Chilli seed giveaway, carrot fly and containers.

Post categories: carrot

Ann Kelly|13:29 UK time, Friday, 1 May 2009

Thanks for all your comments - sorry to anyone I haven't got round to answering. Seems like people have a lot of questions about the evil carrot fly, and about growing in containers in small spaces. And we'd love to hear from you about money-saving tricks you've come up with in the garden - top of my list is the newspaper pot (pictured) for seedlings - it's ultra cheap and you can plant the whole thing when planting out time comes. Get directions on making newspaper pots.

First off, though, I wanted to reassure anyone who applied for Dig In seeds but hasn't got them yet that they will be sent. Because we had so many applications, we've had to print more seed packs, but most people will still receive their seeds within 28 days as we said. Anyone who won't will get an email shortly to let them know.

And if you didn't manage to apply for Dig In seeds, or even if you did, The One Show are doing a chilli seed giveaway this evening. Get over there and get spicy!

Anyway, back to those evil carrot flies and teeny pots. So, thelovelycheesybeans asked about whether growing carrots in containers would foil the carrot fly, because it can't fly very high. As flies go, they're a bit useless. Well, I've tried it, I grew carrots in an old water tank thrown out of someone's attic, and it worked a treat, hardly any damage at all. And my allotment neighbour reckons that just making a tall ridge in the soil is enough to put them off.

As well as old tanks, I grow my veg all sorts of other containers, like cardboard tubes scrounged from the local carpet shop (well, I say scrounged, they were overjoyed to get rid of them), sawn into 30-50cm lengths and filled with compost, old bins, old drawers from chests of drawers - basically if you can fill it with compost or soil, I'll grow something in it.

So, what are your tips for cheapy container growing? Send us a comment, suggest a subject you'd like to see discussed, or just tell us how your seedlings are getting on.

Have a lovely long weekend!

Dig In Ann

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The Dig In campaign has finished now. Thanks to everyone who took part in the campaign throughout 2009 and 2010. We hope you enjoyed growing the Dig In seeds, especially those of you who are new to growing vegetables. This site is no longer being updated, but it is still packed full of useful information about growing veg.

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Peter Horrocks has an allotment in Newcastle. He's the regional rep for the National Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners in the North of England & Scotland, the secretary of the Newcastle Allotments Working Group. Plus, Peter is secretary of a ten-acre allotments site in Newcastle, considered by many to be one of the best in the city.

Ben Raskin is an advisor with the Soil Association, as well as helping to run 22 acres of organic vegetables. With over 16 years of horticultural experience, including running market gardens and working at the Welsh College of Horticulture, he's an expert on organic matters.

Beechgrove Potting Shed is Radio Scotland's top gardening show, giving tips and advice to Scottish gardeners - and the odd Dig In grower - every Sunday.

Zoe tends the Dig In website. When she's not in the office you'll find her gardening on Hampstead Heath and in Regents Park.

Ann "Dig In" Kelly looked after the blog from day to day until May 2010. Bitten by the gardening bug a few years ago, she has progressed from a few growbags to a great big polytunnel. She hates slugs.