Growing in pots and what to grow now?

[pandasyard]

Hi everyone, as the title says we am looking to grow in pots/planters and suchlike and wondered what works well and what isn't so good?? They are in pots this year as the garden is being sorted over winter ready for next years seasons to begin.

Also what seeds are good to get going at this time of year? We have a few which include beans, peas, baby gem, spring onion, onion, carrot and cucamelon, there may be more but I forget as the wife buys them too lol, are any of these any good now? We are happy to buy more if other things work better we have just brought the ones we are most likely to eat but are happy to gain the experience by growing anything.

Also what is best to grow it in, we have grown potatoes for 2 years in just compost and they turned out ok and our strawberries are in compost too and they are ok as well but we aren't sure what is best.

Thanks in advance

[Potstubsdustbins]

You could start some spring cabbages and dwarf curly kale at this time for harvest over winter/spring.

As we are past the summer solstice the days are already getting shorter and that will limit what you can do this year.

[Jungle Jane]

I sowed some rocket seeds a few days ago,they germinated in about 2 or 3 days because of the good weather. Things to sow now - lettuce,raddicchio,carrots,swede,turnip,kohlrabi,French bean,beetroot,radish,spinach,leaf beet,winter/spring cabbage (a compact variety for a pot,space 20cm apart) chinese cabbage,pak choi,Swiss chard,rocket,chicory & endive. Some plants grow well in pots depending on variety,it's nice when seed packets say suitable for containers etc.

[pandasyard]

I sowed some rocket seeds a few days ago,they germinated in about 2 or 3 days because of the good weather. Things to sow now - lettuce,raddicchio,carrots,swede,turnip,kohlrabi,French bean,beetroot,radish,spinach,leaf beet,winter/spring cabbage (a compact variety for a pot,space 20cm apart) chinese cabbage,pak choi,Swiss chard,rocket,chicory & endive. Some plants grow well in pots depending on variety,it's nice when seed packets say suitable for containers etc.

Thanks a lot for the reply. A decent list right there so I'll see what we can do. To be honest I buy all my seeds online off eBay so they don't come in a packet just a small clear bag usually, I will try anything in a pot as its hardly a big cost and is good to see what happens, the list is great as at least the kids get to see thing grow lol.

Thanks again.

[Potstubsdustbins]

You can grow pretty much anything in a container, its all a matter of sizing properly and feeding.

Don't forget to save your used compost you will be able to revitalise it and reuse it next year, saves a lot of money

[Snadger]

I always follow tomatoes with Spring Cabbage in one of my greenhouse beds!

[pandasyard]

You can grow pretty much anything in a container, its all a matter of sizing properly and feeding.

Don't forget to save your used compost you will be able to revitalise it and reuse it next year, saves a lot of money

Yeah I am always on the look out for new ideas with pots, the sizes can be a bit harder to get especially for things like cabbages etc. I am going to do some raised beds when I do my plot so that should make life a little easier.

What do you mean by save and revitalise my compost? Is that by adding more matter to it to bulk it back up again and add more nutrients etc?

[Lumpy]

I use old and more importantly free tyres for my strawberries, sweetcorn, pumpkins, Q's and courgettes.

I think the black rubber helps keep the soil warmer for crops that are not so cold tolerant.

My strawberry tyre mountain will be made larger next year (don't tell the OH just yet) as 4 tyres and 12 strawbs just is not enough.

[Potstubsdustbins]

#9 When the season is over some folks throw their used compost and buy new for the next season. Instead I riddle mine to get rid of old roots etc and add a 7-7-7 fertiliser at the beginning of the new season so that I can reuse it.

[pandasyard]

I use old and more importantly free tyres for my strawberries, sweetcorn, pumpkins, Q's and courgettes.

I think the black rubber helps keep the soil warmer for crops that are not so cold tolerant.

My strawberry tyre mountain will be made larger next year (don't tell the OH just yet) as 4 tyres and 12 strawbs just is not enough.

The very important word of free, there is nothing more appealing My tyres were free too, well actually I swapped them for a single bed but that didn't cost me anything either(the joys of Freecycle)

It will be good to see the mountain once it is built, I may do something similar as they are great for using in the garden. Mine are low profile ones to minimise the wasted compost.

[pandasyard]

#9 When the season is over some folks throw their used compost and buy new for the next season. Instead I riddle mine to get rid of old roots etc and add a 7-7-7 fertiliser at the beginning of the new season so that I can reuse it.

Brilliant, thanks for the advice, I always like to save money