Novice Gardener Needs Advice Please (Merged)

kethry

yes, its very possible to grow things in pots.. the big problem, as panda pointed out, is watering.

things with long root systems (i.e. carrots) are going to need longer pots than other plants, i've seen trials where carrots and potatoes have been grown in dustbins. Tyres stacked on top of each other also work, even wellies!! you can grow in just about anything as long as you take account of the fact that its in a pot (i.e. that its a big enough pot for the root system), that the soil contained within the pot is right for what it needs (i.e. some plants need tough and gritty soil, others need soil with very little stones) and that it has adequate support, especially if its a tall growing plant (peas, sweetcorn, raspberries for example).

gardener's world did a whole veg garden in different types of pots a few years back, i have no idea if the information on that is still on the website.. might be worth a look. I'd also recommend going to the library and having a good look in there, i doubt you'll find a book specifically on growing veg in pots but you'd be able to look up what kind of growing conditions a plant needs and then do your best to meet it in the pot.

growbags also do very well on patios, although they don't suit every plant.

HTH

keth
xx

computerwoman

you can get some great gardening books from world books at 1p just remember to order another book now and again.
http://www.worldbooks.co.uk/visit/?bcat=15512

richyrich7

computerwoman wrote:

you can get some great gardening books from world books at 1p just remember to order another book now and again.
http://www.worldbooks.co.uk/visit/?bcat=15512

You could always try your local library or charity shop if your a skinflint like me :rotfl:

Penny_Farthing_2

The best advice I had was to grow what you really like to eat! I know it sounds obvious but my runner beans had loads of beans on before I realised no one in the family likes to eat them!

The neighbours got lucky that year.

Last year I grew Gardener's Delight tomatoes in the plastic buckets you get pelleted chicked poo in and they tasted like Heaven.

nannydiddy

Thanks so much, i'm going to check out gardners world ! i'll let you know how I get on. I need to find out what i should be planting now !

Thanks all,

richyrich7

Try this for some ideas http://www.allotment.org.uk/garden_month.php
but to get you going you should be chitting your potatoes, planting shallots and Jerusalem artichokes. Start sowing tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, that's about iit for now I think off the top of my head. March is my big month for planting and sowing, got my allotment this year to sow seeds for. But I've still got half of it to dig yet !
Good luck and keep asking questions, Knowledge is virtually useless unless it's shared.

louise_1981

I need to get my leantoo sorted before any sowing gets going, the surfaces are warping, just as well the kitchen has just been pulled out. going to do that soon, just need some nails

jozvaldo

Hi there I am looking to lay a new lawn in my back garden and have started to prep. So far I have lifted a large are of paving slabs whre I am hoping to lay the lawn. At the moment there is a concrete base left where the slabs used to sit. Will I need to dig this out or can I lay the lawn on it, or alterntaviely could I lay put soil ontop of the concrete prior to laying the lawn. What do people think - are there any decent websites that would walk me through this?

Many thanks

KatrinaC_2

I would lift the concrete. Although grass will grow anwhere that there is some dirt, it will look scrubby, uneven probably end up patchy and when it rains will be waterlogged due to poor drainage.

Unless the previous gardeners were exceptionally thorough there is a good chance that there is only a thin skim of concrete over the soil. If that's the case then you will be able to clear it quite easily with a sledge hammer and a couple of strong friends to help lift the lumps.

Kat

Miss_Kitty_Fantastico

HI

As the title suggests I am a complete novice - I have never attempted gardening in my life.

However we do have a small garden that comes with our flat and would really like to get it looking nice to be able to sit out in it.

Can anyone give me advice on how to get started very cheaply!!!!!!!!

We already have a barbeque and some cheap green plastic garden furniture we bought last year.

Some ideas we have so far are a bench and some stones - leaving only part of the grass.

We would also like to attempt a rockery if possible.

We would also need a fence and gate.

At the moment its just very poor quality grass, a broken fence and some unknown bushes along one side.

Many many thanks in advance .