Container ideas

[AllotmentJunkie]

Hi All,

I've had an allotment for many years but have sadly had to give it up. It has broken my heart but I am determined to continue growing Fruit & Veg.

I'm now going to concentrate on growing at home. I only have a small garden but know that there are still opportunities.

What I need help with is container ideas. I know the usual hanging baskets, old dust bins & stacked tyres etc.

But has anyone got any ideas of any other containers? Or does anyone know of anywhere in the Surrey area that I may be able to find cheap / free containers.

Thank you so much,
Emma

[Jeanied]

Welcome to the vine, Emma - sorry to hear you've had to downsize your growing area. May I suggest you join freegle/ freecycle - you could find all sorts of containers to grow in there! Have a look at my friend Ammi's page as well, she has had some really ingenious ideas for container growing!

[gan heather]

I came up with this idea today for growing potatoes, but I don't see why it wouldn't work for other things. I really wanted those potato grow-bags you see sold in catalogues, but think they're ridiculously expensive. So when I went to ASDA today I bought 2 of their reuseable carrier bags - not the lighter plastic ones, but the heavier ones with the flat bottom. I used one for a base and cut the bottom out of the other one. I then superglued the bottomless one into the base to create a tall grow-bag. I thought it was clever...

[Nicos]

Hi there- and welcome to the Vine!

[zazen999]

There's a container thread on here if you have a peruse of that - it should help.

[Pies]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...your-help.html

my strawberry planters are halfwayish

[selfraising]

Hi Welcome to the vine. I think there is a freecycle group in Guildford. Whereabouts in Surrey are you? I grow a lot in containers as I also have a small garden. The lawn has been given up to 3 raised beds as well. I have grown veg in an old tin bath, collanders, watering cans and buckets. Also waste paper bins and old wooden and plastic crates. As long as you make holes for drainage most things can be used. The crates are great for salad leaves, spring onions, radishes, beetroot and round carrots.

[Liza]

Hi and welcome to the vine


B&Q buckets £1 each.

[Florence Fennel]

Hi Emma, welcome to the Vine. If you have an Asda store near you, ask at Customer Services for some flower buckets. They should give you lots and they are free because they don't recycle them. They are brilliant for all veg growing.

[stella]

Hi and welcome. I am sure you will do well with containers I grow loads in them. My latest is the big bags the dog food comes in. They are sort of plastic on the outside and tough paper on the inside. I put some holes in the bottom roll them down put 1 potato in and then when they grow add some more soil until you get to the top unrolling the bag as you go (they are huge bags) simples

[matthew2riches]

I can second the B&Q buckets and also would recommend a bathtub for carrots, parsnips and any other root veg!

Good luck

[Sanjo]

I came up with this idea today for growing potatoes, but I don't see why it wouldn't work for other things. I really wanted those potato grow-bags you see sold in catalogues, but think they're ridiculously expensive. So when I went to ASDA today I bought 2 of their reuseable carrier bags - not the lighter plastic ones, but the heavier ones with the flat bottom. I used one for a base and cut the bottom out of the other one. I then superglued the bottomless one into the base to create a tall grow-bag. I thought it was clever...

And decorative too!!

A.J. Welcome to the club. Good old Wilkinsons !! has veggie growing bags on sale. I looked at them yesterday. Potato and general veg all well under a fiver. Worth a look perhaps.

[Mac]

Thank you gan heather and Matthew2riches!! We have a plethora of those bags as we always forget to take the ones we do have when we do the shopping! And we dug an old cast iron bath out of our garden last year (had just moved in) and it's just sitting behind a shed!! Genius!!!! thanks again!!

[matthew2riches]

I am an expert in things like this (if I do say so myself ) and can also recommend old sink basins for radish & onions as well as a toilet cistern for lovely long carrots!!

Have fun

[HotStuff]

Welcome to the Vine AJ, if you put your location into your profile it helps us to help you. There's a Surrey Heath Freecycle group if you're over that side of Surrey, I'm sure there are others.

United Kingdom (UK) Freecycle Groups' Homepage

B&Q rubble bags are good for potatoes. Flower buckets are also available from Morrisons and are good for toms and other things.