Most productive plants to grow in pots

[21again]

I went mad last year as a newbie to this growing thing and planted lots of different toms, beans, peas, cucumbers, peppers, courgettes, raspberries, strawberries etc.

I planted so much I didn't take enough care of a few of them and they weren't as good as they could have been.

This year I am going to be more disciplined and only grow a handful of things that I will use and which will provide quite a good yield.

I was thinking of:

Sugarsnap peas

runner beans

sungold toms

sweet pea toms

courgette (all green bush - don't think I will bother with the round variety this time)

Plus I have the rasberry canes planted in pots from last year.

Don't think I will bother with peppers or cucumbers as I can buy these cheaply enough in Alid/Lidl plus you don't get a high yield.

Anyone else having the same idea or have any suggestions as to the best things to grow that can provide a lot of fruit or veg?

It is quite easy to get carried away and plant too much stuff isn't it.



Oop, nearly forgot, shall def be growing lettuce again.

[Bren In Pots]

You've got a good selection there, I grow the similar sorts of stuff but without the peas i found I didn't have enough plants to get a decent amount of peas so this year I'm using those pots for aubergines instead.

[21again]

You've got a good selection there, I grow the similar sorts of stuff but without the peas i found I didn't have enough plants to get a decent amount of peas so this year I'm using those pots for aubergines instead.

Well, I planted some peas (can't remember the name now without getting my box of seeds out but they were the kind that you shell ), my 10 year old loved eating them from the pods which was great as she isn't a veggie fan.
They didn't produce a great deal though but the mangetout produced masses.

[Snadger]

Your biggest problem with runner beans will be keeping them watered because they need prodigeous amounts of water when in full leaf!

[stella]

I put all my herbs in pots as it stops the dogs going near them and ....... at least I know they cant reach them.

[21again]

Your biggest problem with runner beans will be keeping them watered because they need prodigeous amounts of water when in full leaf!

Our garden isn't that big and it will be about 20' from the water butt to the bean pot if I bring it up to the top end of the garden.

It'll keep me fit carrying the water to it.

[solway cropper]

I'd try sweet peppers again, perhaps different varieties. I get loads of them from 4 plants and they go in salads, soups, stir fries and chutney. They might be cheap at Aldi but you've no idea what they've been sprayed with.

[trish60]

Grew courgettes last year in the garden & in pots. The pots ones were specifically for pots & I didn`t keep records last year so don`t know the variety but did much better than the garden grown ones.

[21again]

I'd try sweet peppers again, perhaps different varieties. I get loads of them from 4 plants and they go in salads, soups, stir fries and chutney. They might be cheap at Aldi but you've no idea what they've been sprayed with.

I have some seeds for dwarf sweet peppers that I grew last year. I may have a go at those again if I take care of them more than I did >.

I did def grow too much stuff last year, I will have a lot more room in my 5' plastic greenhouse if I choose carefully what to grow.

[leah]

not much help, but I grew cucumbers in pots last year, telegraph and one of the small varieties and had more cucumbers than I could ever use. I love them and couldn't imagine ever not growing them again Can't wait to get them going again

I've never ever been able to grow carrots in pots, no idea where I am going wrong. I did manage parsnips though, they were on the small side, but tasty

[21again]

not much help, but I grew cucumbers in pots last year, telegraph and one of the small varieties and had more cucumbers than I could ever use. I love them and couldn't imagine ever not growing them again Can't wait to get them going again

I've never ever been able to grow carrots in pots, no idea where I am going wrong. I did manage parsnips though, they were on the small side, but tasty

Did you grow you cucumbers in pots outdoors Leah or was the pot in the greenhouse?

[zazen999]

I pop extra cukes in pots 21, and grow them outside...

[21again]

I pop extra cukes in pots 21, and grow them outside...

Great. I wasn't going to bother with them this year as last year was the first time that I grew them and although I got a couple that was it.

I think I will put them outside this time.

I grew burpless tasty green and a gherkin type from Lidl.

[*Lavender*]

I've grown stuff in pots in my garden for the past few years. Broad beans, carrots, courgettes and potatoes were very productive I found.

For the carrots ensure you have a deepish container (at least 20cm deep) and I mixed 2 parts compost to 1 part sharp sand. After sowing I covered the tub with fleece to prevent carrot fly. I found them really easy to grow. If you don't have a deep tub you could try the little round carrots Parmex (really cute!).

I also found lettuce and spring onions were great in pots last year. It was great being able to nip out the back door for a few leaves and some spring onions for a fresh salad! It's a shame I'm not further south as I'd have liked some cherry tomatoes as well!

Strawberries did very well in a large terracotta pot - they were up off the ground so the slugs didn't get them, but I still had to be quick as they were at the right height for the starlings to have a nibble every time they came into the garden!

If you're serious about container gardening then a great book is The Edible Container Garden by Michael Guerra. It's very inspirational and has good info and photos. There is a section at the end all about the author's tiny garden - it's amazing what fruit & veg & herbs he managed to squeeze in there and grow, and it still looked pretty too!

[21again]

I've grown stuff in pots in my garden for the past few years. Broad beans, carrots, courgettes and potatoes were very productive I found.

For the carrots ensure you have a deepish container (at least 20cm deep) and I mixed 2 parts compost to 1 part sharp sand. After sowing I covered the tub with fleece to prevent carrot fly. I found them really easy to grow. If you don't have a deep tub you could try the little round carrots Parmex (really cute!).

I also found lettuce and spring onions were great in pots last year. It was great being able to nip out the back door for a few leaves and some spring onions for a fresh salad! It's a shame I'm not further south as I'd have liked some cherry tomatoes as well!

Strawberries did very well in a large terracotta pot - they were up off the ground so the slugs didn't get them, but I still had to be quick as they were at the right height for the starlings to have a nibble every time they came into the garden!

If you're serious about container gardening then a great book is The Edible Container Garden by Michael Guerra. It's very inspirational and has good info and photos. There is a section at the end all about the author's tiny garden - it's amazing what fruit & veg & herbs he managed to squeeze in there and grow, and it still looked pretty too!

That's great thanks, I shall keep my eyes open for that book.