growing own veggies in bags and pots (Merged)

harib0uk

stilernin wrote: »

Fill the bottom half of the bucket with a mixture of 25% compost and 75% stones or polystyrene. Top up with compost and put in your tomato plant.

Now get a cheap washing up bowl and some small stones or pieces of brick. Stand the planted up black bucket on some stones (or bricks) in the washing up bowl.

While the plant is still small, water around the plant as normal.

But when it is bigger and you begin to feed it, the regime changes. The feed is watered into the compost. However, when watering you pour the water into the washing up bowl. How much depends on how big the plants are and the temperature of the day.

Allowing the bucket to 'sit in' water while the plant is small will make the compost too wet and it will go sour. But once the plant is big, the roots will have gone through the compost/polystyrene mix and be happy in the water in the washing up bowl. As long as the roots at the top aren't 'drowning'.

This system works far better than the buckets alone or grobags which go from being wet when watered to bone dry if the day is hot. The plant can also grow more roots which means a better plant.

Excellent information! thank you very much

sb44

stilernin wrote: »

I agree that the roots of a tomato plant would fill one of those black flower buckets but there is still a way of not using quite so much compost.

Fill the bottom half of the bucket with a mixture of 25% compost and 75% stones or polystyrene. Top up with compost and put in your tomato plant.

Now get a cheap washing up bowl and some small stones or pieces of brick. Stand the planted up black bucket on some stones (or bricks) in the washing up bowl.

While the plant is still small, water around the plant as normal.

But when it is bigger and you begin to feed it, the regime changes. The feed is watered into the compost. However, when watering you pour the water into the washing up bowl. How much depends on how big the plants are and the temperature of the day.

Allowing the bucket to 'sit in' water while the plant is small will make the compost too wet and it will go sour. But once the plant is big, the roots will have gone through the compost/polystyrene mix and be happy in the water in the washing up bowl. As long as the roots at the top aren't 'drowning'.

This system works far better than the buckets alone or grobags which go from being wet when watered to bone dry if the day is hot. The plant can also grow more roots which means a better plant.

Sorry this is long, but once you have 'got it' it is easy to do.

Thanks for the info, I shall def give this a go.

spalding

I'm looking to use my garden to produce some fresh produce the only problem is it is all paved can people suggests things I can grow in pots/tubs etc

Thanks

Rebel

I started this for the first time last year and successfully grew (in pots) lots of cherry tomatoes, green beans (not loads but a few) spinach, broad beans and there was some othyer stuff but cant remember what, hope this helps.

Penelope_Penguin

spalding wrote: »

I'm looking to use my garden to produce some fresh produce the only problem is it is all paved can people suggests things I can grow in pots/tubs etc

Thanks

Tomatoes, herbs, peas, cucumber, lettuce, climbing beans

I'll add this to the existing thread to give you more ideas.

Penny. x

Pie123

I currently grow
Tomatoes
Peas
Cabbage
Lettuce
Carrot

I have quite deep pots 30cm deep pots. Any ideas

Jack's_mummy

Dwarf beans, radish, spring onion

grey_lady

I grow chillis, tomatoes, herbs and am thinking about growing potatoes in a large pot, i've seen a patio planter kit here, http://www.gardeningdirect.co.uk/Patio-Potato-Planter/XH957,default,pd.html it just looks like a big pot and say's its perfect for patios and small gardens.

Pie123

Yeah i might try chillis
Don't buy those pots they are cheaper on dobies

Pie123

http://www.dobies.co.uk/Shop/Seed+Potatoes/Bargain+Potato+Planters+plus+15+seed+potatoes+478998.htm