Winter Sowing for a Beginner

[Duronal]

Studenty suggestions for growing pots. It wasn't too long ago for me.....3 years....

Ice cream tubs, large margarine tubs, plastic packaging that soft fruit comes in and the hard plastic tubs that are used for shop meringue and doughnuts. Just cut/poke/burn some holes in the bottom of these for drainage and hey presto pots for free!

[Gwen11ian]

There are plenty of things that are pretty happy growing on a bright windowsill in the winter. Herbs are always good (and easy if start with already-grown from the grocery store and re-potted into something larger). I just moved to the UK this time last year, and started growing some cherry tomatoes in September on my windowsill. They grew all winter (got a bit leggy, but not bad) and started producing great flavored tomatoes in March! You could get in a good harvest well before you leave in June. I'm doing the same again this year.. even if it's not producing it still makes a nice houseplant! 'Cut and come again' lettuces might be worth a try as well, as a baby leaf salad.

So much depends upon how much sun you're getting.. you don't want the plants in direct sunlight, but somewhere that is bright for as many hours as possible. Keep them away from heat/drafts, and don't close the blind over them so they're against the window all night.. it will be too cold.

[Demeter]

Cheers Demeter - I'm studying Law at Warwick :-)

That's hard work - spent most of my law degree shut up in the library! (oh, yeah, and the college bar )

I got some cauli seeds today that you can sow about now and harvest by late spring next year. I bought two varieties so I might have it the wrong way around in my head but I am pretty sure the one for sowing now was called All The Year Round. (And, like cabbages, even if you don't get the curds in time you can always eat the leaves as greens!)

Final idea from me - may be worth investing in a mini-greenhouse, they are like a shelving unit with a plastic tent thing that goes over the top. You can get them for around £15 to £25 depending on vendor and size - and they come flatpacked / not too heavy so you should be able to get one home on the bus (or order from Amazon lol). Anyway, as long as the garden isn't too windy and you have a fence or wall that you can physically attach the thing to then it should be sturdy enough - and it will be a pretty cost-effective way IMO to extend your growing season, which will obviously be particularly useful if you know you need to harvest by about June! You might be able to rig up something cheaper if you are handy with such things

[quark1]

Welcome HM - one of the best FREE - YES FREE! - containers is the flower buckets which many supermarkets give away.

Some do charge a small amount say 10 for a squid - but my co-op gives me as many as they have and I can take away. Try both large and small stores - asking is the hard part - but once you make that first step the rest is easy-peezy. They'll be only too happy that you take away what is considered 'rubbish'.

I gave my local manager a few of my Blue Spuds to try out on his family this year. He was delighted, but didn't expect anything at all. There is 'currently' no recycling for these buckets in place at the co-op. Asda I think have started to crush and recycle - you have to get in quick with the flower lady.

Buckets can be moved indoors if the weather gets really mean for certain veg - IF you have the room. You can also move on with you if the Uni year gets in the way to pastures new.

Variety recommends I'll leave to those who know more than I!

Good luck, Luke, with your student years - looks like you intend to eat healthier than most of your kind! Bet the whole lot'll be swilled down with a fair few pints though - and quite right!