The "Grow Your Own" Thread

[sycophantia]

I like the idea of growing some veggies with the kids but to be honest I can't really be bothered with the maintenance that would be required in the garden to begin with to sort out the soil to grow them in (my soil and my grass is appalling, plus I hate gardening).

Which vegetables would be good to just grow in pots on our patio?

Easiest veg to grow is runner beans, easy to grow, usually a big crop

 

[lemonjelly]

I like the idea of growing some veggies with the kids but to be honest I can't really be bothered with the maintenance that would be required in the garden to begin with to sort out the soil to grow them in (my soil and my grass is appalling, plus I hate gardening).

Which vegetables would be good to just grow in pots on our patio?

almost anything can be grown in pots matey. Also, you don't have to do anything to your soil, except maybe weed it.
as mentioned, beans are a good option because stuff happens - they grow big and quick, and nice flowers, so kids get interested.
courgettes tend to produce a lot, so there's always things happening there.
you cannot beat the taste of a tomato you've grown!
herbs are good, as you can smell them (eg thyme,, basil etc) and can eat them fresh - pick some and pop it on a slad, or sandwich.

 

[Kenny]

you cannot beat the taste of a tomato you've grown!

Back in the day by Dad used to grow and sell Tomato Plants. Each summer he would sell enough Moneymaker Toms to buy our season tickets.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

Thanks. Might give tomatoes a go. I quite fancy growing some peppers or chillies too but do you ideally need a greenhouse for those?

 

[lemonjelly]

not especially. a windowsill above a radiator will be enough to start them off, and then in a very sunny place will do - again on a windowsill will be fine!

 

[lemonjelly]

Back in the day by Dad used to grow and sell Tomato Plants. Each summer he would sell enough Moneymaker Toms to buy our season tickets.

*gets idea....*

 

[BillyDee]

Yeah, sunny windowsills are fine for chilli growing.

 

[Johnny75]

almost anything can be grown in pots matey. Also, you don't have to do anything to your soil, except maybe weed it.
as mentioned, beans are a good option because stuff happens - they grow big and quick, and nice flowers, so kids get interested.
courgettes tend to produce a lot, so there's always things happening there.
you cannot beat the taste of a tomato you've grown!
herbs are good, as you can smell them (eg thyme,, basil etc) and can eat them fresh - pick some and pop it on a slad, or sandwich.

My little ones love the smell of the Rosemary, Thyme and Coriander. Dead easy to grow.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Chilli's once sprouted can be grown outside - grew some really fiery ones last year. Dont have a greenhouse but they developed enough it the kitchen.

Most things can be grown in pots, but avoid pumpkins as they end up like triffids - the one I had took over a 3m * 1m raised bed.

 

[Pablowolf]

I won't grow chilli plants again. I made a chutney from them which played havoc with both sets of piping.

 

[lemonjelly]

that's about your piping or prep skillz. nowt to do with growing!
sowed cucumbers, cucamelons and some wildflower seeds to encourage the bees last night.

 

[lemonjelly]

tomatoes in. looks like the frosts are done after the weekend.

 

[Paul]

tomatoes in. looks like the frosts are done after the weekend.

Didn't you say that last week Mr PantsonFire ???

 

[lemonjelly]

Didn't you say that last week Mr PantsonFire ???

chances are I might say it again next week...
I'm only telling you what Carol Pantsonfire tells me

 

[lemonjelly]

lovely day today.
sown some sprouts, and also some peas.
potted up the thyme I sowed late last year.
also had a black grass, that we had split once. One of them needed splitting again so separated into 1 bigger tuft, and several smaller sizes to grow on.
hope to get a bit more done tomorrow. want to prep for hanging baskets. also hoping stuff can be brought out the greenhouse soon to make more space. first up will be a potting up of the balloon plants I sowed late last summer, but that won't make anywhere near enough room as I want/need.

 

[lemonjelly]

lazy git only sowed some basil and thyme today.

 

[Paul]

I wish these overnight frosts would bugger off

 

[lemonjelly]

we haven't had them for a few days, but the forecasters keep talking about them still!

 

[Tredman]

Frosty this morning.

 

[lemonjelly]

potted up the balloon plants that made it following a late sowing last year. we initially had 2, on of which didn't make it through a summer. bought 3 that are different colours 2 years ago, all of which survived. caught seeds from various plants which made these 6 sowed last year, so that's 10 separate plants. sowed a bundle of other seeds collected last year so far too, so hoping next year we'll have a load of balloon plants.

we bought a solitary asian lily a couple of years ago, that looked like it was dying. that's so far been split into 4 and all are doing well.

split a peruvian lily a month ago into 3, but looks like only 2 pots are growing. ah well, I'll split those 2 next spring into 4.

noticed the black grass I split a couple of weeks ago are all looking good. noticed monty said last night now is the time to split grasses!

trying to avoid looking in the greenhouse, as I know I'll convince myself nothing is growing, when I haven't really given it a chance.