New gardener vegetables in containers.

Hello,

I have just started to grow veg in containers and was wondering starting with the sutton broadbeans should i snip the bottom leaves to help with growth?
Also as you can see in the germinator i have a large brussel sprout plant starting to grow and was wondering the best time to transfer into a large pot outside.
The others in the germinator are chives and mint, they where all seeded in the germinator 2 weeks ago.
Last but not least i have tomato plant in a small pot and was wondering what would be the best time to transfer outside in a larger pot.

 

The tomato looks lovely.
But regarding the beans, I would give them something to grab on to. In my experience beans are a no brained. Sow them, protect them from birds for the first few weeks and then ignore them until harvest time

 

I have the bamboo sticks in place for the beans with first level of string tied around the base of them. And put netting on the other day should this be okay?
I am getting somw small pots tomorrow to gently transfer each tomato plant into its own pot.
As for the seddlings i have been advised to put the tray out in shaded place for couple hours a day then bring back in. And into full sun after a week then bring in. This might speed the growth process up as i think they are not getting enough light at the moment.

 

In general, if you germinate and raise your seedlings indoors then they need to be acclimatised or hardened off, if there is a big difference between growing conditions, before they can be planted outdoors.

Hardening off should be best done when the outdoor temperature falls no lower than the plant can tolerate otherwise its growth will be stalled or it may even be killed off. Keep an eye out for your local weather report for day time and night time temperatures to gauge when hardening off can be safely done.

I recommend a minimum of 5°C for broad beans, albeit, some varieties can tolerate temperatures as low as -10°C.

For tomatoes, 10°C.
Sprouts, 7°C.
Chives, 7-10°C.
Mint, 15°C.

Some people use a coldframe to harden off their seedlings but you can simply place them outdoors in a cool sheltered location (away from cold winds and strong sunlight) during the day time warmth and bring them in again during the night time cold. Then, gradually extend the night time exposure over ten days or so.


Unless your broad bean is a dwalf variety it will grow to about 1m tall and be top heavy so your pot needs to be weighty enough to prevent it from toppling over.

Transplant your tomato seedling into individual pots. I use small plastic coffee cups and the seedlings can reach a height of between 20-70cm before temperatures are warm enough to them plant outdoors.

Don't worry if your tomato seedlings get really lanky as they can always be planted deeper at a later stage.

As for the other seedlings, they are still too small and weak to be placed outdoors. Wait for them to develop at least two pairs of true leaves, and the chives to be about 2mm diameter.

 

@Newbie garden guy - If you are growing in pots, check out home grown veg on YouTube. His chanel is fantastic for growing in pots and has very successful harvests.
Rusty

 

Just seen the temperatures are going to plunge from weekend. Does anyone think it would be a good idea to bring my sutton drawf broadbeans ondoors inside my front porch overnight and back out in the day. Until this cold front passes?