Am I being too ambitious for a 1st year container gardener?

So, we have moved to a house with a largeish garden, but the garden is completely paved/monoblocked/decked. The previous owners also left the greenhouse which is in really good condition. I so want to grow lots of veg next year in containers. Am I being over ambitious for a novice gardener to want to grow potatoes, carrots, lettuce, radish, cabbage, spring onions, large onions, beetroot, leeks and broccoli and runner beans in containers?

 

Potatoes, lettuce, radish, beetroot and beans will all do well in containers. I can't comment on the other things because I've never grown them, but my veg book recommends growing carrots and spring onions in containers so they should be ok too.

I say go for it, and let us know how it goes.

When you do the potatoes though, don't fill the container with compost. Just put a couple of inches in the bottom, but the seedie in, then cover it with about two more inches of compost. As it grows, keep topping up the compost, so that only the top few leaves show through above the surface. Soon you will end up completely filling the container, and then you just have to wait. Keep it well watered, but not soggy, and then after the flowers have died off and the top growth starts to wilt, just tip it all out and collect your bounty.

 

Thanks so much for your reply Clueless, I'd have filled the pot and planted the seed potatoes really deep :DOH: So with the other seeds do I just plant them as I would in a veg plot? It's only September and I can't wait for the winter to be over so I can start planting :D I think I may have a trip to the library tomorrow and get some veg growing books.

 

Just sow as in the veg bed yes, but with containers, you have to pay extra attention to watering and feeding, because they can dry out quickly, and there's not much of a nutrient reserve in ordinary compost so feeding is important too.

As for getting started, why wait til spring? You could grow some fast, compact crops indoors on a sunny windowsill. You might get away with the lettuce and some other salad leafs that way, which don't need deep compost.

 

I never thought of growing indoors! We have a conservatory with shelves that I could grow lettuce etc in and it's only September afterall. I'm not only off to the library tomorrow but will take a trip to the local garden centre too for seeds. Fabby idea - thankyou :happydance: I shall post piccies too if I manage to grow anything

 

I had this exact problem this year before I got my allotment

Other things I've grown successfully that aren't on your list are strawberries, raspberries, peppers (both bell and chilli) and all sorts of herbs. I also grew squash, and although they grew and flowered they were planted out too late to get enough heat to properly fruit :( But If you do it at the right time squash/courgettes should be fine, especially with the addition of a greenhouse.

I also have a patio cherry that I'm looking forward to enjoying next year, so maybe small fruit trees in tubs could work for you too.