Hi All,
First of all I'd like to thank you all for your invaluable help and advice on my previous thread.
I've come up with a list of things that I would like to have a go at growing (there's quite a few, so I'm hoping that I'm not biting off more than I can chew).
Just to recap, I will be growing in containers.
My list is as follows:-
Beetroot
Carrot
Garlic
Lettuce
Spring Onion
Parsnip
Radish
I'd also quite like to have a go at Leek and Sweet Corn but don't know if these would be suitable to container gardening.
Herbs I'd like to grow are Chives and Parsley, both in a a small container.
In the greenhouse I want to grow tomatos, Sweet Pepper and Chilli Pepper.
OK, now for the questions.
Firstly, what do you think about the Leek and Sweet Corn. Will I get away with growing these in containers?
Secondly, is there anything on my list which you think is a no no with container gardening?
Is there anything that I can plant together to save space? I was thinking that my radish might be able to be sown in between the lettuce to save space? On the subject of Lettuce, I was thinking of salad bowl. Can I just take some leaves off this variety and it will continue to grow?
Any advice about the variety of each that I should go for?
Is there anything on my list that I can get on with sowing now? I have got a heated propagator.
I did warn you all that I would have LOADS of questions. Do you see what I mean now?
Thanks in advance, I know you'll all come up trumps for me (hopefully now literally ;D).
Jo.
OOooops, I wasn't meaning to rush everyone, I mean hopefully NOT literally, not hopefully now literally. (My bad typing!!!)
Jo.
Hello
I have grown lettuce, spring onion and stumpy carrot in pots. I also found it a good way to grow runner beans. I had a big pot with a wigwam of 5ft canes. I didnt stop the plants when they got to the top of the poles, just let them dangle back down. It took a little more time to pick the beans, but this was more than compensated for by the extra beans.
I grew some chives in a pot last year. They did OK, but better in the garden, possibly because of the hot summer.
Some people grow radish in the same row as parsnips, as the 'nips are slow to germinate, so the radish show where they are.
Sweetcorn could be a problem in pots, as it may get top heavy and blow over .
I have some lettuce that has been in a heated propagator for a few days, and it has just started to peep through. It's my first time to grow it so early, so dont know what sort of harvest I will get. If you are growing lettuce in a container, why not grow a mixture of red and green ones. They look pretty while in the container, and just as pretty on your plate.
Sorry it's a bit jumbled up, but I hope I have helped a bit.
cj :)
Leeks should do alright, providing you don't try to grow the very big ones, you really want summer leeks I guess, Imperial isn't bad. Agree with carolinej about the sweetcorn, wouldn't do that in pots. Watercress is good as is radish (thank you Georgie ;D ) and how about pea sprouts (I know supersprout has posted about these in the past but can't find posts).
Thanks for your replies.
I think I will give the Sweet Corn a miss then.
Green and Red Lettuce sown together sounds good. I would like a pick and come again variety, is Salad Bowl one of these? Also, can I get on with sowing this in my heated propagator now?
I have found quite a large container and wondered if it would be ok to plant the Leeks, Garlic and Spring Onions together?
Thanks,
Jo.
Salad Bowl is brilliant :) ; very slow to bolt unlike some other lettuces I've grown. I grew the red and green mixture last year and found the green ones grew a bit faster than the red ones. They look great in rows of alternating colours.
you can buy packets of mixed salad seed especially for cut and come again cropping that contains things like...er rocket ... mizuna... that sort of thing which would do very well in containers. i am not sure if salad bowl responds to cut and come again but it is still definately worth growing especially if you plan well and do successional (sp) sowing; i.e you sow a small amount every couple of weeks in modules and then replace picked plants with new seedlings which should keep you going throught the season.
As Caroline says radish's and parsnips are good companions the radish's will be harvested before the parsnips really get going but pick some of the parsnips when they are young so it gives the others space to reach their full potential. Your right to give corn a miss, the lettuce grows so quick you'll just keep replanting, leeks should be OK, again keep them spaced out using some eating like spring onions to make others grow bigger or you might want to try miniature leeks. ;D ;D ;D
I've grown sweetcorn successfully in half barrels for several years, and they did well even when planted quite closely together, good pollination. They got a bit dry last year which did affect the crop; not as much as the squirrells nicking them though! ::)
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l47/dlp133/Gardenandallotmentsjuly06009.jpg)
Sweetcorn could be a problem depending on how big the pot & how many you intend to grow. They pollinate eachother to produce the cobs. Most books recommend 'square planting'. Though some appears to have grown in pots looking at pictures above. Sweetcorn has shallow roots and will need supporting as it grows taller. If it is grown in the land it is good for undercropping, not sure in pots as undercropping could take away too many nutrients.
Leeks: I grew leeks in containers last year and they became root-bound. I transplanted them late and they have only grown to about 12-15inches high with a diameter of 1-2inches max. Everyone else who planted the same got 2-3ft high leeks with a 3-4inch diameter minimum. How gutted am I.... :( I am now eating baby leeks :( :(
Now I see why you wanted an allotment Deb...
8)
Quote from: ktlawson on January 27, 2007, 15:11:59
How gutted am I.... :( I am now eating baby leeks :( :(
next time you're in the supermarket look how much they charge for baby leeks, bet you'll feel smug not gutted ;) My leeks come in all shapes and sizes, that's part of their charm :D
Quote from: saddad on January 27, 2007, 15:18:40
Now I see why you wanted an allotment Deb...
8)
Ran out of room.. ;D
Just back from Potato day at Ryton... kitchen overflowing with tubers got some of both Sarpo varieties as well as a few Burgundy and Salad Blue....
;D
Looks like you did all right with the sweetcorn Deb nice big barrels, them poxy squirrels stripped about ten of mine big and juicy they were.
Thanks everyone.
I've been to Wilko's today and come home with lots of goodies. I even managed to get some pots for my tomatos, buy one get one free. I grew three in a grow bag on the patio last year and one in a pot on its own. The one in the pot did much better than the three in the grow bag so I thought I would let them all have their own pot this year.
I'm just about all set to go now, just waiting for planting time!!!
I didn't buy any sweet corn, but looking at your's Deb I still might give it a go, just depends how big the pots are that I can get now.
I ended up buying some peas too, which I hadn't really thought about before. I don't know if these are suitable for containers or not. Any idea anyone? Also, with peas, do they grow like beans, in that I would need to build a sort of wigwam for them to grow up?
Sorry for all the questions, but thank you everyone who has responded, I'm so grateful for your help and don't think I would have had the confidence to try growing veg in containers without all your invaluable advice.
Jo.
Wigwams should be OK Jo like the one's in Deb's photo's. ;D ;D ;D
Yep, you can grow peas too; if you look at my photo above, I had tomatoes, sweetcorn, peas, sweetcorn and cucumbers growing in my tubs last year.
I got mine from a salvage yard, cheapest I could find. The bottom third is filled with broken up bits of polystyrene, middle third with home made compost, top third a J.I type soil based compost. I top them up every year with my home made compost and a bit of calcified seaweed, plus some chicken manure pellets, seems to work ok!
I also use polystyrene boxes (from my washing machine packaging) to grow carrots in, that works really well and they keep a bit warmer. ;D
I grew Leek Musselburgh in a big pot last year and they did really well. They weren't huge but definitely edible. My mini leeks still look like spring onions, but they chop up and go in things just fine !
Will definitely do some again this year but space them out a bit more. Think they were a bit cramped.
Pots are cool if you've a good water supply (which I do).
8)
I don't know if anywhere is still stocking garlic - You're a bit late to start that now. It needs to settle in a bit before the freezing weather - that's when the cloves are formed, and if it's not growing by then you just end up with one massive clove!
Wait for next year? It sounds like you've got a lot to keep you busy. It's probably a good idea to try a lot of things because if one crop completely fails (I'm good at killing entire crops) at least you've got other things to keep you encouraged.
Good luck!
we've planted garlic in march and got a half decent crop, our allotment shop's got it in and b&q, so, if you want to, give it a go ;D
I had a leaky water butt so I cut off the bottom 1 ft and filled with compo,added a wigwam and planted peas, worked fine, even if they didn`t make it to the pot or freezer ;)
Agree with Scousers. Still time & supply. This went in in February last year.
Hi Tim how close can you plant your garlic ???
I thought it had to be ecey 6inch ??
Re: garlic. My local garden centre is still stocking garlic, if your ground is ready for it then get it in as soon as you can.
That was about 4".
Had we had rain, it would have been better.
Nice garlic tim, i've still got some to go in as soon as our paths are in and we've decided which bed is which, hopefully it'll go in within the next couple of weeks. x
Mine go in at 4" spacing too :)
Nice raised beds, Tim. Very 'a la posh' ;D
Makes my plank raised bed look ......well.......plank like
cj :)
Hi Everyone,
I've been at work all day today and come home to find so many of you have answered my questions. I'm so grateful, thank you.
CornyKev, you mentioned the wigwams for peas, will I be able to just make a makeshift wigwam from canes for the peas to grow up?
DebP, I love your photo, it just goes to show that container gardening CAN be successful, you seem to have it all under control. I thought that Sweet Corn would need more depth for the roots with it being a tall plant. I didn't buy any Sweet Corn, but if I can find a barrel to plant in I might still give it a go.
MrsKP, the variety of Leek that I have bought is Musselburgh, so I'm pleased to hear that you have had success with it. I'll remember to space them out, though I don't mind if I only get mini ones, anything will seem like a great success to me!!!
Tim, your garlic looks fantastic. Can I ask, are your raised beds link-a-bord? I have been looking at these and wondering if I should buy some. I thought they would be ok on the patio.
OK, for my next question. I did manage to buy some garlic from Wilko's and it says plant in early Spring. Should I be getting these in now? If so, do I plant straight into my planter outside, or should I start them off in pots indoors?
Thanks again everyone. I'm soooo sorry for all the questions, but thank you everyone for taking the time to reply, I really do appreciate it.
Jo.
Jo - ditto ! this was my first year of growing anything so when I pulled out a leek my flabber was gasted and it was a great feeling.
;D
Jo - 3 of them, yes. 5 are home made.
If my garlic looks as good as yours this year Tim will be well chuffed...if not! will put mine in posh bed next year . ;D ;D ;D
MrsKP - I'd love to know how you got on last year with it being your first year. What did you grow and were you successful with everything?
Tim - Regarding Link-a-Bord, would you recommend them? I don't have an allotment, I'll be growing my veg in pots on the patio, but have seen Link-a-Bord in some magazines. I was wondering if I would be better getting some of these to make up two square metres or if I would be better with just pots. Obviously, having pots would give me a greater depth, but if I get Link-a-Bord I would need double depth. What would everyone advise?
Jo.
At the risk of boring everyone to death (again) here's a brief synopsis of my adventures last year and my plans for this season.
I started with four raised beds and a couple of long borders and a whole bunch of pots. Raised beds and pots full of imported compost, manure. Borders (heavy clay), improved with soil improver, bought in multipurpose compost, bagged manure.
Successes:
Tomato Gartenperle - outside in pots/hanging basket
Tomato Totem - pots in the greenhouse
Niche Oriental salad mix - outside in raised bed
Red and Green Salad Lettuce - erm can't remember where I planted them now !
Leeks Musselburgh - outside in pots (as previously mentioned)
Carrots Early Nantes 2 - outside in bath !!!
Carrots Autumn King 2 - outside in half whisky barrel
Broad bean Green Windsor - outside in raised bed
Cayenne Chilli - in pots in greenhouse (got enough fruit to last me a lifetime off about 3 plants - so many I don't really need to grow any more this but, but I will !)
Numex Twilight Chilli - in pots in greenhouse. very pretty and still got a plant ripening now !! (now a heated greenhouse)
Cauliflower All the Year Round - outside in border
Onions Sutton - round the edge of the carrot bath and in one of the raised beds that eventually gave way to becoming the base of the second (but much better) greenhouse
Beetroot Perfect 3 - pots and borders outside. Something (saw fly we think) had a right go at the leaves which i removed as soon as i saw any damage and didn't seem to have any real effect on the root
Radishes various kinds - outside border
Parsnips Gladiator - pots outside
Blue Lake Climbing beans - outside border up a wigwam (didn't do them until late - end June - so could have been better and will sow earlier this year)
Could have done better but will try again this year:
Spring Onions - White lisbon and North Holland Blood Red - don't know why they didn't work - will pay more attention to them this year
Courgettes (can't remember the variety) - had them in pots last year and while I had a fair few fruit off 4 plants, didn't get the expected glut. Will try them in one of the borders this year to give them a bit of depth and space
Runner Beans Wisley Magic - up a tent type support thingy - got overcrowded by the sweetpeas that were there first and just ran riot (and were beautiful) not giving the RBs a fair crack at the whip.
Garlic - ASDAs own - planted in the spring in the bath and never really got going. Still using the harvest now but bulbs were quite tiny - have planted out Solent Wight and Purple Wight last autumn in a raised bed so hoping for "Tim" type excellence this year
Webbs Wonderful lettuce - border - didn't give them the attention they deserved and got the appropriate result - nowt !
Aubergines Black Beauty - didn't sow early enough in pots in greenhouse - fine plants, plenty of flowers, one or two fruit but too late to swell and ripen
Rocket - border - didn't really appreciate it last year but will try again
Won't bother again this year: mainly due to over crowding and lack of space
Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli - border - far far too big for my small space
Cabbage - raised bed - caterpillers had a field day - got four small ones
Cauliflower - border - was thrilled with my crop but no room in this year's plan
Swede - border - rotted - planted too close
Raab - raised bed - bolted really quickly
Celery - outside planter -grew fine but we didn't eat enough and it went all stringy and went to waste
New for this year:
Peas - Sugar Snap and Twinkle - outside borders
13 tomato varieties - most inside - some outside
Jerusalem Artichokes - border outside
Cucumbers Masterpiece and Marketmore - pots (both say outdoor on the packets but given my rotten weather conditions will try a couple of each outside and in g/h (if i can find the room)
Chillis of unknown varieties and Boule de Turqie and Pepper Padron for the g/h - this greenhouse is going to have to be like a tardis !
Spinach Cezanne - lord knows where ! in between the strawberries - oh I haven't got to the fruit yet !
Fruit: (first year - not to a clue if they're going to work or not)
Blackcurrant - one in pot - two sticks in the border
Redcurrant - pot
Gooseberry - pot
Strawberries - raised bed
Raspberries - pots
Blueberries - pots
Add to that pots of Naughty Marietta marigolds all over the place and nasturtiums at the edges of the borders/beds, more sweetpeas and then we have the herbs:
Basil - Sweet Genovese
Basil - Lime
Borage
Coriander
Chives
Garlic chives
Oregano
Parsley Curlina
Parsley Plain leaves
Various types of mint in a huge pot by the front door
So there you have it. I was cutting down this year as I thought I'd over stretched myself last season ! :P
I'm on a waiting list for a lottie but don't see that happening this year. I know I'm going mad again but at least most of the planning and replanning was done last year. We had a square rectangle of lawn when we moved in August 2005 and now it's a veritable Beechgrove garden. I've blocked up the path in between the two remaining raised beds, so the middle bit is a new bed.
I'm lucky ::) that being on the west coast of scotland i do not have a water shortage and can use my hose with gay abandon every night after work so nothing went thirsty although I'm thinking of a big dripper kind of system for the toms in the g/h so i don't have to worry about them individually.
Having read this back, I think I'm going to have problems !!! roflmao
Good luck Jo - what ever happens, you'll have a great time trying and when you pull the first carrot you really will shriek with delight a la Carol Klein !
;D
MrsKP,
WOW, What can I say????
Your post reads like a professional gardening book!!! Let me get this straight, last year was your first year, AND you don't have an allotment?
Blimey (a good old Yorkshire saying), I thought that I was going a little wild, hmmmm!!
I think this site is great, there's so many gardeners here at so many different stages (some very new, so not so new, and I don't like to say old so shall I say some advanced) who are all able to give me such inspiration.
Thank you so much for outlining all that for me, I've found it very interesting but it must have taken you ages to type it all out, you did so much in your first year.
OK, I've no worries now. I'm just going to get on with things and if they don't work then they don't work, I'll just keep trying or try something new next year.
Thanks again,
Jo.
Professional ? Nah - just enthusiastic to the extreme. The OH hasn't seen me for a year but he knows exactly where to find me should he need to !
I have a tendency to be a bit of a 5 minute wonder type of person, I'm surprised I've lasted into a second season tbh, but at last I've actually found something I really enjoy.
Most expensive carrots in the world though - this ain't a cheap "hobby" but it keeps me out of trouble and is a great way to spend an afternoon/day/summer evening.
Last year every single d**n vegetable i grew had a picture taken of it and proudly displayed in the gallery. The real professionals on here were very patient and tolerated my enthusiam! It's a brilliant site, everyone is SO helpful, friendly, some are totally bonkers - (eh Liska ? :P) and I've learned so much and asked such daft questions.
And typing all that out has saved me from doing the banking.
Just try the things you like - i was never very fond of cabbages anyway but as they were a "staple" felt the need to try !
