pots or plot???

[chicky]

Hi guys. I have a raised bed at the bottom of my garden. Not quite sure what size it is-maybe 2ft across and 5-6ft wide I have sprouts,pumpkins,sweet corn,onions,spring onions,tomatoes and leeks. I have lettuce,beetroot,carrots and parsnips already growing in my raised bed. Everything else is in trays or pots. Can anyone please give me some advice on what I can keep growing in pots as I am definitley not going to have room in my bed for all of this. I know the pumpkins are going to have to be transplanted and I can keep the spring onions in pots but what about everything else? I have spent so much time growing all of this and really dont want to have to waste any of it. Any help/advice greatly appreciated!

[veggieginger]

We have quite a small garden and trying to use as much as poss. We have some squashes and have read that you can train them up (sturdy) canes; you have to support fruit when it gets heavy. I will let you know how ours get on, compared with those left to trail, if you don't want to try it this year.

[has-bean]

Wow a dilemna. Sprouts and leeks need time while sweetcorn and pumpkins need space i usually plant leeks after maincrop but cant see u making the others compatible. Tomatoes grow in pots or growbags an d spring onions in bags too. Not sure would give over such a small plot to sweetcorn and sprouts ads the return, altho lovely is low. Maybe do spring onion now, sprouts and leeks over autumn /wonter then look at a good rotation in the next year with early and late crops making most of small plot. Almost forgot, u can always use runner beans at back of plot if wont share other crops, Coursgettes great in growbags too as are peppers. If was pressed wod do early potatoes and then leeks/courgettes on the plot. Maybe a bit of beetroon n chard for decor. Sorry i rambled been celebrating saints day. Wish u well

[has-bean]

where are u in SW by the way Chicky. If u in Plymouth or Bristol (I work in boith) u can have fresh veg and plants from me whatever i have spare - i grow for fun

Mike

[Flummery]

I think at a pinch you could grow all these in pots. However, I wouldn't use nice fluffy multi-purpose compost for sprouts. See if you can put some garden soil in a big pot (assuming it's not all planted up yet) and firm the plants in well. The only thing to bear in mind with container growing is watering and feeding. There's a nice balance between droughting and drowning! Good luck.

Flum

[Cutecumber]

"sprouts,pumpkins,sweet corn,onions,spring onions,tomatoes and leeks"

Yes, tricky - you've got some big veg there which is best off in the ground...

The sprouts present you with the biggest problem - you need several plants for a decent crop and they take up a helluva lot of space. I would think out of everything, they are not going to like containers unless they are really big and filled with soil. Even six plants, each in a large container, is going to present you with a lot of work in terms of watering, and they need very firm soil and staking.

I have tried sweetcorn in a pot, but, again you need something big and they are extra vulnerable to the wind, being that much higher up. Mine were not happy. There's little point growing only one or two as they are wind-pollinated and are grown in blocks to help this. This would be my second choice for the bed, then.

Pumpkins needs space and would be first choice for the bed, but you haven't said what variety you have - if it is a smaller type, you may be able to cope with it in a large container, as long as you stop it after a few fruits are set. So that's 3rd choice for the ground.

Next it would be leeks and onions - possible in pots, but better to grow small ones.

Tomatoes and spring onions will be fine in pots, but the former need care and attention in terms of watering and feeding.

Next year, you may like to consider growing your lettuce, beetroot and carrot in containers instead - that then leaves you room in the ground for the bigger stuff.

[chicky]

Ahhhhhh I live in Bristol!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the offer that is really lovely!!!!!Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[chicky]

Thanks guys for the advice!!!! It's appreciated! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[rustylady]

I wouldn't even try to grow sprouts in pots. Most of the other stuff would be OK in pots or growbags, but definitely root crops in the bed. Sweetcorn would be better in the bed too, it can be planted in amongst other things and grows tall rather than wide so shouldn't cause too many problems.

[chicky]

I have just transplanted my sprouts in the bed. I have put the spring onions into pots but I think I am going to have to dig up some more of the garden to make more room!!

[nick the grief]

If I were you Chicky I would put your name down for an allotment even half a plot would give you more space.

You can grow quite a lot in a small space but I think youre a bit too enthusiastic there .... we all do it - I've got two greenhouse bursting at the seams and loads of bedding to prick out !! as well as the other stuff.

get your self down the pound shop and get a load of tubs & troughs then you can have a look at what you've got.

Onions will grow in pots - I know ov one person who grows them 1 to a florists bucket and he show his and wins!!

Your Sweetcorn you could plant in a corner of the garden & pas it off as Bamboo till harvest time

Sprouts need a fai bit of growing space at least 2ft between plants so you are going to struggle with them.

Leeks - just for fun last year we planted what we had left in a clump and they only made it to finger thickness but they were tasty so maybe you could plant a tub full of leeks or two. Toms will be OK in pots - don't bother with cheap growbags the roots get too hot stick then 1 to a 12" pot and they will be a lot happier & plant them up to the bottom pair of leaves. Use either a multipurpose or better still 50:50 mix of Multipurpose & John Innes No3 it will make watering a lot easier.

Spring onions will be OK in pots ( you could use some of your leeks as spring onions and thin them out a bit)

Pumpkins would be best in the ground.

But I still think you should get a lottie ...... you sound a natural

[terrier]

Like the greenhouse that is never big enough, the veg patch always seems to need those few extra rows.

[has-bean]

Ahhhhhh I live in Bristol!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the offer that is really lovely!!!!!Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well I work in Temple quay every few weeks and tend to live in one of the nearby hotels so am sure cans sort a few bits and pieces out for u Chicky. Not likely to be there this week though but message me with ur email if you want to get in touch. i have a few plants fopr colleagues in Bristol which will bring up in a few weeks so no probs packing a few extra

[Flummery]

You definitely need more space chicky! I've now got nearly half the 100ft long back garden under veg. It was all grass when we came here 7 years ago. I mean, grass! You can't even eat it!

Flum

[chicky]

Lol......thanks guys for the advice. I think I am just going to choose some of my favourite veg and plant that!!!!