that no one would object to you using? What stage are you at?

Actually, after getting our would-be Green councillor to talk to the council, a small plot of land has been identified for use as a community garden. Not quite a done deal yet though.

In the meantime, we've planted a vegtable garden in an old private estate. We're only there thanks to the kindness of the landowner though. Its not suitable as a community garden since it is out of town and on private land.