What can i grow in my garden?

[FreedomFighter]

I have a yard outside its smallish but gets alot of light. Well, most of the light goes right into the corner of the yard most of the day so its kinda like a sun trap.

We want to grow lots of vegetables and our own food basically so we dont have to rely on supermarkets and stuff.

If its anyhelp my location is in Hereford.


p.s

sorry if this is the wrong section for this? Im new!

[lainey lou]

Hello and welcome to the vine!!
I would suggest grow the veg you like to eat and the veg that is expensive to buy!

[FreedomFighter]

Hehe :-) Thanks
We dunno why we didn't just think of that!...........?
Main essentials...
LOTS OF VEGGIES!!!!!

Hmmmm, would cardboard boxes with loads of compost in be good to grow things in like potatoes, coliflowers... ?

We're just going to get loads of compost from the earth that nobodys using
...we're assuming its got all the best nutrients in?

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine.

Cardboard will rot down and let all your soil out (and your veggies in the process) making a mess of your yard and all your efforts. There are lots of tips on the vine for growing in containers, and many of us use the black flower buckets which are given away by some supermarkets or are available from Morrisons at 99p for a stack of 8 or so. Your best bet for a good growing medium (assuming you don't have a garden as such) is to purchase multi purpose compost. I am sure there will be more expert growers along shortly to say I am wrong on that one though.

Good luck with it.

[lainey lou]

MMmmmmm, cardboard boxes? I guess if they were sturdy enough. Certainly you can grow lots veggies in containers, spuds, carrots, beans etc. I have grown salad leaves in window boxes and tomatoes in hanging baskets. Its a great way of making the most of your space!

[SarzWix]

As Shirley said, cardboard boxes would eventually collapse with being watered/rained on. Although you could preserve them for longer by lining them with a bin bag or something, they'd still disintegrate from the outside.
Do you have/access to a car? It can be worth a drive round your nearest industrial estate looking for things being got rid of - we've found some fantastic big & sturdy wooden boxes which had been used to ship marble fireplaces, and the place was just burning them to get rid!

I would have to advise against just removing soil from public places, I think you could get yourself into trouble there!

[FreedomFighter]

thanks so much people! all the advice is awesome
this place is great

[tamsin]

Plastic storage boxes would be better and are quite cheap. Or try freecycle for large containers eg old bath, washing up bowls, water butts etc.

[janeyo]

Or a few raised beds could look nice.
I grow potatoes in buckets (add a few holes) and can move them where the sun is £1.20 for a bucket from Wilkos but am guessing a pound shop would be cheaper!

[RedThorn]

Look around for pallets, old scaffold boards etc. Either at the industrial estates,on freecycle etc. Some on here (holds hands up) even look in other peoples skips! If you want inspiration search for pallet house Lynda built a chicken house outa pallets and if you read the thread, you'll see what I mean about lateral thinking and recycling at its best!

Good luck and happy growing.

[bramble]

you can also use the blue containers that mushrooms come in. You can groew small carrots (paris market) spring onions, radish, all year round lettuce, or any of the other crops that don't need a deep root system.
Go to youyr local library and get some garden booke ( like container growing) Full of ideas.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[maytreefrannie]

Welcome and good growing. I have a garden but I like to grow in containers too - old buckets, bins etc. One shop gives me (empty) mayonnaise buckets, as they have to dump them and if they have any waiting to be dumped when I call, they're happy to see me.

Even in a small space, it's amazing what will grow - and, as I see it, anything you grow to eat is a saving, plus it will most likely taste and be better than what you'd buy.