https://gardenandgossip.org/ Mon, 04 May 2026 02:51:30 +0000 MyBB https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2465 Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:55:04 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2465
  20240529_114809_Original.jpeg (Size: 302.61 KB / Downloads: 10)  
Or would you just use them single hight ?]]>
  20240529_114809_Original.jpeg (Size: 302.61 KB / Downloads: 10)  
Or would you just use them single hight ?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2368 Sun, 03 Aug 2025 14:53:27 +0000 Veggie]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2368 The pots are easy to lift as they have handles. 
When the plants have finished cropping, I move them out of the GH, I pull them up and empty the soil into a big trug. Remove any roots, add some chicken manure pellets, line the bottom of the pot with wool insulation, and refill the pot with the used compost. These pots are being replanted with all sorts of veggies - potatoes, beans, cucumber, chard, lettuce, carrots, beetroot etc. They  stay outside on the patio or near a waterbutt, and can be moved back into the GH when there's a vacancy. I reckon I'll be able to grow something in each pot about 3 times a year.
Root crops , like carrots, are doing much better in the pots (obviously) than in the ground with all the roots and stones there are here. I'm going to start a sowing rotation of carrots - probably a pot every 3 weeks, maybe one for beetroot too. 
I'll be able to empty the GH completely in the winter to give it a good clean out which I've been unable to do for years. 
I already grow salad leaves and shallow rooters in supermarket veg crates on the GH bench and outdoors but the full size crates are a bit unwieldy to move when full so I'm going to use the smaller mushroom/spring onion crates, moving these in and out of the GH as appropriate. 
The more I can grow close to the house the better as it takes the pressure off trying to water things at the end of the garden.]]> The pots are easy to lift as they have handles. 
When the plants have finished cropping, I move them out of the GH, I pull them up and empty the soil into a big trug. Remove any roots, add some chicken manure pellets, line the bottom of the pot with wool insulation, and refill the pot with the used compost. These pots are being replanted with all sorts of veggies - potatoes, beans, cucumber, chard, lettuce, carrots, beetroot etc. They  stay outside on the patio or near a waterbutt, and can be moved back into the GH when there's a vacancy. I reckon I'll be able to grow something in each pot about 3 times a year.
Root crops , like carrots, are doing much better in the pots (obviously) than in the ground with all the roots and stones there are here. I'm going to start a sowing rotation of carrots - probably a pot every 3 weeks, maybe one for beetroot too. 
I'll be able to empty the GH completely in the winter to give it a good clean out which I've been unable to do for years. 
I already grow salad leaves and shallow rooters in supermarket veg crates on the GH bench and outdoors but the full size crates are a bit unwieldy to move when full so I'm going to use the smaller mushroom/spring onion crates, moving these in and out of the GH as appropriate. 
The more I can grow close to the house the better as it takes the pressure off trying to water things at the end of the garden.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2213 Sat, 31 Aug 2024 20:23:54 +0000 Veggie]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2213
  GH2.JPG (Size: 330.67 KB / Downloads: 19) This is an old photo of GH2 as pictures speak louder than words. GH2 has been there for 40+ years. 

Its on a concrete base - no soil. There are beds on 3 sides. 

Initially, the beds were lined with clear plastic to hold water, and topped with a layer of gravel.  I grow tomatoes and cucumbers in open bottomed, "ring culture" pots that sit on the gravel beds, sending their roots into the gravel for water. You add feed to the pots but water to the gravel. 
At the end of the season, I've been emptying the soil in the pots onto the gravel. At some point, I cleared out all the gravel and soil and started again, just using a plastic liner and a layer of compost (no gravel). After many years or emptying the old compost into the beds, they are about 6" deep, enough to grow beetroot, lettuce etc in. 

This year, for whatever reason, the tomatoes in GH2 have been very poor and there have been lots of ants in the soil. I've decided to empty the soil out of the bed on the right (the sunny side) and line it with the wool insulation that I'm collecting. This will hold the water. I'll put some coir & compost on top of the insulation then move the supermarket crates (with their seedling salads) into the GH over winter. In spring I'll start again with ring culture pots and hope for a better season next year. 

Does anyone else grow with ring culture?]]>
  GH2.JPG (Size: 330.67 KB / Downloads: 19) This is an old photo of GH2 as pictures speak louder than words. GH2 has been there for 40+ years. 

