Marksbegonias' Blog

Trying something different this year.

Posted on 23 Mar, 2008 5 comments

I usually only concentrate on my Double Tuberous Begonias.
Last year i grew some foilage Begonias for the first time, and will be doing so again this year.
This year i have decided to try and grow something edible. I planted some tomato seeds earlier on, in the propagator. They came up, and yesterday i potted them up into seperate pots. Whilst at the garden centre i purchased a small cucumber plant, which i potted into a slightly larger pot yesterday. I have also ordered some Strawberry plants. I put Strawberry plants into Google, but most of what came up had offers on which meant i would have to buy far too many plants. But i found a site with some plants grown in Wales (i think it said) where i only had to buy 5 plants, much more suitable. And grown fairly local, as Shropshire isn’t far from Wales!
I intend to grow them all in pots and tubs, because nearly all of my small garden is slabbed with the greenhouse bases, paths, and in the summer a stable base to enable the Begonia plant pots to stand up outside if they aren’t going to make the show. They still make a lovely display in my garden, even if they aren’t quite show standard. I just have to watch that I’m not putting them in full sun where it will burn the leaves.

Comments

Weemamabell

23 Mar, 2008

Hi Mark thanks for the info , much appreciated !
I sucked some seeds out of some delicious strawberries last year and put them in compost , my hubby laughed at me but guess what ?? everyone of the seeds have appeared so im hoping for some good Strawberry plants this year , well im hoping, maybe they wont produce any fruit , il just have to wait and see . My Tomato plants are looking great ive still to get a cucumber plant , usually a neighbour gives me one .Oh its all so exciting eh ?

Mikec

23 Mar, 2008

Good luck with your new plants Mark. I once grew strawberries in a strawberry pot and they did very well. The pot looked beautiful sitting in the garden and the plants produced a lot of fruit. When I moved I left the pot behind and was sorry that I did. I really like the look of veggies etc. planted in containers and I'm sure that you're going to enjoy it too.

David

23 Mar, 2008

Good Luck with your food plants, Mark. Did you note whether the cucumber is an all-female plant? It will make things a lot easier if it is.

Marksbegonias

24 Mar, 2008

Yes David, i had noticed that is does say on the label "all female" i must admit i was unsure exactly what the signifcance of that meant, but if it will make things a lot easier then that has to be good. There seems to be 2 little plants in the one pot, when i put them into the larger pot i seperated them, should i have done that - or is there a reason that 2 were in the same pot?

David

24 Mar, 2008

You can't lose then, with the cucumber, Mark. I always grow cucumbers with both male and female flowers, and have to pinch out the males on a daily basis (but I actually enjoy doing this as it is a time to sit down on a stool and just potter). If the males are left on, the cucumbers, produced by the females, are bitter and quite inedible. So, you won't have that task. Also, you'll be able to give your tomatoes and cucumbers the same liquid phostrogen food. As I mentioned in another of your blogs, it will be interesting to see how these get along with begonias. I am planning to have some foliage begonias this year in the greenhouse alongside tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and chillis. Also, well done for getting 2 in the same pot. This sometimes happens, and is all to your benefit. You did right to repot them seperately.

0 people like this blog

Marksbegonias' Blog