Help! I'm sure you get this all the time

[potatoheadhannah]

Hello,

I'm a complete beginner to growing veg but I've had my first ever growing success recently when I brought an apparently dead chillie plant back to life. I've been wanting to grow my own stuff for a while and am looking at the best things to grow, given the time of year.

Another complication is that I live in a top floor flat...quite a small one actually, so really don't have a lot of space to offer anything I pot. So I really have no idea which vegetables are best to grow - which ones need the most space and which need extra sunlight etc. I also have no idea whether growing them inside means you can ignore the calendar and sow things way after they're really meant to be as the inside will protect them more and allow them to survive when they wouldnt have done outisde. As I say - complete beginner.

I've had a quick look at these rather excellent looking forums but couldnt see anyone asking the same question. But I'm sure they must have done at some time or other so if there is an old forum conversation kicking around somewhere that'd be rather excellent too.

[pumpy]

hi, Hanna,
If you go to the "board index" & then "Herbs & Vegetables", & then fire some questions,you'll be amazed at the amount of knowledge available. Good luck.

[red]

hi welcome

guess it depends on how big your windows are! I would stick to indoors things anyway - things people grow in greenhouses. A tomato plant or two? chili plants you already have, maybe aubergine

and herbs.. I have a bit of a basil jungle growing my kitchen windowsil. (I did have it in the bedroom but the cat kept sleeping on it and the room would fill up with the scent of pesto...

[potatoheadhannah]

Thanks guys - so as a starter am I gonna have the space to grow some potatoes inside or is that a veg you really need to grow outside?

[Annpan]

To grow any real quantity of potatoes you will need very big containers, and probably lots of sunlight - that isn't to say it wouldn't work, you could try it. If you have any outdoor space at all I would suggest you get yourself some containers (or old tires) and grow them out doors.

I wonder if cucumbers would work indoors? lettuce certainly would and of course herbs.

I don't have much luck with indoor plants at all... nature seems to remember to water them more often ...lol

Good luck!

[Peggy Sue]

Reckon you might be able to do a courgette if you can spare the spce for a largish pot? I don't see why a cabbage wouldn't work? I bet spinach would too- that will grow anywhere

You did mention about sewing at any time of year- that might not work, some seeds only geminate when the days are getting longer so beware seeds that say only sew in spring.

[potatoheadhannah]

OOh very tempted to try spinach and maybe a courgette or two after some furniture re-arranging to make space. They are two of my favourite vegetables.

Cheers for all the advice - gives me a good starting point.

[Annpan]

Spinach is really easy and doesn't take up much space
Courgettes are pretty big, edge to edge about 1 square meter and they do best in fresh manure (I wouldn't fancy that in my house )

[Peggy Sue]

Thats a fair point about courgettes Annpan! I've grown them in growbags before and they were alot smaller...and less smelly!! There weren't as many courgettes as you would get outside, and none of them looked in any danger of becoming a morrow let say, But ofcourse better than nothing if you have no garden and space for a half grobag sized pot?

[red]

you wont be able to grow lots fo tomatoes indoors, but they are so tasty and lovely straight from the vine, i would be tempted even if I only got a few. kinda missed the boat for it thisyear, but try 'sweet olive' or gardeners delight as nice cherry varieties.
courgettes i would think too big for indoors.

[potatoheadhannah]

right I think Im gonna give spinach a go and maybe see if I can do some potatoes and courgettes in my shared garden.

Cheers for all the advice - I'll keep you updated on how it all goes.

[Jules]

Also, lams leaf lettuce is great in a window ledge in a small flat - just chop down as you eat it and keep growing more. Delicious! Good luck!

[SarahJane]

Another thing you could try indoors and if you are limited on space is the cut and grow again varietys of spicy salad leaves. They are really easy to grow, dont take long and you just cut what you need and it grows again. perfect!