Brassicas in Pots

[Farmer_Gyles]

I'll be growing about 60 tomato plants in pots this summer - I might as well use those pots for brassicas over the autumn/winter - when the toms are finished, I simply replace them with PSB / Cauliflower / Kale (I will also have brassicas planted out in the 8ft x 8ft bed)

I have about 50 Morrisons buckets - they're about 9in wide at the top - I also have a variety of 8in / 10in / 12in pots

What brassicas would you put in each pot?
I know some brassicas have pretty big root balls - which are the bigger ones??
I'll be using normal multi-purpose compost for the tomatoes and the brassicas - will the used compost from the tomatoes still be ok for the brassicas?

[rpt]

I'm no expert but are brassicas suitable for container growing? They need very firm soil.

[smc999]

If I was going to grow them in containers I would take out the tomato plant rootball, riddle the compost and then mix it with topsoil and BFB/manure to spruce it up a bit and give it more body. Compost on its own probably wont give enough support once they reach a decent size. Also make sure that you really pack the mixture down to make it firm enough. Its worked for me before. :-)

[lottie dolly]

if you have a green house to put them in over the winter,they will not get waterloged and swamped out the pots,also out of the wind,thats one of the things why brassies need to be firm,i had some spring cabbage 2 years ago in the soil border inside,twas fine,as per snadgers advise,only water now and then,when needed,

[Gemmalaveen]

I grew PSB and kale in buckets last year and it worked fine but my garden was very sheltered from the wind. The kale did incredibly well and in my view it lends itself better to containers than PSB with a much better harvest. I am not planning to grow PSB again until I have an allotment because it takes up so much space for very little harvest.

I used the same compost from my tomatoes, courgettes etc. but added some chicken pellet manure before planting the brassicas.

[Snadger]

I grew nero de toscana kale and spring cabbages in pots over winter a couple of years back. They grow fine and because its winter they don't need a lot of water. I wouldn't try summer cabbage in pots though as you would be forever watering them.
I'll see if i can dig out a piccie taken at the time.

[Snadger]

There you go!

[solway cropper]

I've grown cabbage caulie and kale in containers for the last few years. I'd only put one plant per flower bucket but I have some 12 inch square pots and these can take two plants put at opposite corners. Try to use dwarf or compact varieties and, as others say, try to get them firmly planted. I use a home-made potting mix which contains garden soil and plenty of well-rotted material so it does hold water quite well. Not sure about MPC as it can be a bit light and fluffy. Can you mix it with something?

[veggiechicken]

There you go!

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What lovely house plants,Snadger! Like it!

[Snadger]

What lovely house plants,Snadger! Like it!

Yeah, most blokes bring their missus a nice potted gernanium or a chrysanth............I bring her a cabbage!!!!!!

Funnily enough, its another way of bringing home fresh veg from the allotment to be used as and when required!

No limp and yellowing cabbage in this household, straight from the pot to the pan!

[Farmer_Gyles]

Yeah, most blokes bring their missus a nice potted gernanium or a chrysanth............I bring her a cabbage!!!!!!

it's gonna be the same for me and my missus!

thanks all for the advice, just what i was hoping to hear
i will have some brassicas in the greenhouse over the winter (along with carrots / lettuce etc), and loads planted out ..... but as i've got loads of pots, seems a shame not to use them .... and i've got the big chest freezer for storing it all too .....

[solway cropper]

it's gonna be the same for me and my missus!

thanks all for the advice, just what i was hoping to hear
i will have some brassicas in the greenhouse over the winter (along with carrots / lettuce etc), and loads planted out ..... but as i've got loads of pots, seems a shame not to use them .... and i've got the big chest freezer for storing it all too .....

A man after my own heart. I don't believe in wasting any growing space either and we got a commercial chest freezer for £40 when the village shop closed. Lots of empty space in at the moment but come October...