Fruit and Veg to grow in a paved yard - can I ask for advice...

kittypimms

Good morning all, can I have the benefit of your wisdom please?

I have a large yard, completely paved over (save a border of Holly, Conifer, Fir trees and other assorted bushes...). I'm looking at growing veg and some fruit trees in containers/ pots.

My blueberry bushes thrived last year in deep pots, but was wondering what depth/ type would be needed for the below (or even if it's possible to grow them in tubs/ containers...)

Apple trees
Cherry Trees
Beetroot
Broccoli
Peppers
Beans (of some kind...)

Any advice very much appreciated!

A

Enterprise_1701C

I have an apple tree in a pot - got it from a nursery, it has the main trunk cut off and sealed and it just has the side shoots, which are trained on a bamboo trellis-type construction. It is currently in a 12" square pot but am aiming for it's final pot to be 18" - 2'. Gave us quite a few lovely apples last year, I would guess it is only about 5-6 years old. I think the variety is Laxtons.

Linda32

kittypimms wrote: »

Beetroot
Broccoli
Peppers
Beans (of some kind...)

Any advice very much appreciated!

A

Hi, I can't help with the trees in pots, as I've no experience, but I'm sure it can be done.

However, you can certainly grow the other things you mention in pots.
Beetroot, simply sow the seeds in a pot, water and watch them grow, quite pretty they are as well, due to the red leaves.

Broccoli, I imagine the same, although it is a big plant of course, make sure you keep it netted whatever you do. The birds like it just as much as you

Peppers, again, start off indoors or buy the plants, then plant out after all risk of frost has passed. You might need to stake the plants as they are abit heavy.

Beans, I'm sure the ones I'm thinking off are french beans, they are black/purple and much smaller than runner beans so I'm thinking more suitable for pots.
Although, of course you can just pick the runner beans more oftern, so they are not so long. Thats better actually as they go hard and stringy if the are old.

HTH

moneymabel

Runner beans grow fine in a pot-I've grown standard size ones but you can get dwarf ones (think they are called Hestia?) which are perfect for pots. I grew mine in a black oblong plastic box about 2 foot by 1 1/2 foot and put bamboo canes in for support.

lolly5648

I have grown both runner and french beans in Morrisons buckets. I put in 2 per pot and 6' high canes for them to grow up. I had a lot of beans.

ginvzt

I think the tree depends on rootstock if it can be grown in the pot. I have bought some 'dwarf' trees, that grow no larger than 1.8-2.4m, and they can be grown in the pots. However, if you have the usual variety, that can grow big, I don't think it will do well in the pot. Same with the cherries.

jenie_2

I'm growing in pots -
Tomato - Tumbling tom, red and yellow
Dwarf beans - Hestia
Peas - Meteor
Runner bean - Wisley magic (not tried before)
I'm also trying potatoes in some improvised recycling bags (like a large plastic carrier with handles, from Asda 3 for £1.50) and salad stuff in grow bags.
I have a long wide yard where I'm growing the veg, which leads on to a grass patch about 4m x 3m, and I'm having a lovely mixture of bedding plants/perrenials in pots down there.

Nearly forgot, i've got alpine strawberries in hanging baskets which I didn't think would survive the horrible winter we've had, but they've got lots of new growth on them.

yumyums

Beetroot is OK in pots I've read
I'm going to try mini carrots (Paris Market) and beetroot in a large pot, with the carrots in the middle and beetroot around them. Not sure if this will work as I'm new to the whole gardening thing but I think it could look quite pretty.

Farway

jenie wrote: »

Runner bean - Wisley magic (not tried before)

I always grow this, self saved seed, an excellent red flowered runner

Nuttygal

yumyums wrote: »

Beetroot is OK in pots I've read
I'm going to try mini carrots (Paris Market) and beetroot in a large pot, with the carrots in the middle and beetroot around them. Not sure if this will work as I'm new to the whole gardening thing but I think it could look quite pretty.

I grew paris market carrots last year and they were great- the novelty of bitesize carrots was lovely and my eldest was thrilled with them. I'm trying purple carrots this year (can't remember the name) but hopefully they'll work and I can "amaze" my daughter this year! Lol

yumyums

Nuttygal wrote: »

I grew paris market carrots last year and they were great- the novelty of bitesize carrots was lovely and my eldest was thrilled with them. I'm trying purple carrots this year (can't remember the name) but hopefully they'll work and I can "amaze" my daughter this year! Lol

Ooh can't wait now! One of the best bits of growing your own is being able to try things you can't get in the supermarket
I've never even tasted a home grown carrot