Hi Lil
Sorry I didn't write this sooner, I don't read all the forums on a daily basis. I've just seen you're question re veg on the votes forum.
I start off a few veg plants in January for some early crops but you do need a greenhouse or coldframe. Jerusalem Artichoke tubers (outside), Lettuce, Radish (outside), and Tomatoes can be sown indoors now.
If there is one tip I can give anyone re veg growing its get the New Vegetable and Herb Expert book, you should be able to find one in the library. Its a great starting point for anyone.
John 'the Dibber' Yeoman ;) is a veg grower and while I don't mind answering any questions (about gardening!), he will probably be the man to ask.
Lilith-Veg
Lilith, go in on the plant trade forum. Your name is posted, she needs to hear from you about the passion vines.
thanks for the tips, Baa, and DJM, i'm off to the plants forum now
Lo!
I am Yeoman (the Dibber).
I await your questions, implement (or is it impliment?)in hand...
JOHN YEOMAN
thanks John -
I got the RHS Gardening Handbook at a cheap bookstore in Durham for 9.99 as opposed to 25.00 ! and its got lots of tips in there, but i still have a few questions..
Q. will my tomatoes and peppers be ok outdoors after the frosts, or are they better off inside? (i'm in the north east) i'd preferably like them to be outside.
also which veg would be ok to grow where they would get partial sun/shade?
lil
Oh Lilith!
For thy counsel, thou hast come to the right man! (Oh shut up, Yeoman...)
I have grown every variety of tomato outdoors in a paddock in central England without fail, despite our gale force 8 winds. I just start them in loo rolls in my conservatory, then harden them off in my unheated greenhouse for a week or two, then plonk 'em outdoors after June 1st (the last frost date, here).
Can't answer for the North East, however. Just keep 'em in a southerly position, and sheltered from the wind. Even a fragile windshelter works wonders, I'm told.
(Doesn't work for me. Any wind shelter I put up here, gets scattered into three counties.)
However, I have totally failed growing sweet peppers, outdoors. They only came to bounteous fruition in my unheated greenhouse, in growbags - filled with home made compost, perlite and wilted comfrey.
Almost all leaf vegetables will grow fine in partial shade. Lettuces thrive under bean trellises. And cabbages and kale do well in the shady shelter of walls.
If all else fails, grow jerusalem artichokes. They grow anywhere. I'm thinking of growing them in my bidet in the bathroom. After all, it has no other use, has it?
Yours, ever dibbering
JOHN YEOMAN
Even down here in the Tropics, peppers fail outside although I did plant out the Unknown Seedling 2 years ago which turned out to be a sweet pepper and it did fruit but they were only 1 inch long and wide. Not enough for a cat bite. Unheated greenhouse is by far the best option, Aubergines do well in there too.
thanks all..
i guess i'm gonna have to grow them on the windowsill.. if i can keep the cats from eating them that is! i'm growing chillies too, should be nice!