Its on a concrete base - no soil. There are beds on 3 sides. 

Initially, the beds were lined with clear plastic to hold water, and topped with a layer of gravel.  I grow tomatoes and cucumbers in open bottomed, "ring culture" pots that sit on the gravel beds, sending their roots into the gravel for water. You add feed to the pots but water to the gravel. 
At the end of the season, I've been emptying the soil in the pots onto the gravel. At some point, I cleared out all the gravel and soil and started again, just using a plastic liner and a layer of compost (no gravel). After many years or emptying the old compost into the beds, they are about 6" deep, enough to grow beetroot, lettuce etc in. 

This year, for whatever reason, the tomatoes in GH2 have been very poor and there have been lots of ants in the soil. I've decided to empty the soil out of the bed on the right (the sunny side) and line it with the wool insulation that I'm collecting. This will hold the water. I'll put some coir & compost on top of the insulation then move the supermarket crates (with their seedling salads) into the GH over winter. In spring I'll start again with ring culture pots and hope for a better season next year. 

Does anyone else grow with ring culture?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2112 Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:37:58 +0000 doublyjonah]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2112
I hate plastic waste, but I guess that is my only option at the moment. I'm thinking to either replace with like panels, just expecting the same outcome in a few years; try to find a plastic blowaway cover, although the ones I've found are too small; or try to cover with poly sheeting in some fashion. Is one of these plans actually sensible?

I start almost everything from seed, so I can't imagine growing enough for the allotment without a covered space outdoors. I do have a small grow house/tall cold frame, but I don't think the capacity is anywhere near what I'd need. The thin wood panels are also peeling on the sides, so I keep it in the greenhouse to slow its destruction.

Any ideas for me to grow an allotment worth of plants without living in a fungus gnat-infested jungle for months or suddenly coming into some money and time?]]>
I hate plastic waste, but I guess that is my only option at the moment. I'm thinking to either replace with like panels, just expecting the same outcome in a few years; try to find a plastic blowaway cover, although the ones I've found are too small; or try to cover with poly sheeting in some fashion. Is one of these plans actually sensible?

I start almost everything from seed, so I can't imagine growing enough for the allotment without a covered space outdoors. I do have a small grow house/tall cold frame, but I don't think the capacity is anywhere near what I'd need. The thin wood panels are also peeling on the sides, so I keep it in the greenhouse to slow its destruction.

Any ideas for me to grow an allotment worth of plants without living in a fungus gnat-infested jungle for months or suddenly coming into some money and time?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2090 Sun, 14 Jan 2024 11:30:31 +0000 Scarlet]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2090

Anyway - greenhouse No1. Is already full. No2 I usually plant in the beds and thats it... but I would like to use the space for some more seedlings except the sides are slanted. I had this GH for free years ago. I dont know what make it is. 

Any ideas on shelving solutions for slanted walls? I can use the back apex wall but I usually grow something up that. So would prefer to use the sides. Its 12 long so would give me a lot more shelf space]]>

Anyway - greenhouse No1. Is already full. No2 I usually plant in the beds and thats it... but I would like to use the space for some more seedlings except the sides are slanted. I had this GH for free years ago. I dont know what make it is. 

Any ideas on shelving solutions for slanted walls? I can use the back apex wall but I usually grow something up that. So would prefer to use the sides. Its 12 long so would give me a lot more shelf space]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2044 Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:17:00 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2044

  20231019_101501_Original.jpeg (Size: 412.23 KB / Downloads: 23)

We removed the cover completely. Secured everything as much as I could. Plants, seeds & cuttings are just going to have to take their chances.]]>

  20231019_101501_Original.jpeg (Size: 412.23 KB / Downloads: 23)

We removed the cover completely. Secured everything as much as I could. Plants, seeds & cuttings are just going to have to take their chances.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2038 Thu, 12 Oct 2023 10:33:07 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2038 I'm thinking of shortening the blow away and cover it with insect mesh.  To cover the brassica bed.  Hopefully have shelves running down each side I could have my strawberry plants in their as well.]]> I'm thinking of shortening the blow away and cover it with insect mesh.  To cover the brassica bed.  Hopefully have shelves running down each side I could have my strawberry plants in their as well.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1888 Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:30:18 +0000 Scarlet]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1888
I've been very vigilant on what plants I've brought in but this morning I've spied a couple of green fly.  
Now what to do - i've squished the half dozen i could see. They are all around the mint. They have gone out....but the greenfly were on some tomato plants that were next to it.

