Where to begin with growing veg?

What veg would you say would be the easiest to grow for a complete novice (veg grower not gardener) and preferably only using containers please? I love the idea of growing my own but have no idea about feeding, watering etc. Many thanks.

 

As a novice myself, French beans have been where I've had most success. You can get dwarf or climbing ones, both will grow in containers. Also has the benefit that they are expensive to buy so well worth the effort of growing.

 

This will seem obvious, but start with what you like to eat, no point in growing it if you only eat it once in a while.
Salads are a good start, they are ideal to pick from containers and benefit from being super fresh, rocket is easier than lettuce germinates fast grows fast too. Climbing beans French or Runners are always an easy thing too. A small wigwam can often be slotted into an ornamental border. Tomatoes are another favourite for containers, they need full Sun to do well.
Too many options, so just give them a go, some will work better than others, don't be put off, if not everything worked first time, it's all part of the fun.

 

Now is a good time to plan, with a view to start when the days are getting longer and warmer-probably about !st March (in Surrey)
Have a look at this:

and there are lots more there.
We are always available to answer specific queries and to assist.
Good luck.

 

Starting from scratch

 

Tomato. For two reasons, firstly they are dead easy plants as long as you keep watering, and secondly, nothing beats the flavour of a just picked tomato vs. supermarket stuff.

Tumbling Tom is specifically bread for growing in patio containers but any outdoor variety should be rewarding. I'd recommend to skip fancy ones and beefstakes, they mostly need a greenhouse.

Herbs are also very rewarding. A supermarket pot of Chives or Thyme or Mint can be ripped in half, giving you two lush potfuls each of useful herbs that will look and taste good all summer. A sprinkling of fresh herbs makes any meal look posh.

Tatties in a bucket is fun, just chit (let the eyes grow into shoots on a windowsill), plant in a bucket (with drainage holes punched in) with 15cm of compost and keep filling the bucket up as the plant grows. The crops will not feed the whole population of Ireland but will taste very good indeed.

Raspberries are also very easy and will grow well with minimum attention. Wilko's used to sell a three- pack of early, mid and late fruiting varieties, most likely something like that is available elsewhere.

The main things for small scale veg growing in containers are light and watering.

Even if you only harvest a handful, its a great feeling to eat something you grew.

 

Garlic, leak plugs and beetroot plugs. You just stick them in holes in the pre prepaired bed and forget about them except for watering when needed.

 

I second garlic and it can be sown the moment the ground is no longer frozen up until late february I believe.

The first crop I grew was cucumbers. I grew "Telepathy F1" and it made enormous fruit which was fun.
Cuces need a big trellis though, at least 2 metres tall, I used bamboo I already had. Squashes and pumpkins as well get big, but there are bush varieties of squashes which grow much shorter: Courgettes are usually this, "Delicata Bush" is a pumpkin that is supposed to be like this I will try this year (havent grown it yet though). Not much more to do than plant the seed at the right time, water and fertilise regularly and wait.

If you do tomatoes I recommend a late blight resistant variety, my last two crops were killed completely by it

 

If you can only grow in containers look for dwarf veg that you like. I am trying a dwarf runner bean Jackpot, recommended for growing in containers, there are small round carrots which are also suitable, any salad crops, cut and come again lettuce are good.
Go to a garden centre and study the instructions on seed packets, there are some veg. which should not be transplanted or they will bolt to flower and seed, beetroot being one. You will need fairly rich soil except for carrots which only do really well in poor, light sandy soil. Dwarf French beans do well in containers.

 

Hestia is a dwarf runner bean, that my mother grew in a tub.

 

I disagree with this; with a proviso. So long as the tap root is not damaged ie before it has anchored,it is reasonable to plant out beetroot seedlings raised in modules. ideally sow 3-4 in each module and plant out as a group. They will self space in due course.
A high rate of success is also possible (c75%) in transplanting from a row, seedlings at the 4 leaf stage. From wet soil into wet soil. Parsnips can be treated similarly but probably only 50% good. Carrots I would not recommend, even thinning is to be avoided as scent of carrot attracts the fly. Sow sparsely (1 seed per inch)

 

As said, it is really only worth growing things you like to eat so you need to pick and choose accordingly. Size of containers will also need to be considered. I'd certainly recommend various salads - plain and spicy types but you may find you need to be prepared to sow successionally if you want them from Spring to Autumn/early Winter. Small carrots such as Chantenay do well in containers as will some of the Dwarf French beans. Depending on your location/climate, Tumbling Tom tomatoes will also do well in containers as will Courgettes - Gold Rush is one I find good. You may even get away with Cucumber and Physalis.
Good luck in your endeavours

 

I grew cucumbers for the first time last year, Marketmore in a container on the patio. You could also try something fun like cucamelons.

 

You could buy small plants from the GC but there’s nothing better than seeing a seed that you’ve sown grow into a plant. Salads and herbs are a great start. One tomato plant in a big pot is a good ‘experiment’ to see if you enjoy the nurturing required - try a short, bush variety of cherry toms. There are plenty of veg growing threads on here for help.