Complete beginner - Where do i start?

[lou]

Hello all, i cant keep a house plant alive but i want to start growing some veg in pots in the garden, we plan to move into the country and have a proper veggie patch so we need to get some practise in!
Dont really have the space at the mo to create a veg patch(what with the chicken coop/run and trampoline im running out of garden) so will it be ok to use tubs? Or have read somewhere about using the grow bag?

Im really a complete idiot with anything that grows so any advise would be lovely! Everything from what soil to watering!! I need the idiots guide...

[Rob_h]

It really depends what you want to grow - potatoes can be grown in tubs, as can many other veg such as lettuce, leaf salad, pak choi, beans and peas etc. Herbs such as parsley, chives and coriander grow very well in tubs. It may be worth investing in or building a cold frame to start younger plants off in to protect from frost. I am growing a wide range of veg this year but some are experiments such as butternut squash, aubergines, chilli peppers and pumpkins - haven't grown them before. A lot of it is trial and error.

[rachell24]

Heres a link Im using to help me grow potatoes this year, first time at planting them, havnt got enough space in the beds so tubs it is. I have tried other veg in pots though, Ive got a book about growing fruit and veg in containers and its suprising what you can grow in relatively small pots. You might not get a massive amount but its still great to have a go.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles05 ... espots.asp

[Meanqueen]

Hi Lou
It really does depend on what you want to grow. I wouldn't spend a lot of money on buying new pots, go to a car boot and see what you can find for a pound or two, or better still, keep your eyes open when out and about. Look in skips to see if there is anything you can make drainage holes in and fill with compost. You need deeper containers for root veg.

Start seeds off now in small pots. If you have access to a drinks machine collect all the used plastic cups, don't forget the drainage holes, these are ideal. Transplant these seedlings into bigger pots later. Or you can sow straight into your bigger pots later.

You can use growbags. If planting straight into them lay flat, make drainage holes in the bottom, slice open the top to expose compost, and loosen it up. Raise off the ground if you can to stop it getting waterlogged.

If you use bags of compost for pots, cut open along one end, then when empty you can use the bag for spuds.

A lot of it is common sense, don't let things get too dry or too wet. Plants need warmth, sun, water, protection from wind. You can feed them but I only use a cheap tomato fertiliser for everything. With me, it's suck it and see, half the fun is seeing if anything is going to come up.

Read the gardening bits on this site, there is a lot of info there.

Ilona

[saint-spoon]

I've grown tomatoes from grow bags before, I put a couple of scaffolding planks about half an inch apart on top of three breeze blocks to hold them of the ground. Grow bag on top and prick some holes were the gap between the planks is to allow excessive water to drain. I used some bamboo canes to make an A-frame for each plant to grow up and a cane across the top for stability. For slug protection I used a small plastic tub (mine was from a Chinese takeaway) filled with beer, apparently slugs love lager. I worked quite well, or at least some slugs drowned in the tub and I didn't lose much of my crop. You can normally get three to a grow bag although have managed four ay a push but each plant didn't produce as much; that might have been the year rather than the bag.

[Citrine]

I've done carrots in tubs before - fabulous!!!

[lou]

Thanks everyone!

Rachel thank you for the link, i will have a nose round properly in a min!
I was hoping to grow some tomatoes so i will go for the grow bag idea with them, seems ive left it too late for the potatoes though?
I want carrots too just hope i havent left it all to late for this year, dont mind how much we get its just experimental really, but im looking forward to it!

Thanks again for your replies

Lou xx

[lou]

Just to let you know i have planeted carrot and spiring onion seeds and am going to do some tomatoes today in some trays, my OH very kindly dug me out a stretch to plant in along the fence as its sunny but sheltered from wind, i will also have to put some kind of frame with some netting around it when my chooks arrive!! I am growing tomatoes in 3 growbags, and have now decided not to use tubs for the carrots and onions we got enough room for a small modest patch!! It seems quite straight forward the seed packets had everything i needed to know ie plant indoor/outdoor etc...

Well watch this space and see if i can get anything!!

[saint-spoon]

Best of luck, I personally think that there’s nothing quite like fresh veg straight from your own patch/pot/seedtray.

[Richard]

If you're close to Ashford Lou, I've loads and loads of pots.

If not - look in Skips on the sides of Council owned Parks. I've got lots from those, especially this time of the year.
Often the odd half used bag of compost / fertilizer as well.

Garden Centres soemtimes have a 'help yourself' at the exit door - worth a rumage.

[Meanqueen]

A few ideas for containers to use for planting seeds and veg.



plastic storage boxes
washing up bowl
plastic water bottles
compost bags and sacks
flower buckets salvaged from market
drinks cartons milk & fruit juice
plastic milk bottles
plastic fruit containers
coleslaw/soft cheese containers
drinks machine cups

in fact anything you can make drainage holes in

Ilona

[lou]

Thanks Ilona - i didnt think of using some of those things!

So thanks !

Richard - as it happens i dont live far from Ashford, i think about an 40-45 min drive (i dont drive so dont pay much notice to these things!)
I live just outside Hernebay ...someone has too, so not to far really.

I will be on the look out from now at the garden centers, And maybe pay you a visit one day!!!