houndzrus Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I know i've left it a bit late for this year, but I'm really interested in growing some veg on the patio, Potatoes, cabbage, carrots etc etc. This might be more achieveable for me than getting an allotment, just in case my enthusiasm wanes dramatically. Does anyone do this? If so, where's a good place to buy planters, and what do I fill them with to make the veg grow well? Any assistance/info gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 (edited) I have done in the past, but to be honest, I found it quite a lot of work for not much return with all the watering you have to do in pots. Stuff planted in the ground tends to be more tolerant of a missed watering. Suggest: radishes, if you like them: they grow incredibly quickly so you can harvest before you get bored! Potatoes - you can do these in compost bags rather than actual pots, and give a good return. Strawberries: expensive to buy, relatively easy in pots so worth the effort, and look pretty too. Don't get the terracotta strawberry pots with holes in the sides though, they are impossibly difficult to keep watered properly. Normal pots much easier: get either plastic or glazed ones: the unglazed terracotta dry out too quickly. There are quite a lot of varieties now, so if you get a mix of types, you can get berries for a long period. Oh, herbs, if you use them. I use a lot of basil and it's a lot cheaper to grow from seed (though slugs like it too). Thymes are handy, I find,they love pots. If you like blueberries, try one of the smaller blueberry varieties in a large pot, blueberries are expensive to buy and surprisingly easy to grow. If I'm buying in compost, I usually go for New Horizons peat free, that's well reviewed and always does well for me, or this year I'm using a new Westland peatfree made of shredded wood, it looks a bit odd but so far the plants* are growing really well in it, specially a spare strawb that I potted up because it was one too many for my strawb bed. For blueberries you'll need a more acidic compost though: a lot of the peatfree ones are too alkaline for blueberries. *admittedly most of mine are decorative rather than edible because of the whole 'takes a lot of effort, not a lot of results' thing. Oooh, if you like peppers, there are several that will grow really well in pots on a warm windowsill. I did that once and had so many peppers I didn't want to eat them for about 3 years after the Year of the Peppers. Edited May 17, 2009 by cycas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Ooh me! Not got time now, so will reply properly later, but I currently have cabbages in growbags, doing fantastically well (I don't do nuffink to them except water when they're dry), potatoes & carrots in veg sacks, and tomatoes. Got some seedlings (chillis, peppers, brocoli) but they are still tiny. Back later with details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted May 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Thank you both Cycas, i will need some quick growing veg too, just to keep me interested! Like the idea of peppers too. i did see some canvas type bags for growing strawberries or herbs today, but didn't know whether they would be any good or not. I have lots of ideas now, and will await your return Abby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I grow courgettes and cucumbers in growbags - you can probably get plants from your local garden centre rather than sowing seeds now. Beans can also be good but are a bit of a gamble - french beans need a hot summer and runner beans a cooler one. Also tomatoes in pots are very rewarding, again you can buy plants and you could maybe have a cherry tomato and an ordinary tomato? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nettie Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I have a trough planter with my strawberry plants, the joy of strawberries is they spread (so make sure they are contained) and come back year after year, so in my mind 99p per plant is good value. I also have tomatoes in pots, beef tomatoes this year. I was going to plant more but because I'll be away a lot of the summer there doesn't seem much point, our neighbour who feeds and looks after the cats will do the watering while we're away, otherwise OH will do it while I'm away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendbert Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I've grown carrots and baby beetroot in tubs on the patio before now. My dad got me some half barrels and they worked well as they were deep enough and had fairly straight sides, so plenty of room. I've also grown trailing cherry tomatoes in baskets attached to a sunny wall. They were just cheap, plastic containers, like a half basket but again, the plants grew well and I got lots of tomatoes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safneo Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Ooh me! Not got time now, so will reply properly later, but I currently have cabbages in growbags, doing fantastically well (I don't do nuffink to them except water when they're dry), potatoes & carrots in veg sacks, and tomatoes. Got some seedlings (chillis, peppers, brocoli) but they are still tiny. Back later with details Marge, you can look in the gardening thread. You can grow potatoes in a dustbin or rubble sack too. They like height I believe. Start them off shallowish then keep adding soil as they grow to get more spuds growing. We cheated and bought veggie seedlings from the garden centre and planted them. They are coming on a treat in this weathher. I did plant carrot seeds in a propagator thingy which I need to go and plant out, and lovely Kazz gave me some pea seedlings today too which I shall plant by the trellis fencing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 If you have a Lidl nearby they are having tomato, strawberry and other veg plants from Thursday website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted May 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I grow courgettes and cucumbers in growbags - you can probably get plants from your local garden centre rather than sowing seeds now. Beans can also be good but are a bit of a gamble - french beans need a hot summer and runner beans a cooler one. Also tomatoes in pots are very rewarding, again you can buy plants and you could maybe have a cherry tomato and an ordinary tomato? Thanks, buying plants seems a good idea, and no waiting for seeds to grow! I have a trough planter with my strawberry plants, the joy of strawberries is they spread (so make sure they are contained) and come back year after year, so in my mind 99p per plant is good value. I also have tomatoes in pots, beef tomatoes this year. I was going to plant more but because I'll be away a lot of the summer there doesn't seem much point, our neighbour who feeds and looks after the cats will do the watering while we're away, otherwise OH will do it while I'm away. Strawberries sound good too I've grown carrots and baby beetroot in tubs on the patio before now. My dad got me some half barrels and they worked well as they were deep enough and had fairly straight sides, so plenty of room. I've also grown trailing cherry tomatoes in baskets attached to a sunny wall. They were just cheap, plastic containers, like a half basket but again, the plants grew well and I got lots of tomatoes i love fresh carrots and cherry tomatoes Marge, you can look in the gardening thread. You can grow potatoes in a dustbin or rubble sack too. They like height I believe. Start them off shallowish then keep adding soil as they grow to get more spuds growing. We cheated and bought veggie seedlings from the garden centre and planted them. They are coming on a treat in this weathher. I did plant carrot seeds in a propagator thingy which I need to go and plant out, and lovely Kazz gave me some pea seedlings today too which I shall plant by the trellis fencing. Mmm, really must grow some potatoes, will be a late variety now though If you have a Lidl nearby they are having tomato, strawberry and other veg plants from Thursday website Thanks, we have two here, I'll have a look on Thursday. Thanks for the ideas on containers too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesB Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Marge, I got about five packets of seeds from the BBC offer, but since the hens arrived and laid waste to my garden I haven't a hope of growing them If you want them, PM me your address and I will post off. I will go hunt them out and see what they are - radishes, squash and some other stuff spring to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted May 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Marge, I got about five packets of seeds from the BBC offer, but since the hens arrived and laid waste to my garden I haven't a hope of growing them If you want them, PM me your address and I will post off. I will go hunt them out and see what they are - radishes, squash and some other stuff spring to mind. Thank you, that's fab Just tried to PM, but your inbox is full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendbert Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 i love fresh carrots and cherry tomatoes Meant to say, the tomatoes I grew didn't trail very far down, so could be grown in tall pots just as well. I also put a few plants into hanging baskets, among the flowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesB Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Thank you, that's fab Just tried to PM, but your inbox is full Sorry, 'tis empty now. The seeds are lettuce, beetroot, squash, carrot and tomato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted May 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Sorry, 'tis empty now. The seeds are lettuce, beetroot, squash, carrot and tomato. yum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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