Salad leaves and tomatoes...would the green plastic greenhouse be any good?

[cactuskiller]

Hi guys..as I am the only person in the family that eats salad I thought it would be more cost effective to grow my own (bagged salad is expensive, doesnt get eaten quick enough and ends up in the bin )

My yard/garden only really gets the morning sun so I was thinking of buying one of those cheap plastic greenhouse things for argos (currently only £30.00).

Before I run off to argos, switch card at the ready, I thought I should ask those in the know..would it be any good for growing tomatoes and salad leaves?

I hoped to grow any kind of tomato and would love to grow rocket, mustard cress and also salad leaves that grow back quickly once picked (so I have a decent steady supply).

Thanks guys!

[Bigmallly]

Before you go running off with your debit card, have a browse through this, your salad could be grown in pots or tubs.

Wilkinson Plus - Greenhouses

[cactuskiller]

Thanks Bigmally..only problem is we don't have a wilko's here in sunny northern ireland )

I was thinking the greenhouse would help veggies out a bit (NI doesn't seem to get the hottest of weather and I live high up so its very very windy)...also would the protection help against naughty bugs wanting to eat all my lovely veggies??

The general idea would be to have them in pots/tubs but keep them in the little greenhouse (which would double up as a "something to hide the ugly oil container behind" lol

[Shadylane]

We call them blowaways for a reason You could deffo grow salad and toms in one, but you would need to secure it - they take off in a breeze. We secured ours to the fence but in a really bad gale, they have been known to work themselves free. A compost bag on the bottom shelf helps too. The slugs may still find their way in though, so put your lettuce high up. One morning I went out to find what was once a small pot of lettuce, with a fat and smug looking slug sat where it had once been. On the top shelf. The ones closest to the garden suffer the most whereas the ones on the patio further away seem okay. You might struggle with toms though with only getting sun in the morning. Depends on how much of the morning though I suppose.

[cactuskiller]

Thanks shadylane...I will definately need to secure it with something..full wheelie bins have done the tango down our street recently lol

I am hoping that have a tarmac garden will go in our favour somewhat..we don't see many slugs or snails about (but then maybe once I get some plants in my garden this will all change!!). I may beable to extend the material at the base with some tarpauline and hold it down with bricks (double up as a slug barrier and "pin the thing down" lol).

I hope I can grow tomatoes...I noticed yesterday (when we actually had sun..shock) that it hit our garden up to early afternoon..hopefully this will be enough.

I assume if I bought the little greenhouse and decided to take a chance with the toms that I would need to buy a plant that is already pretty much established?? I saw some in Dobbies and was tempted )

[mrbadexample]

I assume if I bought the little greenhouse and decided to take a chance with the toms that I would need to buy a plant that is already pretty much established?? I saw some in Dobbies and was tempted )

I would. It's a bit late now to be mucking about growing from seed, so for the sake of a few bob I'd buy one. Or two.

[cactuskiller]

Or "Three"..with it being the magic number and all ;o)

Oh dear...cash card about to get a wee battering..again! I'll tell OH it was buy a tomato plant and get the greenhouse free!!!!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Toms don't need direct sunlight they need warmth so a blow away would certainly help.

No its not to late to grow toms from seed, if you can only grow a small number of plants I would go for a cheery variety I.E. Tumbler or Sungold both prolific and tasty.

Your salad crop will not need to be in the blow away they will do well out side. Cut and come again lettuce like Lollo Rosso, or Salad bowl. Mesclun a mix of spicy cut and come again salad leaves. Spring onions etc. All the above will grow quite happyly in containers and you are only picking what you are going to use.

Colin

[cactuskiller]

Happy days - thanks Colin. I got the blow away yesterday so will jot down the names of the toms and salad leaves you noted ready for my next cash card battering )

Can't wait to eat my first own grown salad!!

[Two_Sheds]

bagged salad is expensive, doesnt get eaten quick enough and ends up in the bin

It's also had about 26 different applications of sprays, then is washed in bleach


If you're in a rush, Aldi were selling "living salad" a week ago: 99p. It's cut-and-come-again, and I keep it in the unheated greenhouse, but a windowsill would do.

Lettuce is a cool weather crop: you might struggle to grow it in the hot summer sun, so starting now is great. Any looseleaf variety, not hearting ones like Cos or Iceberg

Nasturtiums are cheap & have lovely peppery flavour: the whole plant is edible, inc leaves, flowers & seeds

Beetroot can be grown just for its young leaves: you'll find these in the posher bagged salads.

[Jamesy_uk]

I currently have a speedy salad leaf mix and living salad lettuce from sainsburys in troughs in my blowaway (not blowing away thanks for 12 bricks on the bottom shelf) that my wife can go and pick when she likes. You could also start things like spring onions, radish, pak choi etc in there until a bit later when you can afford to splash out on pots/compost for outside use.

P.s Infact my radish have spent their whole life in there and are almost ready.

[cactuskiller]

Thanks guys...I like the sound of nasturtiums and pak choi [more jotting down into my note pad ready for my first salad shopping spree )

Loose leaf would be my favourite..I only use midget gem and romain on rare occasions..maybe when I get the hang of things I can have a go at them next year!!

Are there any lists online or on this site as to which salads are best grown at certain times of the year?

[veggiechicken]

Salad leaf mix and rocket can been grown all year round under cover. I keep it on the go all the time and pick some leaves whenever I want. I like to be able to cut individual leaves and leave the rest to grow on, rather than cutting a whole lettuce.

[Florence Fennel]

Welcome to the Vine CK. I have nothing to add to the excellent ideas above for salad, but a word of advice about the plastic greenhouse. They become "blowaways" sometimes even when weighted down on the bottom shelf as the wind lifts the cover and it takes the rest of the shelving with it. I lost three, but all three bases (with a sandbag on) stayed put! I sowed my CACA salad outside a couple of weeks ago and it's growing lushly now. I mixed together all the opened packets of rocket, beetroot, parsley, lettuces, cress, etc., and sprinkled into containers. Enjoy your home grown salad.

[veggiechicken]

Translation for CK!
CACA = Cut and come again.