What to grow in pots/not much space?

Furny

Hi Folks
I got reading the threads on here after posting a plant question.
For the last few years (as my little ones getting older) i've been thinking i'd like to have a go at starting to grow some things after seeing my neighbours at it & to give me a little hobby i suppose (& maybe one i could share with my 4yr old )
The problem is not much space, my back is decked & front gravelled (hubby hates cutting grass so did this when we first moved in) so unless i talk him in to changing it, it will be a case of what i could do in pots etc,last year i did tomatoes in a big recycling tub (sorry local council!)my friend gave me them as he'd got too many,quick advice & they came up great but it gave me the planting bug as i enjoyed doing them!.
Does anyone else have any simple ideas of what i could start my budding hobby off with this year NOW even, i've noticed all the packs of the seeds have just come in in my local Lidl but obviously i can go to garden centres etc
I've just read the pepper/chilli discussion which sounds like it could be good!.
I appreciate all your help,as you can tell i have little knowledge at the moment,but i'm willling to learn.
Furnyx

Furny

Also what are the best gardening magazines/newspapers that you would suggest i buy to learn the basics etc that isn't going to bamboozle a green fingered novice too much!
Thanks so much!

enrich100

Growing in containers
the link above will give you a good idea of what can be grown and what size container is needed, a good place to get containers is a morrisons supermarket (if you have one near) they sell off their flower buckets for 8 for 99p, if you drill holes in the bottom you can use these for almost any vegetables.

all magazines can help but they usually give little bits of information each month the magazine all cost around the £3 - £4 mark, you might be better off going to a book shop and getting a book instead, Our local whsmiths has Alan Titmarch book How to be a kitchen Gardener on offer for £10 (£13 online) which is a very good book telling you what to do and when to do it, if you still want to get magazines get this months Grow Your Own Vegetables magazine as it has a article on growing plants in containers + they are giving away 3 packets of seeds of veg suitable for growing in containers

ukmaggie45

I rather like Grow Your Own magazine. It's more aimed at people with gardens or an allotment though. Costs £3.60, and the March edition has some free seeds - Pepper 'California Woman', Spring Onion 'Ishikura' and Lettuce 'Lollo Rosso'. Lots of pretty photos to drool over!

Then there's the BBC Gardeners World magazine too. That includes more general flower stuff too.

How much light do your gardens get? If you tell us which way your gardens point (N, S, E or W?) you'll get better advice as what to try. Lots of things can be grown in containers, but they do need watering often in hot dry weather (hmm, when was the last time we got that?! :rotfl: ).

Good luck! I'm sure you'll have lots of success, and don't be downhearted by any failures, as all gardeners get some. Or is it only me?

Furny

Thanks for info so far folks,my front garden is North facing & in the summer the sun stays there for for first half of the day then moves round to the South facing back garden where it obv gets very warm,this is where i'd prefer to have my items if possible as its closed off. I do have a narrow yard which runs the length of the house inbetween the two gardens which can be used.
Thanks for mag/book info i'll look today.
Furnyx

valk_scot

"The Vegetable & Herb Expert" by DG Hessayon. No glossy articles but each type of vegetable gets a comprehensive section includinf planting and harvesting times, spacing, diseases and special requirements etc. Cheap too. Every garden centre or DIY warehouse with plants will have this book, and it's quite cheap.

As for mags I've subscribed to The Kitchen Garden since it first came out. Has a forum too. Intelligent articles and lots of info.

Furny

Enrich- Thanks i have a Morissons near me so i'll be paying a visit.
I also have a book token sat waiting to be used from my Birthday last year so i think Titmarsh it is!
Cheers folks so far..........

Furny

ENRICH- Thanks i bought the Titmarsh book today for the price you said from WHSmiths.
VALK SCOT- Thanks i bought the Hessayon book you suggested too (Simple diagrams etc where just what i need)
Think my Mother in Law would be impressed with how i've spent her token.
I'm armed with lots of info now for bed time reading!!

enrich100

Be careful it can become an addiction (48 morrisons flower buckets at the last count) , I have 10 wall troughs and 5 hanging all will have different tumbling tomatoes and chillis in them, I have learned to utilise at much space as I can and wall space can be very useful. lettuce grow quite well in hanging baskets too
My kids love the tomatoes trailing from the hanging baskets, they just help them self to tomatoes when they are ripe

diluvsdiscounts

I have planted all of my strawberry plants in hanging baskets this year mainly because my new arrivals(four chickens) are shredding everything in sight

malebolge

Hi, I grow all my veg in containers because being disabled it's a lot easier. I also grow some soft fruit (gooseberries, blueberries & strawberries). If you've not much space, then I'd look at what's going to give a good return for a small container. Salad stuff works well - spring onions, radish and cut & come again lettuce work very well, as does garlic.

Tomatoes obviously, and peppers. I grow potatoes very successfully in 80 Ltr compost sacks I recycle and use last year's old tomato compost mixed with the stuff I make myself.

Things with longer roots can be tricky in containers - I do grow carrots but always the chanteray variety. I've also grown peas in a morrisons size container by making a wigwam of canes for them to grow up.

The other thing you could consider is herbs. I have a wide range of both annuals and perennials in plant pot sized containers. It's lovely being able to just nip out and pick my own basil, mint, oregano or chives.

Little tip on herbs - the supermarkets sell a lot of perennial herbs such as mint in those little containers. The only reason you can't keep them growing is that they overfill the small pots. If you replant them you can keep them going for ages - my mint is all from 3 reduced pots that were 10p each a few years ago - still going strong.