growing own veggies in bags and pots (Merged)

lbt_2

Hi A Badger

Just wanted to thank you for all of your advice on strawberries (already have some in my hanging basket) and other soft fruits.

Because of your posts I have just come back from the garden centre after looking at gooseberry and redcurrant bushes. I plan to buy both but I want to check which variety to go for first. When I bought my strawberry plants the descriptions on the labels were great but there wasn't much information on the redcurrant and gooseberry bush labels. Ideally I want the sweeter varieties so that the children can pick them and eat them without their needing cooking.

Are there any other websites that you can recommend for a complete novice?

Thanks again

Blackjack_Davy

Redlake or Redstart are good varieties of Redcurrant if you can find them, most garden centres will sell Laxton's No. 1, an old variety, pretty good but with smaller berries. Good yields. Jonkheer van Tets is another pretty good variety, if you can find it.

Whinhams Industry is a good allround (red) gooseberry and reliable, Leveller is the classic dessert gooseberry with good flavour but needs good soil and conditions. Children picking gooseberries - hmm not sure about that one! Gooseberries are somewhat prickly, Invicta especially so!

I would recommend a fruit nursery, garden centres tend to be very limited in their choice of varieties.

lbt_2

Just found this article on the BBC website about growing crops in pots - it covers what pots to choose, what to grow etc ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/growfruitandveg_cropsinpots2.shtml

A._Badger

Hello lbt. The best black currant for a pot, in my opinion, would be Ben Sarek, which you will be able to get almost anywhere. Its advantage is that it is relatively small yet produces an excellent crop.

I agree with Blackjack Davy about red currants (frankly, I think any of them would do) and also about gooseberries and children - they are pretty thorny! I'd also go for Whinhams Industry which, again, you will find in most nurseries or garden centres.

Bearing in mind the time of year, I wouldn't buy bare rooted stock now. Go for a pot grown one.

Good luck!

lbt_2

Blackjack_Davy wrote: »

Redlake or Redstart are good varieties of Redcurrant if you can find them, most garden centres will sell Laxton's No. 1, an old variety, pretty good but with smaller berries. Good yields. Jonkheer van Tets is another pretty good variety, if you can find it.

Whinhams Industry is a good allround (red) gooseberry and reliable, Leveller is the classic dessert gooseberry with good flavour but needs good soil and conditions. Children picking gooseberries - hmm not sure about that one! Gooseberries are somewhat prickly, Invicta especially so!

I would recommend a fruit nursery, garden centres tend to be very limited in their choice of varieties.

Yes, I get your point about the prickles (:)). My two girls are 2 and 5 and I think it is good for them to know that our food doesn't come from a packet in Tesco.

When you mentioned Whinhams, is that a sweeter one? Also (sorry to be clueless ) but what do you mean it needs good soil and conditions? I have bought John Innes no.2, and feed suitable for soft fruits. Our garden is south facing so we have sun all day (when it is out!)

I looked at Redlake but they were sold out - at least I was on the right track though - I think that is meant to be one of the sweeter varieties. I think I will take your advice and hunt down a fruit nursery.

Thanks for all your advice

Thanks A Badger, I didn't realise I was too late for a bare rooted one - told you I am a novice!

Blackjack_Davy

lbt wrote: »

When you mentioned Whinhams, is that a sweeter one? Also (sorry to be clueless ) but what do you mean it needs good soil and conditions? I have bought John Innes no.2, and feed suitable for soft fruits. Our garden is south facing so we have sun all day (when it is out!)

Whinhams is dessert variety. Gooseberries come in two types: dessert (for eating raw) and cooking. Leveller is also a dessert variety (although they can be cooked if necessary.)

John Innes no. 2 will be fine for a pot grown plants, the comment about good soil mainly referred to gooseberries grown in the open ground. A sunny spot sounds ideal for Leveller, Whinhams is more tolerant of cooler conditions including partial shade. There should be enough food in the compost for the first season, subsequently it'll need feeding with a high potash fertilizer during the growing season, recommend a liquid tomato feed such as Tomorite.

I agree with A Badger, Ben Sarek is the blackcurrant to go for. The bushes aren't too large and the crops are heavy with large fruit. Mine never fail to crop well. The same as regarding feeding as Gooseberries, but Blackcurrants like a high nitrogen content fertilizer instead.

Lol I think we are A. Badger!

A._Badger

Gooseberries are classified into two groups - culinary (for cooking) and dessert, which means you can eat them raw. In effect this tends to mean slightly sour, or somewhat sweeter. Whinham's is a good choice because it can be used for both - also because it has an attractive dark colour.

Another alternative, thinking about it, would be an older variety which is still widely available and which really does taste wonderful straight off the bush - it's called Leveller.

The books will often tell you that it can be fussy about growing conditions but because you will be controlling these, by growing in a pot, you should be able to get a fine crop of tasty fruit from it.

Hope that helps.

A._Badger

I think we're doing this in stereo, Blackjack Davy!

saxonrosecliff

My little courgette seedlings are ready to be planted out now. I understand I can grow them in pots. I've bought some 40 cm plastic (will hold the water better presumably) pots to put them in but how many plants can I put in one pot? The type is Courgette Venus F1 Hybrid which it says are compact plants.

I've only really got a yard sized gardening and have gone a bit mad planting seeds and space is running short!

Thanks.

Lotus-eater

I don't know the variety but I would think just one per pot and get ready for lots of watering!