Container Veggies thread

[Dutch]

New thread new Member so hope Im not stepping on anyones toes by starting this new link!

There seems to be lots of tips about solely growing veg in containers scattered throughout this forum and I have found it alittle difficult in trying to navigate it!

Thought if this is OK with the Administrators to create a thread solely for those with no garden at all (ie several sqaure feet of concrete or windowsill boxes).

My story is that I have a yard 15ft by about 20ft and I need to rebuild walls and lift some cracking concrete before I really start getting into container growing.

As im totally new to all this, Im going to do the basics this year (Toms, Courgette, Peppers, Chilli.

Like I said before, totally new to all this so any advice, tios, good web links, etx would be gratfully recieved.

Future plans include a rather big strawbeery planter (would quite like to make one). Potatoes (has to look nice, Id love to see the wifes face if I start leaving sacks lying around!!) and some fruit trees that would do well in containers and are hardy enough to take the winter Sheffield Weather!!

Look forward to your ideas and making a few friends maybe?

[ian]

Hi, if its potted veg you want to do, then they dont come much easier than loose leafed lettuces and rocket. I cant say that I had to much success with cougettes in pots, before I got my allotment I gave it a try on the patio and they put on a lot of leaf but the cropping was poor even with a lot of feeding and watering.

[serenity]

hi dutch, welcome to the vine, nice to have another fellow yorkshireman aboard. If your OH is concerned that vegetables are ugly plants (which personaly I don't) why not try mixing them with edible flowers? this year I will be growing the following in containers

salad rocket with violas

nasturtiums with tumbling toms which will be in hanging baskets

purple teepee dwarf fench beans in a window box mixed with the yellow dwarf french bean and pot marigolds

I am going to try florence fennel in a container for the first time as a trial and plan to add a nasturtium plant in with this too.

Another trial is going ahead in a very large blue planter I have. a bamboo teepee is going into the centre planted with runner bean scarlet emperor and a scented sweetpea alternating on each pole. around the edge of this I am going to plant a dwarf type of sunflower to add extra colour.

As for potatoes, swift is recommended for pots as it has compact top growth, I supose the overall effect depends on what pot you use to plant it in, I would say 1 seed potato per 10 inch pot. for a second early you could try charlotte which have coloured flowers but I don't know how large you would expect the top growth to become.

I have plans to grow asparagus pea, very pretty, in single pots and also broad bean, the sutton which is a dwarf type.

lastly I am going to grow squash in 2 large wooden containers with a rose arch inbetween, the squash are going to be trained over this, I will support the fruits in small "hammocks" when the get too large. I am trying a variety called buttercup which was recommended to me.

hopes this starts the ball rolling. I know some grapes have lots of experience growing in containers so feel sure they can add to this

[rustylady]

You really need to have large containers (apart from salad crops). You could try growing runner or french beans up a tripod of canes, and underplant with salad stuff. Don't use too many pots, but tomatoes, chillies etc do well

[Dutch]

Thanks All

Well what a surprise the last thread I posted I got 2 replies in a month!

I like the idea of colour in the garden but am settling myself a rule that only edible things are to be grown. I will definatly to nasturtiums and Toms (as there all going in baskets). Any suggestions for veg that produce nice flowers?

Here are a few ideas I have come across might be useful

Watering - 1-2 litre bottles attached to a drainage spike (99p for 2 at Wilkinsons) ! Saves going out all the time and once a month just substitue water for liquid feed mix. This idea totally appeals to me as I cannot water every day! Also saves on the pain in setting up a drip irrigation system! Just remember to add your water crystals in your start mix (wilkinsons again, that place is just ace for cheap gardening gear!).

Slugs - This Idea is just great and I will definatly be doing this as Sheffield must be like slugutopia! Ive been told to put my floor containers on stands for drainage and a simple idea was to attach four large screws to the bottom of each corner and flip it over like a table. The slugs cannot climb the screw threads (particulary if you coat them in vasiline!) They also dont like copper!
No sure if this works but Ill try it! ANYONE KNOW IF THE COPPER SHEETING YOU GET FOR PLANTERS STOPS THE SLUGS? (Wilkinson's (I must get shares!) sells a 1 m sheet for a few £?

I do have a few questions, if anyone can assist I would be most gratfull?

