Thursday 30 January 2014

Ideas anyone? - follow up

Thank you for all your comments yesterday, it seems there is a great choice for using the windowboxes for veg. I can't quite work out why I didn't think of using them at any other point during the last 2 years. Out of sight, out of mind I suppose. I am going to compile all the possibilities and suggestions into a list and then decide which to do. There were some great ideas.

Whilst thinking about it I was remembering my first attempt at gardening when I lived in London. I had no outside space so had to utilise anything I could. hence buying the windowboxes.

I found these photos of what I did with them that year.

So they have been used as a herb garden before.
Dwarf peas, I don't think I got many.
Strawberries and marigolds.
More strawberries and cut and come again leaves.
And under all of that, my tomatoes and courgette (hence the marigolds)


I can quite see why I was so delighted with the results of my first ever attempts at gardening. I actually don't think I have had a crop of tomatoes as good as I had that year, ever again.

The following year I ditched the veg because a) I was beginning to get the flower bug but b) because I was trying to sell the flat and thought flowers would help. So went bedding plant crazy.




So back to the veg again now I think.

It was nice to go back and see where my love of gardening first started

10 comments:

  1. It's amazing what you can grow in a small space isn't it? Those flowery window boxes must have helped sell the flat they look so pretty.

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  2. They certainly are usable...just requires a little thought I guess

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  3. Hi Dan, I didn’t see your post from yesterday but here is a response to both of them. I grow vegetables in 4 window boxes and you can see them in my post here, 4th photo from the top.

    My window boxes come from Crowders and cost only £4.99 each (remember to drill holes through the bottom before filling them). I have one box with 50% grit and 50% compost for herbs as they require good drainage, the other 3 boxes with just normal compost I grow radish, cut-and- come-again-salad and this year I will trial cherry tomatoes since my beetroots last year didn’t do so well.

    I think you will find that your window boxes will be a bit too shallow for vegetables and might be better for bedding plants, perhaps with the exception of some types of salad everything else will probably thrive better and require less frequent watering with a bit deeper window boxes, for example like those I have. I use them in my front garden too for my garden wall and have bedding plants in the winter and summer plants like geraniums in the summer.

    Good luck with growing your own :-)

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  4. Wow love the pictures! I think playing with them is fun and I love the mix of veg/flowers/herbs.... Am now excited to see future pics! Have a great weekend!

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  5. Last one is wicked selfie! :P
    Great pics and ideas for window boxes. Flowers are classic but peas and herbs look wonderful!

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  6. I hope this works.... Just found this blog and she grows ALL kinds of stuff in her containers, and it is Northern Ireland... I thought you might like to peek: http://kelliboylesgarden.blogspot.com/p/my-garden.html

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  7. Some great ideas in the last post about growing veg in containers. I'm a fan of using containers and I think I'll dig out some of the older containers as well and use them this year for salads.

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  8. Veg or annuals, fabulous, I am singing along with you.

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