growing own veggies in bags and pots (Merged)

soba

This year for the first time ever, we're trying to grow a bit of fruit and veg. I've got rocket and little gem in gro bags in the front garden (don't know what the neighbours think!) and strawberries, blackberries and blueberries in tubs at the back of the house. We've also got some tumbling tomatoes in a bucket and my question is - if I go out and buy some tomato feed would that be OK for feeding the other fruit and veg with if they need it or is there somehing in it that's only meant for toms?
Also the pepper seeds I sowed in seed trays indoors have now been transplanted to pots. Do they need to go outside yet? At the mo they're sitting on the kitchen window sill or will they grow happily indoors?

starlite_2

this thread has madr me think..maybe a 'child board' within mse old style or mse 'green/ethical' just for gardening/growing tips would be a good idea!?
what does everyone think?

Strepsy

Kazonline wrote:

Thanks Strepsy, I'll nip past lidls again and see if they've any of those seeds left - I thought I'd picked one up last time but had picked up two thyme packs! HAve you grown the peppers before? I'm wondering how many 'fruit' they tend to produce - I know I find peppers so expensive they are rarely on my shopping list! It would be nice to grow them as we all enjoy them.
These seeds from liddle seem fantastic - It's a week since planting and I have seedling from all the lettuce I sowed, the courgettes popped through yesterday and the thyme is sprouting also. At 29p per pack even if I only get one lettuce from it I've covered the price of the seeds!
I'm so thrilled - and my boys are loving it also. Thanks to everyone on O/S for their inspiration!!
Kaz

I haven't grown them before so don't know how many to expect but like you say, even if it's only one per plant that's with only 4 seeds from the 29p Lidl pack and peppers are usually double that to buy one.

Good luck!

Strepsy

nuttyrockeress wrote:

I find the easiest chillies to grow are Cayenne. Last year we did Hungarian hot wax for the first time (great flavour but not many "fruits") must feed them more this year I think.

Edited to add I got the Hot wax plant from B&Q

I've got 2 cayenne plants on the go. Got the seeds free from Grow Your Own magazine. What sort of number can you get from them?

Strepsy

soba wrote:

This year for the first time ever, we're trying to grow a bit of fruit and veg. I've got rocket and little gem in gro bags in the front garden (don't know what the neighbours think!) and strawberries, blackberries and blueberries in tubs at the back of the house. We've also got some tumbling tomatoes in a bucket and my question is - if I go out and buy some tomato feed would that be OK for feeding the other fruit and veg with if they need it or is there somehing in it that's only meant for toms?
Also the pepper seeds I sowed in seed trays indoors have now been transplanted to pots. Do they need to go outside yet? At the mo they're sitting on the kitchen window sill or will they grow happily indoors?

I think they happily grown inside soba but if you're going to put them out I wouldn't yet or you can start hardening them off by putting them out in the daytime. I have 4 peppers and 2 chillis and am planning to grow half inside and half in my mini greenhouse outside where I can easily pop them out in the sun for the day.

soba

Thanks Strepsy.

Joscar

soba wrote:

We've also got some tumbling tomatoes in a bucket and my question is - if I go out and buy some tomato feed would that be OK for feeding the other fruit and veg with if they need it or is there somehing in it that's only meant for toms?

I have always used tomato feed on other plants without a problem, though I remember being told you should be careful not to get it on the leaves

oops_a_daisy

thought I had better do an update as my thread has been made OS thread of the week

Well I have earthed up my potatoes in their grow bags today - if the leaves are anything to go by I should have a good crop of tatties I will try to put a picture up on here tomorrow.
My green beans are growing well in their loo rolls and are ready to go out now.
Tomatos are still too small but will go out at the end of this month into a grow bag.
I have got my wood to build 2 x square foot gardens :j just need my Dad to come round to build them. I got decking planks in the end as they were pre treated. Once they are built I am going to make 3 rows in each as opposed to 9 squares so that I can plant in rows. I plan to plant broccoil, carrots, spring onions, brussels sprouts, strawberries and a row of potatoes as I had to buy a big bag of sprouted potatoes. I am going to plant the green beans at the end of one of the square foot gardens and also am going to get some peas to go at the end of the other.
My Mum is giving me a couple of large containers that she no longer wants for me to grow my salad leaves and rocket in.
I have also been reading the other thread on here 'what are you growing in 2006' for brilliant tips. I have got some net ready to put over my veggies to keep pests out.
I have also planted some sweet peas and sunflowers which were free seeds so these will bring a bit of colour to my back garden too.
Oh and I have ordered a composter too.
Good luck with your veggie growing in pots and bags everybody

Poledragon

My green beans are growing well in their loo rolls and are ready to go out now

Just a quick tip - make sure you completely bury the loo rolls when planting the green beans, or the bit of cardboard sticking out above the soil will wick all the moisture away and your beans will dry out and perish. That, or tear away the cardboard and plant the soil plug (water well before you do and then the lump of compost won't disintegrate!)

So far this year I'm growing garlic, strawberries, broad, runner and French beans, 4 kinds of potatoes, cabbage, lots of other brassicas (assuming the pigeons don't eat them), carrots, beetroot, courgettes and winter squash (planted waayyy too many seeds again this year), onions and shallots. Oh, and tomatoes, melons, cucumbers and various peppers in the greenhouse. I am a self-confessed garden anorak. Not sure about 'expert', but will happily talk gardening all day. Am quite new to these forums, so shall go and investigate the other gardening thread that was mentioned.

The only reason I'm using the computer and not in the garden is that the torch's batteries are flat...

tullymurrymoneysaver

Growing your own veggies is not only thrifty but darn good for yourself and for your family.

I have heard of growing your tatties in a grow bag and I've heard it works well. Also you could grow them in an old dust bin and as they grow just add the compost! Seed potatoes are always better to use rather than just general shop bought potatoes. Seed potatoes are grown in very high altitudes where pests and diseases are scarce so they are healthier and more robust. Look out for strains which are blight resistant also which saves money on any chemicals to try to eradicate blight. Seed potatoes can be bought between about mid January until about Easter. As they get older they do go a bit soft. This is prime time to ask for a bit of discount on them which helps!

To save money on buying veggies you could buy them cheaply as young plants from car boots, markets or even from over enthusiastic gardeners who have sown too many and who sell them at the end of their drives for a few
pennies per plant!

Keep your eyes peeled for tired looking veggie plants in garden centres and be bold and ask for a bit of discount on them to take them off their hands. 9 times out of 10 they will perk up with a bit of tlc.

Also keep your eye on bargain area's for garden centres. You could collect some lovely blackberry, raspberry, rhubarb plants that may have just gone a little leggy or tired and should give you years of fruit yields for minimum outlay!

Or you could go halves or even quarters on a packet of seed with some friends, sow all your seed, keep the plants you need and sell the rest!

Fleece is cheap and good at keeping some pests off your veggies and after the growing season is over you can keep it to protect tender plants in the winter. Buying disease resistant seeds can help save your plants as well as your pocket!

There is also a book called something like: Storage; the key to self-sufficiency. You could borrow it from the library and it will show you how to store your produce so you don't get a glut and have to give some of it away or worse still throw it out. It shows you how to preserve your home growns by pickling them or by making lovely jams or chutney's. Also it can show you how to blanch and flash freeze your veggies so you can enjoy them long after their season's finished!

Happy gardening!