Container Veg

niraig

Hi all, I have recently acquired 12 wooden boxes of various sizes which have now been treated and are about to be lined ready for my first attempt at growing veg. I got a book to guide me through this (RHS Good Fruit & Veg Guide) but was disappointed to find that a few of the types of veg I would like to grow are not suitable for growing in containers. Does anyone know the particular reason for this. The main one I wanted to grow next year was cauliflower. I would also like to try and get something started within the next month. Possibly onion, garlic and if anyone can recommend anything else that can be planted at this time of year. I live in Perthshire so winters can be a little on the cold side. Any help would be appreciated.

Linda32

You can indeed grow garlic now and in order to get a good crop you need a
good cold winter.

I would agree that cauliflowers are not really suitable. One reason is think how many fully grown cauliflowers you will fit in your container another reason is that cauliflowers along with certain other veg like really solid ground to grow in. To the extent that you need to walk on the ground to firm it. That being hard to achieve in a container.

However, there are lots of veg suitable, what else do you fancy growing?

Make sure you make holes for drainage in whatever you have lined the containers with as well.

Mojisola

niraig wrote: »

I got a book to guide me through this (RHS Good Fruit & Veg Guide) but was disappointed to find that a few of the types of veg I would like to grow are not suitable for growing in containers. Does anyone know the particular reason for this. The main one I wanted to grow next year was cauliflower.

I agree with Linda's comments but I also think it's worth experimenting. I doubt shop-bought compost would ever compact enough for brassicas to be happy - do you have any friends who would donate a boxful of garden soil to you? You will need to literally stand in the box and stamp the soil down to make it firm enough but, if you can get some soil, give it a try.

There are some mini caulis that do well in deep beds - plant them closer and harvest them while small - which would be worth trying in a container.

safestored4

If you can give the boxes some frost protection now is a good time to plant potatoes for a Christmas/New Year crop of new potatoes. You can buy the seed potatoes in garden centres or on line.

colinS

I am sure you could grow brassicas in shop-bought compost, but it would be a bit expensive. If you look at my post here:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3341292


you will see vegetables growing in compost, surrounded my un-mouldered leaves. That was years back, when I first started container growing. I now grow all my vegetables in leaf mould, and mostly all in containers; plastic tubs and a couple of my vegebags. Soon I will lift a perfectly good cauliflower grown in a large plastic tub. I do live further south than you, so I won't advise on what to grow in the winter. But if you can, gather plenty of leaves. I have some advice on mouldering them in other posts, just search under my user name.

niraig

Thanks all for your replies. I am lucky where I live because we get really good free compost from the council, so no need to buy. I will try garlic this year and also thought of putting in onions. Didn't think of potatoes, will see what I can find at the weekend. So excited by this and also love this forum. I have been reading loads in the last couple of weeks. ColinS, I will have a look at you posts. Hopefully I will become a regular on here like the rest of you.

p34nut

this year I have been growing everything in containers as I have a very small garden, I had 4 runner been plants next to the fence with string to allow them to run and they took off, enough to feed neighbours, friends and family, spring onions and carrots (short variety) together In a trough, chillis and salad leaves such as rocket, mizuno hve also done well, ive only really had 1 good sized cabbage plant and a couple of sprouts starting to come out now, I have found these types need a lot of room to grow properly, potatoes are in huge pots but mixed results and I found need a lot of watering, a water butt is very useful if you've got containers as they dry out very easily. As for compost ive used an old large plant tub to put all my peeling and debris from the garden(just make sure there is a cover for it as mine got water logged and stank!) and periodically used this and dug into the containers, making excellent compost.
Another tip I was given was instead of using stones for drainage at the bottom use broken up polystyrene as its much lighter allowing you to move the containers around easier to get them it best positions.

Money_tree_2

I have a large warm conservatory. Would it be possible to grow stuff in there through the winter?

colinS

p34nut


In regards to the use of polystyrene at the bottom of pots, just remember that it could make the pot top heavy, especially if you have free-standing runner beans growing in them. In high winds the pots could tip over, mine do in high winds when they are dry. This happens just when the plants are in full bloom and fruiting, and in need of plenty of water every day. I do not have stones in my pots of runners, but I might start putting them in for their weight.


On the subject of climbing beans, this is the first time I have grown climbing French bean, and I am very pleased with the results. I have some late sown FBs just flowering in pots, and I am now wondering if I will get any fruits before the first frosts set in.

poorly_scammo

I've grown 'Igloo' caulis in pots. They were fine and I managed four large 'Hispi' cabbages in one pot once although they are best in the ground.

I think you can grow virtually anything in pots and most seed companies have cottoned on to the need for growing in small spaces. I've used Sutton's Speedy Veg range with success and T&M's Urban Garden range too. If it says 'suitable for close spacing on the packet' then chances are it'll be OK in a large pot.

Things I wouldn't try: sprouts, large squashes and pumpkins, asparagus (although Bob Flowerdew reckons it's possible if you replace the crowns every few years and crop them intensively), any root veg with very long roots unless you have a very deep container.

The only bugbear with container growing is the need for increased watering.