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Growing fruit & veg in tubs - where do I start?

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Mumtothree3
Mumtothree3 Posts: 20 Forumite
in Gardening
I don't have an allotment, and the majority of my garden is used as a football pitch for my kids... can I grow fruit & veg in tubs?

If so, where do I start, what would you recommend?

Thanks,
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Comments

  • laurel7172
    laurel7172 Posts: 2,071 Forumite
    Absolutely you can grow things in pots.

    The easiest thing to grow (and the biggest moneysaver) is salad leaves. Just sprinkle in some cut-and-come-again lettuce seeds and water regularly. Herbs, if you use them. After that, I'd probably grow some tomatoes-but choose varieties that you won't get easily in the shops, like yellow cherry toms. You cannot beat the flavour of a sun-warmed tomato straight from the vine....
    import this
  • maverick18
    maverick18 Posts: 73 Forumite
    Thanks for starting this thread its very interesting and is something OH and I are keen to do ourselves.

    Not managed to do much at the moment as we have only been in our house for three months so just settling in really.

    Just bought some garlic do grow in posts to start us off as i hear they do very well when planted in cold weather. Going to make a list of the herbs we want and will put these in plantes on a large wall we have in the garden.

    Would love to hear some more tips and advice from you experieced gardeners
  • hazzie123
    hazzie123 Posts: 2,755 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Of course you can,you can virtually grow anything in a big enough container :)

    I'd start by thinking what fruit you like and google each one,different plants like different soil and conditions.Such as Blueberries like eracacious soil/compost and are much better to have more than one bush for pollination.Strawberry plants can last up to 4 years with a generous crop.
    Debt Free Date:10/09/2007 :j :money:
  • Yorkie1
    Yorkie1 Posts: 12,052 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I've got this book, it's written in a really accessible style and cheap to buy!
  • mrbadexample
    mrbadexample Posts: 10,805 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Photogenic
    Carrots, parsnips, beetroot, radishes, turnips & spring onions will all fare reasonably well in tubs. You can grow potatoes, and even cauliflower in big buckets. I'm slowly finding that thing inevitably fare better in the ground though.
    If you lend someone a tenner and never see them again, it was probably worth it.
  • Herbyme
    Herbyme Posts: 722 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I have to say the only thing I find worth it is herbs. They are really easy to grow and do well in pots as long as you remember to water them ;) Anything else needs such a big pot that you spend a fortune on compost, it seems to me. I have grown cut and come again salad leaves but not got a great crop without fertiliser and I don't like eating things that have had a lot of fertiliser on them. Am thinking of collecting dandelion seeds and sowing those for the rabbits though :rotfl: if only to keep them away from the herbs :rotfl:

    My parsley seedlings are coming up already, sown in pots indoors, will sow basil this week as the parsley's done ok.
  • Rummer
    Rummer Posts: 6,550 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    We have grown lots in pots/tyres including garlic, courgettes, carrots, salads, strawberries and spinach.

    They are easy to maintain when things are growing but you have to ensure that they are fed and watered well.
    Taking responsibility one penny at a time!
  • laurel7172
    laurel7172 Posts: 2,071 Forumite
    Potatoes in pots...are fun but not very MSE. Basically, potatoes are cheap and compost *really* isn't. Worth doing with the kids, but an expensive luxury otherwise.

    Agree that spring onions are bomb-proof, as are radishes, if you like them (I don't!). Carrots do best if you choose a stumpy variety bred for pots, but as with all slow-growing crops, it depends on what your motivation is. Flavour and health-go for it. To save money-you will probably be disappointed. It's best to think of small-scale GYO as a hobby with (yummy) benefits.

    Btw...Aldi and Lidl are the places to go for good value seeds, and get great value fruit trees in every Spring. Keep an eye on their website to see when they're coming in...
    import this
  • Rummer
    Rummer Posts: 6,550 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    laurel7172 wrote: »
    Agree that spring onions are bomb-proof, as are radishes, if you like them (I don't!).

    :rotfl:they are the one thing I have never managed to grow :rotfl:
    Taking responsibility one penny at a time!
  • a51_ufo
    a51_ufo Posts: 96 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts
    Mumtothree3 wrote: »
    majority of my garden is used as a football pitch for my kids

    Make sure you place the pots out of the footballs reach! :P
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