Johnplotman's Journal

Do you sow most of your veg in containers?

All will work out well for you, John.

That's plenty to be getting on with. Fair play.

Good luck with all plans,John!

its great idea with the buckets... thanks for your journals -i am learning a lot.

Using the buckets is so handy John. If the weather gets cold you can just pick them up and put them inside. I discovered how handy it is when i had no choice but to use them this year. Will be using them plenty more in the future though.

I noticed that the soil i have in the buckets is forming cracks on top and there's a small gap between the inside of the bucket and the soil. Is this any harm to the seeds?

I use 6 raised outdoor beds Cloncaw to also sow in,and one section of the tunnel not raised,along with crates,tubs,buckets etc.

So far so good Fran,thanks.

We have to make hay while the sun shines Jacinta,because rain will never be to far away to pay a visit.[Thanks]

Thanks Liga.

Thanks Hoey.Good luck with all the vegetable growing.Some years back when i first used buckets,after spotting them used in a vegetable garden,they have been part of here since,and add to them whenever i spot one.Can last up to at least 3 or more years.

A mobile container all the way Liam.Another good thing i like about them is when a particular veg you have grown gets to big and space is short they are handy to move to another area.What i do is to mark a number on the bucket along with a letter.Those 9 buckets go A TO I along with a number [also into the diary] and the area its in.The buckets can be moved to every part of the garden and the name or number will never be lost so no problem with date of sowing etc.

Liam it sounds like the clay in your bucket has gone dry.With potatoes you will see the ground forming cracks,and will do similar in a bucket if low in water.With the seeds i dont want to sound negetive but i think they are a crisp by now.With the gap between soil and bucket,i would be thinking the clay on top is gone solid.If it is well over the time for the seeds to germinate then start a fresh sowing with a new supply of compost.If you have any of the seed showing first off Liam in the bucket with the cracked compost/clay, then steep the bucket in water until moist.If the soil is solid at the top,the seeds wont be able to push through.

Thanks John. Theyre not down too long so i'll give them another while to see if anything happens. If not, then i'll do a fresh sowing.