Selfsufficientish.com

Some of you, especially new members, might not know about our blog pages on 'Ish http://www.selfsufficientish.com/main/
There are many interesting articles there covering most aspects of 'Ishness, but the one I want to draw attention to is the indoor vegetable growing article.
I sowed a 30" trough of Cupidon French beans on the 3rd of February and placed it in an unheated room indoors. Today we will pick a small serving just 10 weeks later and will continue to pick for several weeks more.
OK, I'll admit it's on a south facing windowsill and the temperature probably never dropped below about 14c, but provided it doesn't drop below freezing anyone could have fresh beans in April or May during the hungry gap.
A south facing windowsill is not essential either, just don't forget to water them.

Just sayin ......

flippin marvellous. So you have convinced me and now the Wizard is convinced, we bought some windows on Saturday and when and if the weather ever picks up, we will be constructing our veranda roof and conservatory, the solution to the wet weather, cover everything you can

diggernotdreamer wrote:the solution to the wet weather, cover everything you can

Indeed, dnd, not to mention the wind.

Tony, would our light levels affect it much - I've had salad leaves growing longer than your beans and they're still not much bigger than sprouted seeds. We have been rather distracted so they might not have had the attention (or water) they require but they look well enough.

On a slightly different note I understand Ikea are introducing a kitchen hydroponics system. Looks interesting, unfortunately our journey to any point near a store is a month before it comes out.

diggernotdreamer wrote:we will be constructing our veranda roof and conservatory

You won't regret it DnD, and as GA says, the wind is also something to consider. That's the reason I grow just about all my veg under cover, and it seems to be a lot windier just lately than when I first decided on a tunnel.

Green Aura wrote:Tony, would our light levels affect it much

Not at this time of year GA, at the equinox our light levels were exactly the same and now you have more daylight than me. Last year I grew F.Beans starting in December and they grew just fine. No idea about salad leaves I don't grow them, I like full sized Little Gem and that's all I grow.

Green Aura wrote:Indeed, dnd, not to mention the wind.

Today is a good example.
Outside it's blowing near gale force icy north westerly winds, with frequent hail showers and a wind chill of brass monkeys.
Inside my conservatory it's calm, quiet and a very pleasant 28c.
Well quiet that is until one of those hail showers come along, then it rattles a bit.

The wind, the wind, the wind, there I think I covered that. We have had terrible hail, freezing wind, more freezing wind, we are now waiting for a break in the weather to start the construciton