Growing veg in hanging baskets

[JoeyEmma]

I have four of these little hanging baskets in the cellar plus the cardboard liners.



I have a little back yard that gets a tiny bit of sun at the back

I was wondering if it would be possible to grow some veg in them over the summer.

I was thinking of some french beans, but a dwarf variety as I love the bright pretty flowers they produce as well as the veg!

Would these work, baring in mind the little sun that it gets?  Is the container too small?

Can anybody suggest anything else that would be suitable to grow in them?

[JoeyEmma]

[manicscousers]

they cry out for tumbling tomatoes, if you mix in some moisture retaining granules,
it'll help  :)
just thought, wild strawberry plants as well, beautiful taste, don't know about the beans, they need lots of water, I think

[saddad]

I have a red/pink tumbling Tom called Whippersnapper... nice eating but you may not have enough light... the strawberries might be OK being an open woodland plant..
pm me and you can have a few free seed...
;D

[kt.]

Cut & come again lettuce such as salad bowl or lollo rossa. Red or green or even mixed in colour. These lettuce leaves are expensive in the summer at up to £1 per bag. They will last most of the summer months for you and are fast growing.

[JoeyEmma]

Strawberries are a good idea. My other half hates tomatoes, so I'd like to try and do something that we could both eat. I'm going to do my lettuces in normal containers.

I was wanting a plant that would tumble over the sides of the basket, making the backyard look pretty as well as providing something to eat!

[manicscousers]

how does he feel about cucumbers, I've got some melothrie seeds, I'll send you a few if you'd like them, they are a tiny, about 1/2" when you eat them, taste of cucumber, sprawl everywhere, usually up a trellis so would do well in these baskets, I think, pm details if you want some  :)

[Georgie]

I hate to be pessimistic but I really don't think any fruit or vegetables would do well in such small containers because they simply wouldn't get enough water and most need more sunshine than you suggest they will get. I find trailing Rosemary is very happy in semi-shade and so is Pennyroyal which is a member of the mint family and both would be fine on the dry side.  I can't think of anything else trailing and edible off the top of my head that would thrive.

G x

[Hyacinth]

I'd go for alpine strawberries - they'll send their runners over the baskets & you'll be eating the fruits into November AND the leaves turn a beautiful red colour round the edges as the year goes on.  Saddad's right about the light, too. So those round the edges & still space in the middle for........er....something else :-\  ;D

[Georgie]

Alpine strawberries do all the things Lish says but you need at least 4, more likely 6 fruits, to get the same taste as a standard strawberry.  And no matter how high up you place your baskets I bet the snails still find them! ;)  Stick with the herbs!

G x

[supersprout]

Try whatever you'd enjoy eating, and if it doesn't work try something else next year?
G is right about the watering and feeding, but if you're prepared to do that, I'd try tumbling toms and climbing French beans which will dangle prettily down the wall :)
If you don't get much sunlight, you might like a yellow-leafed runner bean - Sun Bright - which has fierce red-orange flowers and good beans. If you'd like to try a few, pm me as I'm sure I can rootle out a couple of seeds :)

[JoeyEmma]

Wow, thanks for the great ideas people!

Also thank you for the generous offers of seeds as well, PMs have been sent!

I think I'll definitely mix in some moisture retaining granules into the soil though.