Im tempted to sacrifice these black cherry toms...  I really don't want to battle with a ton of greenfly all summer.]]>
I've been very vigilant on what plants I've brought in but this morning I've spied a couple of green fly.  
Now what to do - i've squished the half dozen i could see. They are all around the mint. They have gone out....but the greenfly were on some tomato plants that were next to it.

Im tempted to sacrifice these black cherry toms...  I really don't want to battle with a ton of greenfly all summer.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1837 Thu, 09 Mar 2023 10:50:04 +0000 doublyjonah]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1837
I'm trying to focus my efforts more on things that we really like to eat and use a lot of. Of course, we are deeply impractical and use lots of things that are not happy growing outside for the most part - tomatoes, peppers, etc. I have a small polycarbonate GH (6x6 ft, I think) in my back garden, situated on the patio in the shade of the garage. Yes, I know. It's adequate for starting seeds but it not ideal for growing the things I'd like to grow. I was hoping you can help me add to/refine my list of ideas for improving my tomato growing (as a general placeholder for many warmth and sunshine loving plants that also need plenty of water).

1. Choose outdoor varieties wherever possible.
2. Try again in the GH by removing all staging and shelves in the warm months, growing in the biggest containers I can (old recycling boxes and pots about the size of MFBs).
3. Add gravel trays or something similar under the pots?
4. Get a cheapish polytunnel for the plot - under £100 pounds and probably only 8 or 10 feet long. The site isn't terribly exposed but we do get a few 2-3 day stretches of strong wind each year, I'd say.
5. Try to improve the warmth around individual plants on the plot with some sort of mesh (?) surrounding them. I think pop-up individual GHs would be too prone to blowing away and/or boiling the plants. Maybe some sort of lean-to with a windbreak of mesh on the predominantly windy side and some plastic on the sunny side, but not enclosed so it wouldn't be as likely to fly down the site in a gust of wind?
6. Grow in pots in the back garden, in the sunniest area, then try to heft them into the GH if things take a turn for the cold?

Any other ideas or ideas that are definitely too silly to try in the list? Thanks for brainstorming with me.

Apologies for measurements in feet. I cook in metric and choose a coat in metric, but some things are ingrained from my early days ]]>
I'm trying to focus my efforts more on things that we really like to eat and use a lot of. Of course, we are deeply impractical and use lots of things that are not happy growing outside for the most part - tomatoes, peppers, etc. I have a small polycarbonate GH (6x6 ft, I think) in my back garden, situated on the patio in the shade of the garage. Yes, I know. It's adequate for starting seeds but it not ideal for growing the things I'd like to grow. I was hoping you can help me add to/refine my list of ideas for improving my tomato growing (as a general placeholder for many warmth and sunshine loving plants that also need plenty of water).

1. Choose outdoor varieties wherever possible.
2. Try again in the GH by removing all staging and shelves in the warm months, growing in the biggest containers I can (old recycling boxes and pots about the size of MFBs).
3. Add gravel trays or something similar under the pots?
4. Get a cheapish polytunnel for the plot - under £100 pounds and probably only 8 or 10 feet long. The site isn't terribly exposed but we do get a few 2-3 day stretches of strong wind each year, I'd say.
5. Try to improve the warmth around individual plants on the plot with some sort of mesh (?) surrounding them. I think pop-up individual GHs would be too prone to blowing away and/or boiling the plants. Maybe some sort of lean-to with a windbreak of mesh on the predominantly windy side and some plastic on the sunny side, but not enclosed so it wouldn't be as likely to fly down the site in a gust of wind?
6. Grow in pots in the back garden, in the sunniest area, then try to heft them into the GH if things take a turn for the cold?

Any other ideas or ideas that are definitely too silly to try in the list? Thanks for brainstorming with me.

Apologies for measurements in feet. I cook in metric and choose a coat in metric, but some things are ingrained from my early days ]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1678 Fri, 02 Sep 2022 16:12:22 +0000 Vinny]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1678 I need some inspiration (and please don't say boring lettuce) for what to grow in a greenhouse with lots of panes of glass missing over winter this year! ]]> I need some inspiration (and please don't say boring lettuce) for what to grow in a greenhouse with lots of panes of glass missing over winter this year! ]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1653 Mon, 15 Aug 2022 16:31:53 +0000 toomanytommytoes]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1653
This year in the greenhouse I've seen hoverfly larvae, parasitic wasps, ladybirds and minute pirate bugs, but I'd never seen bright red larvae before. These are larvae of a predatory midge called Aphidoletes aphidimyza and they feed on over 70 species of aphid. They paralyse the aphid by injecting a toxin in to their legs, then suck the juice out of the aphid's body. An adult midge must have squeezed through the bag opening, or had already laid eggs in an aphid colony before I put the bag on. You can see some dried out aphid bodies in the photo.

  aphidoteles.jpg (Size: 145.13 KB / Downloads: 23) ]]>
This year in the greenhouse I've seen hoverfly larvae, parasitic wasps, ladybirds and minute pirate bugs, but I'd never seen bright red larvae before. These are larvae of a predatory midge called Aphidoletes aphidimyza and they feed on over 70 species of aphid. They paralyse the aphid by injecting a toxin in to their legs, then suck the juice out of the aphid's body. An adult midge must have squeezed through the bag opening, or had already laid eggs in an aphid colony before I put the bag on. You can see some dried out aphid bodies in the photo.

  aphidoteles.jpg (Size: 145.13 KB / Downloads: 23) ]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1488 Wed, 23 Mar 2022 11:46:57 +0000 Proserpina]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1488
I have:

Onions (Red Baron, Ailsa Craig, Welsh Bunching)
Leeks (not many - had rubbish germination)
Cabbages
Lettuce/salad mixes (have a container of salad in the greenhouse now, but that was started out there)
Tomatoes
Sweetpeas 
Cauliflowers
Artichokes
Allium (yes, singular - I didn't do well with these!)
Zinnias
Tomatillos
Cucumber
Watermelon
Lemongrass
Radishes
Mustard
Kohlrabi
Chillies
Aubergines

I'm thinking definitely not the chillies, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, or aubergines.

Moving the onions would free up the most space. What do you all think?]]>
I have:

Onions (Red Baron, Ailsa Craig, Welsh Bunching)
Leeks (not many - had rubbish germination)
Cabbages
Lettuce/salad mixes (have a container of salad in the greenhouse now, but that was started out there)
Tomatoes
Sweetpeas 
Cauliflowers
Artichokes
Allium (yes, singular - I didn't do well with these!)
Zinnias
Tomatillos
Cucumber
Watermelon
Lemongrass
Radishes
Mustard
Kohlrabi
Chillies
Aubergines

I'm thinking definitely not the chillies, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, or aubergines.

Moving the onions would free up the most space. What do you all think?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1456 Wed, 23 Feb 2022 16:09:16 +0000 SarrissUK]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1456
We will draw electric into it, probably also have the existing solar panels set up on the roof, which needs to slope backwards towards the back of the garden, if that makes sense. I'd quite a little sink of some kind put in, but not sure about rules around the waste.

Have you built one? What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeves? What would you do, if you built one again? What's on your wishlist?]]>
We will draw electric into it, probably also have the existing solar panels set up on the roof, which needs to slope backwards towards the back of the garden, if that makes sense. I'd quite a little sink of some kind put in, but not sure about rules around the waste.

Have you built one? What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeves? What would you do, if you built one again? What's on your wishlist?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1378 Wed, 29 Dec 2021 17:30:38 +0000 Broadway]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1378
I could get a heated prop but thought the mat may be a bit more flexible?]]>
I could get a heated prop but thought the mat may be a bit more flexible?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1367 Thu, 23 Dec 2021 12:24:58 +0000 Scarlet]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1367
Just wondering if I use this as covering it may stop some of the wind/frost damage - I am going to get some plastic to make a tunnel but thought I could  use this to good use too.]]>
Just wondering if I use this as covering it may stop some of the wind/frost damage - I am going to get some plastic to make a tunnel but thought I could  use this to good use too.]]>