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Growing weeds at home

Posted: 27 Mar 2017, 10:55
by andrewmooney
Hi,

We don't have a tort yet we're still doing lots of research, growing safe weeds/plants at home and doing weed walks to see what there is locally.

Ideally, as much as possible, we want to be able to grow sufficient safe feeds ourselves in our garden. We're planning having a raised bed, would a 1metre x 1metre bed be big enough, once fully established, to feed a yearling?

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 27 Mar 2017, 12:45
by lin
Hiya, and well done for researching before getting a tortoise.
Do you know what species you are going to get. When the time comes please try and source a breeder that will offer you long term advice and will sell healthy tortoises on good diets.

That over with, noy will a meter square be enough to sustain a tiny tortoise. Short answer is yes but the more they grow the more they will eat. However if you decide to get a large grazing species then its a big no after the first year :lol:

Lin

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 27 Mar 2017, 12:54
by andrewmooney
Thanks for your reply Lin, we would get a horsfields and it would definitely be direct from a breeder.

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 27 Mar 2017, 13:40
by Nina
Hi Andrew and welcome from me too. I think 1m x 1m will be ample for a young Horsfield, especially if you grow weeds like Smooth Hawksbeard, Sowthistle and Evening Primrose plants that grow tall and therefore take up less space on the ground. And of course you can do successive sowings of seed, so that when one little section of plants has been used up, another section is just coming to maturity.

Good luck and let us know how you get on (and Horsfields are a great species, with lots of personality).

Nina

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 27 Mar 2017, 22:00
by Bex
Hi Andrew,

I have tried this winter to grow weed seeds indoors but haven't been very successful. I've found if you find a young weed and dig it up with as much root & surrounding dirt as u can, replant it asap, 9/10 have taken and are growing well. They do wilt at 1st but then buck up.... I've had a few 'looks' from passers by but I don't care, I'm feeding my torts!!

Looking forward to when you do get your new family member,

Bex

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 27 Mar 2017, 22:08
by lin
Come summer Bex you will find masses of the weeds seeds you planted. They do take a while and thrive on neglect. Just throw and leave. :D

Andrew -- Yes it will be plenty for a horsfiels. As I say to Bex, dont try to hard to grow weed seeds. Sometimes they need a winter outside to germinate but they will. However as Bex said if the ground is nice and wet and you pull up roots as well as leaves then planting the root will give you much faster results.

Lin

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 28 Mar 2017, 09:01
by andrewmooney
Thanks for all your advice. I've got plenty of seedlings so far from the seeds I recently planted and have been growing indoors. I move them into a mini greenhouse outside during the day. I also bought plugs off the Torts R us selling page on facebook, some are growing well others not. Once again thanks everyone.

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 28 Mar 2017, 09:07
by Nina
Good luck, Andrew, and let us know how you get on. And the mini greenhouse is a great idea, as seedlings need lots of light or they will grow straggly -- just be sure that on a hot day it doesn't get too hot inside your mini greenhouse or there is a chance that they could dry out too much).

Nina

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 28 Mar 2017, 10:58
by andrewmooney
Will do, thanks.

If I'm able to get any weeds up with their roots do you recommend stripping any off any of the leaves before re-planting or leaving it intact?

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 28 Mar 2017, 11:09
by Helen
Yes, you could strip some leaves off but do remember to be careful digging up plants in the wild. I'm sure no-one will stop you but please be mindful of the law. Read our page in our resources section of the website.

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 28 Mar 2017, 12:41
by andrewmooney
Will do, thanks.

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 28 Mar 2017, 12:42
by andrewmooney
Will do, thank you.

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 28 Mar 2017, 13:32
by Bex
Oops forgot bout the law! Most of mine came from an elderly neighbours garden, I offered to 'weed' her front garden to help her cos I'm lovely! :lol:

Re: Growing weeds at home

Posted: 28 Mar 2017, 15:40
by lin
:lol: :lol: :lol: