Beginner Where do I start!

[RosieNewbie]

Hi I am new to growing my own fruit and veg and am looking some advice on what would be the most simple fruit or veg to grow, in terms of not needing expensive equipment and having very little knowledge on the subject!

I would like to grow some veg to get the kids involved and as a new-comer trying to keep it simple to begin with. I have heard of people growing in those flexi tubs and was thinking that might be the simplest way to go about it. Any advice on how to start up and which plants I am most likely to have success with would be much appreciated. What i would like to grow is maybe carrots, blackberries and tomatoes but really which ever would be easiest like I say.

Glad to have found this site its so full of information but for a complete novice like me the amount of info is a bit overwhelming! Any advice at all on where (and when!) to get started would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[Valleyman]

Where are you in the country? This will somewhat affect the responses you get.

Also, what are you favourite veg? What do the kids enjoy? It's hard to get them interested in growing a Calbrese if they despise broccoli.

[RosieNewbie]

Hi thanks I am in Northern Ireland. They like carrots and berries and tomatoes and my little girl suggested cucumber as its her favourite but i don"t know that sounds a bit exotic to me!

[Martin H]

I would probably go with peas or beans. The kids would love eating peas straight from the pod; beans grow big and fast and so are fun to watch grow. Neither is fussy about soil and as long as they can see some sunshine they will grow anywhere.

You can start peas now, probably wait a few weeks before planting beans (french ones or runner ones depending on how much space you have).

[RosieNewbie]

Great thanks. And i could plant these in flexi tubs? Do I need something in place for the peas and beans to climb also? Sorry I really am quite clueless!

[Valleyman]

A couple for you to get started:

1) An outdoor cucumber such as Marketmore is a fabulous idea. Just one or two plants will give plenty of cucumbers! Start the seed indoors now, in a warm place, and plant out later. May/June time. They are surprisingly hardy and will surprise you at their rate of growth.

2) Toms are okay outdoors. Something simple like a gardeners delight in a 10-15l pot, or garden pearl in a hanging basket should be fine outdoors for a first timer. Start the seedlings now though in a warm place, like a window sill. They should be fine to go outside in mid to late may.

3) Hmmm carrots. They are surprisingly tough little blighters to "get right" as they are prone to a few bugs and pests. I grow carrots in 20l pots (They like fine compost compared to hard stony ground, which is what I have). But to avoid disappointment you need to cover them. Many people use enviromesh or veggiemesh, but some old lace curtains with fine holes in them should work. This is to avoid the dreaded carrot fly. Carrot seeds can be planted out now-ish, and for the next few months.

4) Berries are a different one altogether. They are perennials so really need a nice permanent place in the ground, in the sun, and will increase their crop year on year. Never tried them in pots, but am sure someone will be along with their expertise.

5) Others. Strawberries are easy to grow in pots and tasty straight off the plant after a nice sunny day. A small pot of new potatoes might be good, kids love digging for potato gold.

Hopefully that is a starter for ten. Am sure other people with have other ideas.

[cariann88]

Hello and welcome

Have you not thought about growing things like radishes and lettuce leafs? They are easy to grow.

[Yasai]

Hi

A lot of us use the black flower buckets, that supermarkets display their flowers in, to grow tomatoes. i got mine free from Asda and I hear they can be had for free or for a pound or so from Morrisons (depending on which member of staff you ask, I gather). I've never used those tubs although am considering getting one to grow a courgette in. In my limited experience, courgettes are pretty effortless to grow and courgette crisps are really tasty. Both times I've grown them, I've managed to develop powdery mildew (or something) but it doesn't seem to affect the yield; so that might be something for you to try. Happy gardening

[SkyChild]

I know someone who grows berries in tubs (rasps, blueberries and redcurrants) My mother in-law has a blackberry in a tub which seems to be a good way to contain them as they tend to spread themselves out in the garden. Not sure what kind f yield she gets but then she tends to just ignore plants (!)

Think they are pretty thirsty though so maybe you could make up a watering chart or something to get kids interested!

I'd second peas as a brilliant one for small people, mostly because they shoot up really fast and taste best straight off the plant.. Tomatoes and I got some courgette plugs last year and got courgettes all summer easy peasy out of pots, so cucumbers would be similar - find an outdoor variety as previously suggested.

Oh and nasturtiums! They grow fast and although aren't veg, you can eat the flowers which my son finds really cool. They are a tad peppery though

[SkyChild]

I should add that we tried carrots and they were ok in raised beds or not-particularly unstony earth and compost. Some of them came out funny shapes but that's all part of the fun for kids and as long as you're not growing for show, isn't an issue. They still tasted amazing.

I should add, I didn't cover these with anything and didn't have any problems with carrotfly either (though that's maybe to do with the height of the beds)

[Yasai]

Forgot to say that I grew Akito (a small Japanese variety from Lidl) last year outdoors in a flower bucket and had a great yield. I mixed multi purpose compost with well-rotted manure but that's only because I got hold of some for free. this year I'm just going with mpc; should be okay. And I made a trellis for the cukes using 5 or 6 bamboo canes to give them something to grow up and spread out on.

[Guest]

Hi and welcome to the vine. I won't offer any advice as there is probably enough there to mull over, just don't be scared to ask even if you think it is daft - I find everyone is friendly here

[arpoet]

Welcome from me too... Little hands like big seeds: peas, beans, beetroot to name a few. Potatoes to well in flower buckets, but drill a few holes for drainage first.

[Bigmallly]

Hello Rosie & welcome to the Jungle. Am I right in thinking you don't have much growing space outside in the garden?...........I'm really surprised nobody has suggested growing Potatoes, they can be grown in tubs, containers, trugs , dustbins. Anyway, whatever you grow make sure it is something you & the kids will enjoy.........Keep in touch with the vine, there's no place like it.............

[arpoet]

I forgot to say, take a trip to your local library or charity shopand find some simple gardening books. Dont spend much money yet of books that you can get for free or just a few pence.