Small Gardening

For years I have tried to grow radish,lettuce.spring onion & carrots in my big pots. Not very well, waste of pots & very little to show for it. Well this year seem to be better.

I have saved my bean tins, washed them out, made holes in the bottom & planted radish & spring onions, what a result. So very pleased with it at the moment. Have been thining them out & using the thinings. Also I can keep on planting every few days. OH says they are good.

Lettuce I have planted in the small plastic tubs that some fruit comes in, much better than the seeds I planted in the usual pot.

Carrot well that is in a usual sized pot, but I soaked the seeds first. Result again

Result of this is that I am going to try this all through the winter on a window sill, especially with salad leaves.

Just goes to show that the smallest of containers on a window ledge are really worth the effort.

Have to report, the spring onions are reall brill & by continuous planting I just empty a tin & redo it, enough for a meal.

Radish no good at all, so am trying those in a small plastic box.

Cut & come again salad doing well.

Pol - a tip for spring onions - if you chose a variety which is of the species Allium fistolum - they often have Japanese names, in preference to the more common Allium cepa, you will find that three sowings are sufficient for year round spring onions as they stand for a long time without turning into bulbs.

Thanks for the tip, most of the spring onions I have this year are the japanese ones, but as OH is the only one who really eats them, a tin full is just the right amount & leaves the normal pots for bigger things. Like ONIONS which I have lots of this year & CARROTS which are also plentiful. I just want lots in the freezer for soup etc.

I've used a couple of those small plastic troughs to grow lettuce and salad leaves this year - they're good because you can move them around and leave them by the porch door for quick access in the early morning when making packed lunches. They can be lifted up to grow on the outdoor table too, away from the slugs!

I have never had any luck with spring onions - jealous

Neither had I till I tried the tins. Did make holes in the bottom to drain.

Badger wrote:I have never had any luck with spring onions - jealous

Me either, mine are always crud..

I may well have to give this a go, Pol, ta muchly!

Another report. My way with carrots is a great success.

Soak the seeds till little tails show, then into a medium to large pot. Cover with fine compost, & leave in the greenhouse till about 4ins & then put outside. I have 3 pots full at the moment with another lot soaking. Thinings are lovely!!

I'll be trying the spring onions in tins too next year - they don't exactly thrive in our cold clay soil.

I am hoping that I can do the onions through the winter as well. They taste so different from what you buy in shops, which lets face it are mostly baby leeks trimmed or onion thinings.