Moving House - how can I guarantee us 'some' veggies this summer?

[RobintheBobin]

Sorry for the long title! We've decided to bale out and move house but I have already planted up my lovely vegetable bed In the hope that the house sells relatively quickly I am gutted at the thought of losing all my hard-worked-for vegetables. So a few questions:

Can I still sow some climbing beans to grow in large pots?
Has anyone grown leeks/kale/sprouts in pots?
How about courgettes (the climbing Tromboncino variety) - do they do okay in pots?

This is so frustrating but at the same time we hope to move to a bigger garden with loads more opportunities to grow veggies and raise chooks. must look on bright side and long term, must look on bright side and long term...

Any other suggestions re moving house with veggies would be very welcome.

RtB

[TrulyGreen]

Can I still sow some climbing beans to grow in large pots?
Has anyone grown leeks/kale/sprouts in pots?
How about courgettes (the climbing Tromboncino variety) - do they do okay in pots?

I am limited for space and grow some veg in raised beds, but quite a lot in pots.

I have climbing beans in a massive plastic bucket (holes drilled in bottom) with a wigwam in it. So far the beans look healthy and are climbing well. I think it was TwoSheds suggested one climbing bean plant (plus cane) in each of three pots and group the trio together tying the canes at the top. I also have rhubarb, peas, carrots, baby leeks, rocket and bush tomatoes in containers and potatoes in barrels.

In my very limited experience quite a lot of veggies will grow in containers. All mine look healthy at the moment. Fingers crossed that they continue the same. I am getting some more raised beds this year but will still continue container growing as it increases the space for crops.

Good luck with the move

Christine

[T-lady]

Hey RtB

Good luck with the move - sounds an exciting venture you've lined up for yourselves!

Beans go wonderfully well in pots. I grew lovely crops of French beans last year - I gave them an extra big dollop of famyard manure into the bottom of the pots and they loved it!

You should be fine with your courgettes too - I'm glad you posted on the Tromboncino variety - I bought them because they're climbing but forgot about it when I planted them out last weekend. Time to find a frame for them to romp up.

How about growing some tomatoes and peppers in pots too? Your garden centre may still have some plants if you've not.

As for leeks - I can't imagine why you shouldn't grow them in pots - it'd make earthing them up easy if you have a really nice deep pot. You can certainly get a nice crop of onions and garlic from a pot and they grow much the same.

Finally - I'd steer away from trying to grow sprouts in a pot. They want really firm soil and get quite tall. I think they'd rock themselves loose in a pot and want to fall over too. However, if you find some dwarf curly kale it might be worth a go. They don't grow too large and you can effectivly treat it as cut-and-come-again.

[RobintheBobin]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far - am I still okay to sow the climbing beans as all my lovely plants are in the ground and I'm not sure they would like to be moved?

So far its looking all positive - only things that would be a struggle are sprouts and kale but if necessary I'll palm these off onto my mum and scrounge them back in the winter

SO much too think of but trying to stay calm!!

x

[zazen999]

Robin.

Good thinking I say; I put all my veges in pots last year, we moved in April and had alot of work to do before we planted outside, but the summer was so rotten and the best veges were the ones I had planted in pots anyway.

You can grow alot on pots, as above - and leeks and onions can be started off in pots and transplanted outside when you move anyway.

I'll have to pass on sprouts; as I've never had any luck - but I have grown broccoli in pots and it grew fine - you just have to firm it in well.

I'm posting mainly to tell you about my vege boxes that I grew last year - I threw in some toms, pea and bean and courgette seeds into compost filled plastic boxes; the ones that alot of councils use for recycling if you know what I mean. The beans grew first, by the time they were done the toms were ready and the courgettes grew all the while - and all in all I got better crops than some that were in the ground - and they didn't get blight. I also popped a french marigold in the middle to ward off bad bugs.

What I am saying is that you can grow veges in containers together, rather than having separate containers. As long as they are well watered and you fertilise every week - you can get really good results [even if it is less 'pretty' than a proper garden - it is functional].

Also - remember the state of the housing market - it could be 3 months anyway until the prospect of moving everything crops up - and by then alot of your veg will hopefully have been eaten. Which means you can plan your winter veg crop in the containers and just move those.

[Flummery]

Not too late to sow beans now Robin. I grew some good dwarf french (bush) beans in a window box last year for my grand daughter.