growing own veggies in bags and pots (Merged)

Davesnave

twinklie wrote: »

Do you mean a 60 cm trough? Sorry a little thick.

Yes, it was after lunch, a bit hot, and I couldn't think of the word... Sorry!
The ones I use are 60 x 20cm and you can get them in Wilko and places like that. All the seed companies do at least one salad leaves mix - you need one with things like lettuce, mizuna, pak choi, rocket & mustard in the mix; exactness isn't crucial. I throw in a few Swiss chard too, as they're OK raw when small.

Each trough does at least a month once it is going. You just cut off what you need and the plants keep re-growing. I also have a trough with just Italian red lettuce in it. The packet of seed, one of the large European ones, cost £1.55 and has enough in it for the next few years!

When you look at the price of that stuff in the supermarket, growing your own is a no-brainer. There's also no waste.

twinklie

Cheers Davesnave.

Went to the garden centre earlier to look at stuff with OH and he kept saying stuff and really confused me. I kinda got the impression that might have been the point. He got me all confused and doubting myself so we left with nothing.

I'm really quite cross now. I might go back next week on my own and just by some stuff, stick it in the yard and see if he notices. Maybe I should write a list before I go so I don't get so daunted.

Davesnave

twinklie wrote: »

Cheers Davesnave.

I might go back next week on my own and just by some stuff, stick it in the yard and see if he notices. Maybe I should write a list before I go so I don't get so daunted.

I'd do that.

The only other thing to consider at this time of year is whether you're going away for any length of time, & who waters it if you do.

Alisonpennypincher

I was watering my toms in their grow bags last night, when something started moving:eek:, I was such a girl, and squealed for DH to come and see what was living in my tomatoes! It was a Toad

When i carried on watering he kept poking his head out to get the water on him, I've checked this morning and he seems to have moved off, so i wonder where he'll surprise me from tonight.

Lotus-eater

twinklie wrote: »

Cheers Davesnave.

Went to the garden centre earlier to look at stuff with OH and he kept saying stuff and really confused me. I kinda got the impression that might have been the point. He got me all confused and doubting myself so we left with nothing.

I'm really quite cross now. I might go back next week on my own and just by some stuff, stick it in the yard and see if he notices. Maybe I should write a list before I go so I don't get so daunted.

Get a basic book and do write down what you want to grow.
Ask on freecycle and see if you can get hold of some small plants already grown. I find garden centre plants generally not good quality, you could be buying seeds like rocket, quick lettuce, oriental salad leaves and chard right now to sow.
"Allotment gardening" is a basic book and not bad, but most charity shops will have a assortment of gardening books cheaply.

twinklie

Thanks for the hints and tips folks.

Not really going away until christmas time. I'm a snow sports baby, so I'll be around pretty much all summer. Besides, I've babies (a rat and a hamster) who need looking after so getting things watered ain't really a problem. My OH's dad would do it, because he has to come to ours to look after the babies as his wife won't have them in her house. Ha ha.

mary43

Having our first crop of runner beans with dinner today :T looks like there's loads more to come.
Just had to share it with you...............:j

EagerLearner

Twinklie - hope your OH comes round to the idea - sometimes people just need to be shown the way... he needs to be supporting you on this, it could save a bunch of money!

We have been inspired by this thread - tonight we will go to B&Q and have a look for a long pot for lettuce - any hints which lettuce seeds we should get?

I know August is not a great time to start to grow, but apparently lettuce is ok... do let me know if there's anything else I should be looking at... tomatoes would be good but is it the right time?

We will save around £5 a month if we grow our own lettuce and around £6 if we grow our own tomatoes, so I am very excited.

I also looked on ebay and apparenty you can get strawberry plants that are already started and you just have to pot them?

My shopping list, pending your advice, would be the following for tonight:
- Planting long pot for lettuce (60cm I recall someone saying?)
- Lettuce seeds
- Tomato seeds (cherry toms if poss)
- Earth/compost
- Tools

Sorry really new to all this if I have used the wrong wording..

Davesnave

EagerLearner, it's far too late for tomatoes, but you can have lettuce in just a few weeks. The open, non-hearting varieties are best, like Salad Bowl, because you pick the leaves a few at a time and leave the roots in the soil to re-grow some more. It is the same with Swiss chard, mizuna, rocket or whatever you put in there. I prefer an Italian red lettuce myself, but I dare say it just looks good and tastes the same as the green one!

Looking at your list, I'm not sure what tools you'd need for this. Apart from a drill to put drainage holes in the container and a pair of scissors to open the seed packet. Otherwise, it is very hands-on.

competitionscafe

EagerLearner wrote: »

I know August is not a great time to start to grow, but apparently lettuce is ok... do let me know if there's anything else I should be looking at... tomatoes would be good but is it the right time?

This is from 2007, but for August in an article by Charles Dowding (salad leaf grower) and he suggests "main sowings this month are for autumn salads such as endives, oriental leaves such as mizuna, pak choi, mustards and leaf radish, and rocket. "
http://www.charlesdowding.com/index.php?main=blog&month=2007/august07&st=1

Mizuna and rocket are very easy to grow in containers so try those if you like them? They go nicely in a salad with more 'mild' flavoured salad leaves like green oak leaf lettuce, green or red salad bowl lettuce or red oak leaf lettuce. Another really easy, tasty and fast growing salad leaf is SaiSai leaf radish (I got seeds from Nicky's Nursery: http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/altsal.htm#top ).

The Guardian's growing your own series of articles is also useful for information and recipes.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2008/apr/05/growingyourown