In real life I'm a Jo too so felt we'd bonded already ! ;D
Have a look at my blog, you'll see the layout of Beechgrove. I don't profess to have a clue what I'm doing, but I do have a good time trying.
;D
Jo, Link-a-Bord....I'm sure Tim will answer you too, but a friend has 4 veggie beds made from them now, about 3(4?) boards high as she's become increasingly more disabled, and we put them together in a day (with a break for a long liquid lunch) 8) This will be about 4 years ago and they're still looking as good as new & all her plantings crop very well. Much recommended. :)
Just found a pic of the Musselburghs !
(http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6604/3724/320/100_1376.jpg)
OMG KP we've seen the typing, now we're getting the pictures? Oh go on then..now that BB's finished there's nowt much else to look at ;D
btw...you still going to use the bath for carrots this year?
roflmao - been bored stupid tonight apart from watching the rerun of giggling Carol (missed it on friday cos of Jo's eviction) :P
so our "new" Jo kept me occupied !!!
and yes indeedy I'll definitely use the bath again. won't overcrowd it with so many onions and marigolds this year. less is more !
i had to empty it to be able to lift it onto my "borrowed" plot next door, so it will be fresh compost again (saves on soil borne pests, diseases and weeds) but i've got to improve the water retention so will use a JI type compost and perhaps some water retaining gel (unless someone says otherwise) and/or leave an extra couple of inches at the top for some SS mulch !
need to try and make it a bit more beautiful though (as it's in the neighbour's garden). was thinking of a bamboo screen type affair to make it look more like a raised bed and less like a bath ! ;D
Thanks for the replies.
MrsKP, I've just taken a quick look at your blog, I didn't have time to have a good read but have bookmarked it and will be going back later tonight (when I've put the rugrats to bed and have more time). At the moment I'm finding it really interesting to read how other people have started their gardening, what's worked for them, and what they'd do different.
I didn't see any pictures of your 'bath' though. Have you missed the pictures of this off or have I just missed it? One thing I'd like to know is what you filled your containers with to start off with. Did you use different compost to suit the different things you were growing or did you use something multi-purpose?
I have thought about starting a blog. I thought that this would be the best time to start one if I do decide to do one as then I will have a record of what I was doing at each particular time of the year.
Alishka_Maxwell, thank you for your recommendation for the Link-a-Bord. It's good to know that your friend has used them and that she's pleased with them. I still might go ahead and get some.
Jo.
The bath makes a guest appearance in the September archive Jo.
All the pots and bath were just filled with multi-purpose last year, but they did have a tendency to dry out pretty fast. Watering wasn't a problem, just took up a lot of time, so am going to try a John Innes multipurpose mix this year to add to the water holding capabilities.
I started this blog at the end of the season but if you look through there is mention and a few pics of earlier on. Now is an ideal time to start one. I just kept a diary last year (from where I got all my info in my earlier post), but didn't keep strict records of how and what, just a matter of when I did things.
Once of the things I know to avoid is manuring roots - they fork !
I do need to discipline myself though and write up what I've done soon after I've done it. I did a fair bit last weekend and still haven't got round to writing it up. Maybe tonight after the banking!
;D
Hope you got your banking done MrsKP.
I had a good read of your blog last night. I think it's really interesting to be able to read other people's experiences when they have just started gardening. The blog was very humerous too. I love your decking.
Have you heard anything about your allotment yet? It looks like you're in desperate need of one, you have so many things growing.
Thanks again everyone for all the advice.
Jo.
Indeedy I didy. Confirmed my suspicions, too much month left at the end of the money. ;D
glad you enjoyed it Jo. I love being a nosey parker and seeing what other people are doing and grab inspiration and ideas where I see them.
I must admit to being in love with my deck. Sadly it always seems to be covered in mud atm, but once I've done all the digging and got the power spray out, I hope to be able to sit out there on balmy summer evenings, listening to the birds and watching my garden grow !
Not been up to the lottie since before Christmas. I started 21st on the list, and at last check was 11th. So could be this summer or more likely next. There are only 3 lotties within easy peasy reach of where I live, one never bothered to answer my letter, one had it's list closed which leaves the one I'm after. It's in a big country park where they have cricket matches (with a bar) so the OH can escape when he's had enough of the digging. Got to keep him sweet somehow ! It's also just about within biking distance should the car pack up. No point in having a lottie if I can't get there.
Look forward to reading your blog and seeing your back yard develop. Pics, we have to see pics !!
Happy sowing Jo.
;D