Worth growing in containers

[albertajune]

We have 2 allotments, but since OH had his recent stroke we have decided to give one up as it may be too much for him.

The one we have decided to keep has mainly a good variety of fruit growing on it and a bit of room left for some root crops. I have decided to give a bit of room in the flower garden to other small crops like rainbow chard that we love, but wonder what is worth growing in tubs. For instance will a courgette plant produce enough fruit to make it worthwhile growing? Things like runner beans can be grown up against a trellis and salad leaves in troughs but I have a few large tubs that have in the past contained shrubs which I want to make use of.

I know that there are a few very knowledgeable veg growers on here so would appreciate any advice.

[KarenE]

Courgette plant should certainly produce enough fruit, they grow like crazy, but I've never grown one in a container - I should imagine they'd need a pretty big one as they are sprawling plants.

I'd go for salad leaves and salad crops, spring onions will do fine in a container, as would pak choi and other leaves like that. I grow cherry toms in hanging baskets and they work well, you could also grow 2-3 full sized toms in a trough. Dwarf french beans would work well too. I have tried to grow a butternut squash in a pot but that wasn't terribly successful. I also grow strawberries in pots but the fruits end up quite small but that could be the variety rather than the growing conditions. I grow aubergines, cucumbers and sweet peppers in pots in my greenhouse and they work fine. I even have a bash at garlic in a small trough with mixed success it has to be said, but I don't think it's the pot that is the problem but the garlic itself.

If your pot is big enough I don't see why you couldn't grow a decent amount of veg in there. Just nothing that is too deep rooting.

[Totally Scrambled]

I grew courgettes in half a water butt and it did well. Just remember to ensure it has really rich soil to grow in and doesn't dry out.
Dom

[p.penn]

i have grown carrots in tubs and they were good. Tomatoes and cucumber too.

[lancashire lass]

when I first started growing veggies, I tried container gardening and had quite a few successes, but also some dismal failures - especially ...

ensure it has really rich soil to grow in and doesn't dry out.

courgettes are such thirsty plants, they can quickly use up water in a pot during hot sunny summer weather - too often I'd come home from work to find them wilted despite a good watering in the morning. I tried sitting them in trays so that I could fill it up like a reservoir ... that's when we had days of rain and the roots were permanently in the water.

I found that the bigger the pot, the better the results - so something like a 2L tomato pot might be fine for a plant in the greenhouse but outside, water loss via the leaves is increased by the wind (bear in mind that a greenhouse would have a higher humidity, and most pots might be shaded by foliage but outdoors the compost dries much more quickly especially in clay pots) So if you went for the biggest pots, you could probably grow much of anything.

Bear in mind - fruiting plants should never go dry to avoid blossom end rot (especially tomatoes and peppers, but others like aubergines and courgettes are just as affected) Root veg do very well - carrots, parsnips, turnips even swede but don't forget they can attract cabbage white butterflies. And then there's always salady things - I can remember having a big pot outside my front door with lollo rossa lettuce but everyone thought they were just fancy plants ... every morning I'd nip off a few leaves to put on my lunch box sandwiches.

[KarenE]

I'm the same - I have tubs of loose leaf lettuce, lambs lettuce and rocket growing on our patio where we can snip off a few leaves for sandwiches and salads. Well, I used to till the chickens got them There are always herbs as well but I assume you already have some of those growing.

I have also grown carrots in a tub, quite successful and you can make sure the soil is quite sandy to get a nice long straight one. Easy to cover against carrot fly too. Some people grow parsnips and carrots in drain pipes and such to try and get a good long show specimen.

Depends what you like to eat really, I would say most things are okay in containers apart from maybe sweetcorn and broccolli, although maybe worth a go? You could even grow the odd cauli and cabbage if the tubs are big enough.

[lancashire lass]

this morning I got a newsletter from one of the stockists where I got my autumn planting garlic bulbs (Iberian Wight) and there is an article about "urban gardens" and CONTAINER GARDENING (click on link) if interested

[albertajune]

this morning I got a newsletter from one of the stockists where I got my autumn planting garlic bulbs (Iberian Wight) and there is an article about "urban gardens" and CONTAINER GARDENING (click on link) if interested

Thanks LL for the link which I am sure will be very useful.

[BlossomAndHarry]

Hi all

I'm a newbie here but have put up a Hello Post in the Introductions section. I have managed flower/shrub/fruit gardens at past homes but very interested in growing salads and veggies in the future. There are some very helpful tips and links above so I'll keep an eye on this post. Thanks, albertajune, for posting this and I wish you and your husband well.

B :)

[KarenE]

That's an interesting link LL. I've seen a wall of tin can growers on a website before but forgot it till I read your link. Interesting idea to grow up and space save.