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Mon 8-Mar-10
12:55 am

sidriss

1st Grader

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Sun 7-Mar-10

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Hiya,

I found this site whilst looking for a recipie for Eggy bread! I'm from Cambridgeshire but currently stuck in Swindon, me and my husband are both in our twenties with not very much money, I would love to start growing my own food but I'm a little bit stuck as to how to start!

I have no garden so it would all have to be done in containers and pots, it's a case of I have a huge blank page in front of me and I need to make the first smudge on it. I've never grown anything from seed before but I know now is the time various things need to be planted, any help or advice for a nervous newbie would be most welcome - seed varieties, fruits that can be grown in tubs, red onion varieties (I have IBS so certain foods are strictly off limits!). I think how to grow something from seed and care for the seedling might be a good place to start!

Best wishes, Sidriss 🙂

Mon 8-Mar-10
1:54 pm

brightspark

Wilts

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Welcome Sidriss - we have plenty of knowledgeable people on this site who can help - I am also in Wiltshire - and I think that not having much money is an excellent reason to grow your own.

Our daughter and hubby are in that position and they have taken on a full-size allotment, and their children are growing up knowing all about growing and eating their own foods. It has been a big learning curve, but each year gets better.

Good luck and best wishes.

Women are like tea bags. . .

you never know how strong they are

until they're in hot water.

- Eleanor Roosevelt -

Mon 8-Mar-10
4:08 pm

Toffeeapple

North Bucks

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Hello and welcome Sidriss. As BS says, someone will be along to help very soon. Wink

I'll try that again!

Mon 8-Mar-10
8:11 pm

JoannaS

Latvia

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Lettuce and radishes are very easy and don't take a lot of care except protecting from frost. It really depends on what you like, lots of veg can be grown in pots and bags you just don't want to let them get very large so finger sized carrots, baby turnips and thin leeks are all possible. Herbs are great for pots too, so see what you fancy and give them a go. Cheers

Blog: thejourneytosomewhere.blogspot.com

Mon 8-Mar-10
9:05 pm

Shereen

Near Belfast, Northen Ireland

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Welcome to the forum, sidriss.

There are plenty of experienced gardners here who'll be glad to help you out. But not me. My gardening is purely windowsill herbs these days and even that doesn't always work out too well. Doh

Mon 8-Mar-10
9:43 pm

ladymosscat

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Thu 4-Mar-10

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i am wiltshire as well Wink . I use empty margarine cartons to start off seeds. punch a hole in the bottom for drainage. Compost...i never buy fancy seed stuff. a 99p grow bag goes a very long way. The thicker bags for life even the hessian ones are great for growing new potatoes in. Make a few holes for drainage, put your seed potatoes in an empty egg box for a few weeks until they have shoots, then plant them in a bag and cover with 6" of compost. Water a little every so often and when you see green shoots about 5" talll, cover them again with compost. Keep gong until you get to the top of the bag. in a few weeks you will have lots of baby new potatoes. chillies and bell peppers are great in containers. One well known supermarket beginning with M sell of their old flower buckets...about 8 i think for 99p . Start these seeds off in little pots in the warm and plant out when no risk of frost. there is also a fab variety of cherry toms that you can grow in a hanging basket...oooohhh don't i talk once i get going.. nice to meet you xxx Laugh

Mon 8-Mar-10
10:11 pm

danast

Argyll, Scotland

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Hello sidriss. Like you I had never grown anything from seed until a few years ago. Now I am addicted. I have a polytunnel and am having raised beds made. Growing in pots was how I started and I still grow potatoes in old tyres. I am sure you will love it and the sense of achievement in eating your own veg and fruit. Good luck.

Champagne

Old teachers never die, they just lose their class

Mon 8-Mar-10
11:16 pm

Danny

Scarborough, England

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Great to have you on board, sidriss.

Joanna, Ladymosscat and Danast's ideas are really sound. No need for expensive equipment. Search the Internet for free seed offers (the BBC one is over now).

But the single most important thing is . . . .make a start. Do something.

Even if it's just on a windowsill in a margarine tub. Have hope but not too many expectations in your first year.

Never knowingly underfed

Wed 10-Mar-10
3:23 pm

mutley

Didcot/uk

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Hello and welcome, i have just got into planting seeds in pots some the frost got but others are doing well,

Ps use the spell checker or get a E-shock from you know who, Big_Laugh

A bird in the hand makes a nice meal

Wed 10-Mar-10
3:30 pm

Toffeeapple

North Bucks

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mutley said:

Hello and welcome, i have just got into planting seeds in pots some the frost got but others are doing well,

Ps use the spell checker or get a E-shock from you know who,

Big_Hug Big_Laugh