Choppers Greenhouse and patch project 2014

[Bren In Pots]

You have achieved a lot in these past 3 weeks

[Stan79]

Great work! What a lot of progress. I feel incredibly idle!!!

[chopper_j]

cheers guys.. have had some labouring help

Bad news, greenhouses direct called today and said the planned delivery for tomorrow is now delayed as they only just seen that some of the powder coating is not up to standard, had taken Thursday and Friday off to install the greenhouse

[chopper_j]

In preparation for the greenhouse I have been planting seeds for the last 3 weeks and now have quite a few toms, peppers and Aubergines on the go ready to be planted out in the greenhouse by the end of March (got a heater for it now)

I am trying to work out best layout for planting as I may have planted a few too many seeds The beds are going to be the length of the greenhouse with the staging at the end, so 4m of comfortable growing space, width 1m. For the toms do you agree that planting 9 per sqm (3 * 3 square) will be OK. This means I should be able to have around 36 tomato plants, or could this be too dense? On the other side I will do the same with a mix of different type of peppers / aubergines and a couple of cucumber plants. Welcome any thoughts

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Nice work James!

You've proper "Romped on" with that project!

Feel you have your maths a bits out of skew though regarding planting, allowing a foot gap either end of bed for plant spread, planting a foot apart, will give you room for 21 plants, I would only but dream of having that sort of room!

But remember you have to allow space to get in and maintain, side shooting etc! Or (I forget who said it, but great terminology!) Take out there armpits! So I personally feel too dense a planting! But that's MY personal opinion!

But I wish all the very best with it!

(Bummer about the greenhouse by the way!)

[chopper_j]

Hi, thanks for your comments & reply

I think your right, perhaps I should do 2 deep and 10 or 11 long, will be plenty of tomatoes anyway

Everywhere I have read says that peppers and aubergines are smaller plants, could I go 3 deep with these, plus maintenance is lower also? I have the following seedlings, aubergine moneymaker/ophelia/enorma, peppers corno di torro rosso/giallo & frigitello, planted so many of these!

[Bill HH]

Great project I am very jealous.

Regarding the tomatoes, unless your planning on setting up a stall in the town 36 plants sounds a lot. The more space between them the easier they are to get at, better air circulation etc, and if you get tomato caterpillars in there (which seemed to be booming last year) you would have little chance of picking them off. Sometimes less is more.

[AllInContainers]

Looking good mate! I'd echo Bill's and Deano's views on the toms. Give them (and yourself) a bit of space, and they'll thank you for it.

[chopper_j]

Hi guys, your right, 20 tom plants is plenty spaced 40cm apart, just got carried away planting seeds and now got too many plants.. for the peppers would 30cm be OK, or do you still think to close?

[Scarlet]

I try to space mine 18inch apart in a double row. That's pretty tight when armpitting.
It goes from this....
To this..in no time!
I grow my peppers in black buckets sat in long trays for easy watering, I can then move them around if I want. Sometimes on a bench so that I also have growing space underneath.

[chopper_j]

Hi, thanks for your reply, I am going to go double row on the toms to give them plenty of room and maybe triple on peppers, will see how they look once its all go.. I have decided to go with just one paver down the middle so got around 1.3m beds now

Some progress since the last update, now just got the greenhouse to erect and install electrics, should be all finished by Saturday

[Bill HH]

All I can say is Bruddy Hell what a great job you have made of that, you have a plot to die for. I take my hat off to you. actualy I dont wear a hat so its a metaphorical one.

[Dorothy rouse]

Oh my goodness, is this really an allotment! Looks amazing

Mine is the exact opposite!

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Nice!

I tip my hat to you sire!

[chopper_j]

Thanks all, lovely to have such nice comments, my family think I am mad

Lets hope greenhouse fits on the base!