[JayjayParticipant]

Hi, I cut my Firestorm and Sunburst Runner Beans to ground level last year and am experiencing a bonus crop of beans from them this year where the roots sprouted, probably due to the mild Winter and the heatwave weather here in Portsmouth, only problem is, I will have to put up some supports for them! Jeanette

[JayjayParticipant]

Thought it was about time I told you how I got on with the tunnel and sent in a picture, the tunnel was ready to plant the second week of May, so a little bit late starting. I’ve gone with a two path layout with a bed of about two and a half feet wide up the middle and beds about two feet wide on the sides. The beds don’t have any edging and I have put two or three inches of homemade compost over bare earth except on the paths, in some areas I have put down cardboard under the compost, (usually when I had it to hand).

The tomatoes are up the centre, three pots wide on the diagonal, in bottomless pots of multipurpose and vermiculite. Up one end I have 5 foot staging either side and the tops are made from shower screens so that some light gets through. Because I had some module sown plants that needed a quick home they went under the staging into the compost and earth, there was beetroot, kohl rabi, lettuce, onions. In bottomless pots on the left side went another tomato, a Socrates mini cucumber and in front of that two sweet peppers. (I’m hoping to fit in two more pots with Sweetheart melons here as well). Then comes a GrowBed filled with 3 inches of homemade compost and the rest a multipurpose and vermiculite mix again. I have snacking peppers in here with little gem lettuces. On the other side I have another GrowBed with a sweetheart melon, peppers and spinach in. I know I have crammed too much in, but at the moment it all seems to be growing happily and I can just about get up the paths without knocking too much over! The only ‘proper’ bed was made to hold the 4 solitary Sundance Sweetcorn that germinated from 2 sowings and they needed a separate home from the third attempt at sowing Sweetcorn with successfully germinated Honeydew Sweetcorn which will be growing outside.
More stuff has been ‘levered’ in over head height to dry and that is garlic, red and white onions and also Jermor and Golden Gourmet Shallots. It has certainly been an exercise in trying to get more out of a space!
As well as looking forward to all this lovely food I’m growing at the moment in the tunnel, I am looking forward to seeing what I can grow through the Autumn and Winter using info from your ‘How To grow Winter Vegetables’ book Charles, many thanks for sharing your ideas and observations, Jeanette

[JayjayParticipant]

Wow Phil, lucky you to source such a lot of good muck! You’re bound to have a fabulous harvest this year, keep us informed. Jeanette.

[JayjayParticipant]

Update, photo did upload, it just didn’t show in the preview. Jeanette

[JayjayParticipant]

I bought Jack First’s Book on Hotbeds this year and built an outdoor hotbed 6′ x 6′ x 2′ high and the growing frame was 4′ x 4′ with 6 inches of multipurpose compost with added vermiculite as the growing medium. I started building it with pallets lined with cardboard on the 11th February and I completed it on 23rd February. It peaked at 39 degrees Celcius and when it had started cooling, probably about a week later, I put modules sitting on top of the compost. I planted some seeds directly into the compost on the 6th March. I have been amazed at how it has grown stuff and will certainly be making more next year and probably earlier, say the second week of January. If you can get hold of some fresh manure early in the year, I would suggest you try it, it is fantastic. I will try to add a picture taken on the 10th April. (Didn’t seem to work). Jeanette

[JayjayParticipant]

Hi jjat8cv, thanks, that sounds like a good option and it’s good to know you have found that setup workable.

[JayjayParticipant]

Hi peat, yes, that is what I’m trying to avoid. Thanks.

[JayjayParticipant]

Thanks Charles! I’ll give the 2 paths a try and I’ll start slimming now! I’m hoping that I’ll have so much delicious fresh food from the tunnel that I will lose enough weight to fit along a 1 foot path easily!

[JayjayParticipant]

Thank you Bluebell, I knew it would be something I should know!

[JayjayParticipant]

Excuse my ignorance but what is psb? I googled it and got the Pet Shop Boys and other terms that didn’t seem to be relevant here. I will probably feel very foolish when you tell me the answer but hey, someone’s got to ask the daft questions, this time it’s me! Thanks, Jeanette.

[JayjayParticipant]

I find the Potato Days very useful, you can buy 1 tuber or 150 and last year they were 17p each or £1.50 per 10, (including a mix of varieties).
I am off to the Hampshire Potato days at Whitchurch this weekend for my mix of several varieties.
You can also get other stuff there, runner bean and pea seeds, onion and shallot sets, organic plants, seed swaps and other goodies. I bought my copper trowel and hoes from Implementations there one year.
Here’s a link that covers a large area of the Country: http://www.potatoday.org/potatodays.htm

[Author]

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