What can I grow?

[subgirl]

Righty ho, I have wanted to grow veg for ages but currently I live in a 5th floor flat in the center of Liverpool with no outdoor space bar three pidgeon-spike adorned window sills, which I would be a bit parnoid about putting anything on incase it fell off and killed someone

I have succesfully grown a variety of herbs in a big trough by the window, and have some chilli seedlings that are alive but not particularly thriving. My only other veg attempt was two tomato plants (a plum and a money maker) which flourished in to nice tall strong plants but managed to only produce two measley tomatos and has recently died.

So what can I grow??? the flat is nice and sunny with three large south west facing windows and a east facing velux, and with the windows open has a good air flow (which I presume plants like). I'm not really fussed about things taking up space either or growbags laying around if things would grow in them

I was thinking maybe I could do garlic, shallots, prehaps carrots in a grow bag standing tallwise? any advice is much needed!

[homegrown]

Ther are lots of veg that will grow in pots, as i mentioned on your first post another trick is to get a canvas shoe jholder that hangs on the wall and use that to grow in, with a tray to cath the water below it

i have some info i will email you

cheers homegrown

[spitfire]

homegrown. you have given me a great idea for my extra strawberry plants, i have so many runners on them i was just going to trim them off. but now i will be on the look out for canvas shoe thingamys and pot them in there and hang them from my fence in the side yard. it gets lots of sun but is concrete and i keep the wheely bins there. p.s. will you email me the info as well? thanks, spitfire.

[spitfire]

subgirl, potatoes grow very well in bags as do green onions. (scalloins) if you lay the bags flat they are great for growing lettuce, radishes. if you have a wall on your patio you can grow runner beans in a flat bag with some support against the wall for the beans to climb up on.

[Millymollymandy]

She's in a flat Spitfire! I really wouldn't recommend trying to grow potatoes indoors! I think that some of the people on this forum have had success with chillies and peppers indoors which don't grow too big. You could also try baby salad leaves/cut and come again salad in a windowbox type of planter which you could perhaps place on a table or a stool or something by the window so it is in the light.

[subgirl]

excellent, I think I will try salad leaves theres a burnt out building opposit me being gutted so keeping an eye on the skip for any long bits of wood (that arnt too fire damaged) and bricks to build a shelf that runs at window level to put plants on.

I shall report on how it goes

[MuddyWitch]

An other option would be to find some-one with a bit of garden that you could 'rent' for a share of the crop. My elderly neighbour was delighted with this arrangement. Our deal was I mowed her lawn & weeded her front gardden for a biggish area at the back to grow veg.

MW

[Splottlings]

I'd recommend trying Tomatoes but this time don't let them get so big so they focus their energy into fruiting rather than growing foliage, also try the baby vegetable area (carrots and beetroot for instance), radishes are also a good quick crop. To maximise space I'd recommend and crops I'd definitely suggest mixing the crops and using cut and come again salads to plant around your root crops, you can get good seed packet mixes of cut and come agains now and rocket's always a good one to go for with reliability and flavour.
For fruiting crops (tomatoes, peppers, etc) you may well need to act as propagater too, if you're prepared to put the energy in I've succesfully grown peas inside by going round regularly with a brush distributing the pollen along with toms, chillies and mini sweet peppers.
Good ventillation will be important with a lot of plants as you'll be wanting to reduce risk of molds and fungus setting in amongst crops especially at the seed stage however you'll need to watch that plants aren't in any direct drafts.

Hope that's helped, for general growing information much of which can be applied to indoor crops I heartily recommend Joy Larkcom ~ Grow your own vegetables.

Good luck and happy gardening

[spitfire]

MMM, i thought subgirl had a patio? thats were i thought she could grow the potatoes in the bag.
sorry if i misread the info.

[subgirl]

An other option would be to find some-one with a bit of garden that you could 'rent' for a share of the crop. My elderly neighbour was delighted with this arrangement. Our deal was I mowed her lawn & weeded her front gardden for a biggish area at the back to grow veg.

MW

I would love to be able to explore this option but unfortunatly the only other people I know here are other useless students in halls and flats

spitfire, I only mentioned potatoes coz I thourght they might be able to grow indoors, prehaps that is a bit abitious

Well, I think salad is looking like a the best place to start, and I'll try the tomatoes again when the weather gets a little warmer but this time I will be a bit more dilligent about nipping off excess leaves and branches. already got the paint brush for propergating cheers for the info, didnt really know where to start and feel a nit more confidant now.

[Millymollymandy]

Don't forget good old mustard and cress which grow inside easily and are great added to salads and sandwiches. You can grow rocket the same way. Then there are all the sprouting seeds etc, which can either be grown in a sprouter/jam jar or grown in a little potting compost, as I found that they couldn't push their thicker roots through damp kitchen paper like mustard and cress do.

[homegrown]

didn't hfw do a landshare project, why not advertise for someone willing to do the same, maybe with other students, you could contact hfw for advice. or maybe there is an isher who could help in your area

[MuddyWitch]

Re 'borrowing' a bit of garden but not knowing any one: Maybe a postcard in your local Post Office, explaining your offer/requirements? Get it up before pension day!

MW

[Peggy Sue]

the flat is nice and sunny with three large south west facing windows and a east facing velux, and with the windows open has a good air flow (which I presume plants like). I'm not really fussed about things taking up space either or growbags laying around if things would grow in them

Ah you could raise my seedlings in your lovely sunny flat as I have a cold house with not enough sunlight- no south faciing windows at all. Then I can grow them on the allotment and we can all ahve dinner. Since I live in East Anglia dinner will have to be half way in Birmingham!!

Actaully if you meet anyone with a bit of garden you could mention you are living in a perfect greenhouse and could raise their seedlings....