What can I grow in small pots?

justruth

I am going to be a mature student, moving into college accomodation in September, and I really wanted to start growing my own veg. I won't have time to take on an allotment as I will have to work and study, so I am looking for something I could put in pots, that would just give me the odd bit of fresh veg. Also being very MSE I would like to use the seeds from the first batch for the next and so on. I read something in a gardening mag about micro planting or something, where you get a regular crop all year but you eat the seedlings and I thought that would be expensive on seeds.

All suggestions gratefully recieved!

Jake'sGran

The only things I can think of are land cress, rocket, small string beans maybe, basil (for the pasta). I have grown all these in smallish pots this year. We have egg and cress sandwiches. Basil is great for pesto but you do need a lot. If I think of any more I'll let you know. You can save the seed of any plant for the following year if you let a part of it "go to seed".

conradmum

How small do you mean by 'small'? Most herbs will grow reasonably well in small pots. Tomatoes are relatively easy to grow in larger pots, as long as they're kept well fed and watered. Shallow rooted things, such as spring onions or lettuce should do okay. Be aware you will need somewhere with good sunlight to put them.
Seeds are so cheap you're probably better off buying them than wasting time and effort on a plant just to harvest its seeds (having said that with something like tomatoes you don't have to wait for the plant to 'go over' to collect the seed). Lidl sells seed for about 30p a packet.

wigginsmum

Tomatoes and cut-and-come-again salad leaves are my first thought. Also dwarf beans and peas.

justruth

Thanks for that, I'l have a go at some of them, might even see if I have any luck before moving, how do you collect tomatoe seed? would it be as easy as sticking an over ripe tomatoe in some compost in a pot? Tomatoes and basil and salad leaves with spring onion all sound great, I'm hungry now! Any other suggestions?

Lord_Gardener

Are you going to be growing plants inside or out? Could you squeeze a grow bag in somewhere - that would boost your yields!

conradmum

justruth wrote:

Thanks for that, I'l have a go at some of them, might even see if I have any luck before moving, how do you collect tomatoe seed? would it be as easy as sticking an over ripe tomatoe in some compost in a pot? Tomatoes and basil and salad leaves with spring onion all sound great, I'm hungry now! Any other suggestions?

Saving your own tomato seed isn't quite as easy as your idea, but not much more difficult. Your idea won't work because you won't be growing the next season's tomatoes until about five months after you've picked your last ripe one from this season.
When it gets to about late September, get one of your last ripe tomatoes and put it on a windowsill to let it get very ripe. Then split it open and scoop out the jelly with the seeds in. Put this in a sieve or tea strainer and gently rinse the jelly away from the seeds. Each individual seed will also have a little covering of jelly. Try to get this off too. Then spread the seeds out individually on a sheet of kitchen roll and leave them in the airing cupboard to dry out really thoroughly. Roll or fold up the kitchen paper and put it in an airtight container in the fridge until it's time to sow again next year. You can tear off little pieces of paper with the seed stuck on and sow these.

Kazonline

There's quite a bit on the 'Old Style' board on MSE about growing in pots and containers. I would post a link to them for you but I seem to be having probelms with my pc this morning so it'll take me an eternity!
There's also an excellent bit on 'sprouting seeds' where you sprout seeds in a jar and eat when they've sprouted. Very tasty, and most important verynutritious (esp important for students ) Another bonus on this is they take little space and are ready in a few days.
I'll bookmark this page and if you're interested but need help finding the links let me know and I'll post them asap.
Kaz x

OddjobKIA

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