Lean too Greenhouse
Plan is to builld one. Anyone know any good sites that might share design ideas, free plans, to give me ideas on construction?

Buillding containers
Again, any sites, Plans, pictures I could access? I,m no Carpenter but willing to mave a go. Previously mentioned a strawberry planter, I had an idea to build a tall (5ft ish) thin free standing planter with a pipe running down the center for watering?

Best Variety to grow in a colder climate
Everything I grow has to be edible including the pretty flowers. Any suggestions that are preferably easy maintainable.

Its going to be a family project
I have a small area but I want to include my kids in this too. My eldest has asked if we can grow giant sunflowers? Now I can only grow in containers so can this be done? Do they need deep root systems?


Guys I know in waffling on but you know how it is (your all probably as hooked as Im going to be).

[vicki]

Hi Dutch
don't know about copper sheeting, but have tried the copper tape that you can buyto put round pots to stop slugs and that worked great for me last year.
Good luck with your new project.

[rustylady]

My first lean-to greenhouse was built from old window frames. Someone just down the road was having double glazing fitted and I sweet talked the builders into letting me have the old windows. Worked really well. Bit of a bodge job I suppose, but never mind.

I've always grown my sunflowers in the border, but when clearing at the end of the season I've found the root system isn't particularly wide or deep. They will probably need staking though, especially if they're in a windy spot.

[Dutch]

Thanks

Thanks for the sunflower tip.

I was going to try a 2 ft deep trough and grow then about 12'' apart with salad leaves. I was also going to try carrots, Parsnips (love em) and onions (all next year so this site as well as a few books ive ordered are all a learning curve!)

Does anyone have any links to veg images grown in containers. Might pick up a few ideas on containers?

[serenity]

beware of the wind with sunflowers, especially when the flowers open. if they are grown in pots then the risk will be even greater

some edible flowers

nasturtiums
calendula (pot marigolds)
sunflowers, buds,petals and seeds can be eaten
violas, good in salads

flowers are also good as they can help with pest control in the garden (see companion planting)

[Dutch]

Thanks for the flower tips and the OH doesnt mind the plants,its the ugly sacks filled with potato plants shes worried about (hence the container questions).

Good tip on the sunflowers. I was going to weight them down with concrete and I will Stake each sunflower and attach it to the planter rather than jam it in the soil. Never considered Violas so I will try them and didnt know that the leaves on Sunflowers were edible?

I already have some white thyme and purple flowering sage but the've been there for years and are looking pretty overgrown. I will definatly grow then again but as I never used them before, in small containers to control them!

All ideas however crazy gratfully recieved!

[Flummery]

I wonder how succcessful nasturtiums would be with other crops which you are going to feed? I remember a friend of mine growing them in a pot and feeding them and she got masses of leaves (great in a salad btw) but no flowers. They always suggest nasturtiums for grotty ground or poor soil.

[Dutch]

No It wasnt this forum seems to be the bees knees for everything Veggie related.

The only slight (and I mean slight ) snag is just like all the other forums ive been on, wading thought all the information on all pages to get what you want and pass on advice.

It would be nice to have an area dedicated solely to gardeners with no garden but thats really just being picky.

This is a great site....... one of the most visited ive been on

[mazel-bee]

I too am restricted to pots, but I was surprised how well everything cropped and I still felt at the end of the season I could of utilised the limited space a lot better.
This year I am trying a few more fruits including blackberries, blueberries and black currents. I grew raspberries last year which grew well and I had a fabulous fruits, unfortunately my strawberries have not done well.

[Alice]

Hello Flummery, I've seen all the stuff about don't feed annuals or you'll only get leaves, and nasturiums like poor soil. My experience says they like rich feeding like all else. The best nasturiums I ever had were growing on the compost heap, and plants in containers with feeding, well outperformed nasturtiums not fed. I feed mine !

[berksmike]

I've always supplemented my veg patch with container grown crops.... Quite a lot of vegetables make beautiful plants and so many new varieties are coming out specifically to grow in containers.

I grow peppers, toms, aubergines, chillis, dwarf beans,strawberries, baby roots (radishes/carrots/beetroot) and herbs in pots.
You can do themed containers such as Mediterranean, Asian, Salad etc...



Mike