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Grown our own, complete novice questions

nicola00
nicola00 Posts: 337
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edited 1 April 2012 at 6:51PM in Gardening
Can you guys help? may be long post, I do tend to waffle on a bit, but I'm just excited :j

Would like to attempt to grow our own veg, nothing fancy or complicated just things that we eat week to week

Carrots, Potatoes, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Strawberries (poss other fruits?)

I seen a wooden trough on a shopping channel last year and ideally would love this, but wow what a lot of £'s for a fancy wooden box.... anyway talking to the kids about it (2 and 8) an they are both really keen on the idea
We aren't particularly green fingered or knowledgeable in gardening, I suffer from hayfever so tend to just cut the grass when I'm full of antihistamines and have a quick tidy up round the garden when it's needed and that's the scope of my gardening oh and a few potted plants in tubs in the front and back garden that get a trim and water every now and again

The back garden is really for the kids to run about, there slides / trampoline etc, as I have a decked area for my table an chairs an the rest is theirs

So I was thinking about using this little patch...... is it possible, its 40inches wide by 50 inches long, or am I hoping for too much from this little square :o I also thought I could use these planters, are the any good??, they could go on the decked area at the side

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3503174209...84.m1438.l2649

I have around £30 max to get supplies for this, planters are £12.50 from ebay but would like to know what else I need to invest in to get going

I'll put my questions in the next post
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  • nicola00
    nicola00 Posts: 337
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    th_Garden1.jpg
  • nicola00
    nicola00 Posts: 337
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    edited 1 April 2012 at 6:51PM
    th_Garden2.jpg

    Sorry won't let me post together
  • nicola00
    nicola00 Posts: 337
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    edited 1 April 2012 at 6:52PM
    So eventually here is my questions

    Will the space work
    I have some planks of wood, should I box it off
    Is my list of proposed Veg achievable
    £30 budget Workable
    What sort of freebies could I get to help, Seeds?
    Books or online references, where to look
    Should I buy the upside down planters for Strawberries

    Other tips and advice would be so very much appreciated, as the kids are off on holiday now would be good to make a start this week and also if today is anything to go by I am going to get my head nipped until its done

    Thank You
  • Fay
    Fay Posts: 1,031
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    Hi Nicola...people with way more experience will be along soon to help out. But the planters you're looking at seem expensive to me-do you have a pound land, home bargains etc near by as I've had potatoe growing bags and planters similar to those you're looking at for £1 for 2 from these places. I was in pound land today and they had lots of plastic pots and troughs which would also be ok for veg. Factor in the cost of compost when you're growing in planters as it takes a lot more than you would think.
    Perhaps look for patio varieties or dwarf plants as these tend to do better in planters too. Potatoes I've found do ok in planters but you can only put max 3 seed potatoes in a pot so these do better in the ground but take up a lot of ground for a long time.
    Salad leaves do well in pots and do fine in shallow containers-you can even use things like half pop bottles to grow these in.
    Have a look at the help MBE grow his dinner thread-lots of advice on there too.
  • poodlegal
    poodlegal Posts: 152 Forumite
    Any space works, just be sure not to try and cram too much into it, salad crops such as lettuce should do quite nicely in that little spot its hard to see the size exactly bit a row of spring onions and a few lettuces or better still lettuce leaf mix plants should fit. Box it off only if the soil is shallow and you need to create depth, the box will only make the space smaller, otherwise make sure you add some fresh compost or perhaps the contents of a growbag to give the plants a good start. The large planters would be useful for carrots and spuds, again, dont try to cram too many in or you will end up with tiny versions of what you want. Good luck and have fun, I think its fab to introduce kids to growing and my three children are a dab hand now at knowing what to do with plants.
  • poodlegal
    poodlegal Posts: 152 Forumite
    Yes agreed, there are cheaper options as far as planters, Look at https://www.downthelane.net for some inspiration on cheap planters and how to get the most out of a limited space. (Beware though if you go on you will need a few hours and a cuppa- its addictive)
  • SailorSam
    SailorSam Posts: 22,754
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    I've given some plants away today that i took as cuttings i posted them on Freecycle,
    Before you go buying any planters or plants ask on your Freecycle,
    Liverpool is one of the wonders of Britain,
    What it may grow to in time, I know not what.

    Daniel Defoe: 1725.
  • gazza975526570
    gazza975526570 Posts: 3,275
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    nicola00 wrote: »
    So eventually here is my questions

    Will the space work - Its big enough to grow some crops - does it get sun?

    I have some planks of wood, should I box it off - if you want to but there is no need and will add to the cost

    Is my list of proposed Veg achievable - depends how much you want ;). Potatoes take up a lot of room. You could do them in pots but i have never done so. For carrots you need to move as many stones from the soil as you can. Tomatoes - if it gets sun you could stake them against the wall. Lettuce and strawberries would be fine.
    Only problem with a small space if things getting overcrowded - ie strawberries will put up runners which will easily fire over that area.

    £30 budget Workable - yeah. Look for free or cheap seeds.

    What sort of freebies could I get to help, Seeds? Yup - do a search on here for free seeds.

    Books or online references, where to look - work out what you want to grown and then look up specific questions or ask here. An allotment forum is ideal

    Should I buy the upside down planters for Strawberries - begtter in the ground if you wasnt anything like a decent crop

    Other tips and advice would be so very much appreciated, as the kids are off on holiday now would be good to make a start this week and also if today is anything to go by I am going to get my head nipped until its done - Again - think about exactly what you want to do then research or ask questions.

    Thank You

    Good luck. :D
  • nicola00
    nicola00 Posts: 337
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    Thanks for quick replies

    Fay Think I'll try get to Poundland tomorrow, I didn't even think of there. I had look at the deals in homebase on compost and got the feeling that I would be needing a fair few bags
    Have also bookmarked the MBE thread, will have a nosey around there too

    poodlegal the space it roughly 4x4 so I like the idea of the salad and Spring onions.... Kettles on and I've just opened your link.... I may be sometime

    Just settled my youngest in bed and just as I was leaving her room she asked if she could wear her pink wellies when she's digging up the vegetables

    Oh we are an excited house, really can't wait to get started
  • nicola00
    nicola00 Posts: 337
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    SailorSam wrote: »
    I've given some plants away today that i took as cuttings i posted them on Freecycle,
    Before you go buying any planters or plants ask on your Freecycle,


    Thanks, I had a look but nothing going, but I did post on there and also on netmums asking for anything that could help with our grow our own quest.

    Suppose its just luck if anything turns up
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