Hello from Northampton

[Nigel]

cor so many people and all going for the good life...

I would have posted last month but realised that we had nothing to tell anyone!

We have been recycling for ever but only just started growing yummy things to eat (well I hope they will be yummy). For the last few months we have discussed what we want to do with the rest of our days (we are still in our twentys so hopefully theres lots left) and then found this site and everything fell into place. So far we have a concrete jungle with two borders, these now have lettuce and spinach growing in them. Today we have been gathering blackberries and elderberries, and my mums gave us a few bramley apples so the first jam making sessions is about to start.

Like I said we have a concrete jungle and not a lot else so a few pots with herbs and the lettuce and spinach in the borders is all we can manage at the moment. Any ideas greatfully received

Nice to meet you all

Nigel

[2steps]

hello

welcome to the forum.

Recenty discoverd elderberries in my overdrown garden good luck with the jam, thats what I'm going to make with mine to when their ready

[libran]

What do you mean you've nothing to tell anyone. The excitement is just beginning, welcome to the site! On the subject of elderberries my mother used to make a lovely elderberry cordial which she added odd water to in the winter to help us kids with colds. A stronger version was eledrberry wine but I'm not quite certain when the cordial turned to wine!
I have grown loads of stuff in pots and tubs including tomatoes, salad veg, chilli peppers and capsicums,even potatoes in an old dustbin and this year for the first time cucumbers.
Good luck and don't lose the enthusiasm
Libran (Linda)

[2steps]

I have everythig except my potatoes growing in pots this year. We only moved here last year and hadn't go around to preparing a proper vegtable patch - I'm working on that at the moment though, reday for next year

[Millymollymandy]

Hi Nigel and welcome to the site. Whereabouts are you?

Like the others said, you can grow loads of things in pots - and you can be very innovative like 2steps with the kind of containers that you use!

I've been blackberrying recently too - isn't it fun - and you get so dirty too - at least I do, stained hands and bits of vegetation all over me and in my hair!

[Shelle]

Welcome Nigel:)

My passion with gardening started with growing all sorts of things in pots (due to having no garden!).

I found growing herbs was a great start - and i even became a more enthusiastic cook from wanting to use my herbs in different dishes;)

[Wombat]

G'Day Nigel,

Nice to see you here! restricted space can be a spur to your creativity, but growing anything yourself is good.

Welcome to the forum mate!

Nev

[ina]

Hi Nigel

If some of the concrete in your jungle is upright, try growing upwards! I've had runner beans growing up the walls of my flat on a balcony (yep, in pots), and tomatoes, or sugar snap peas. Looks attractive, too, when they are flowering. And I've just discovered a squash in a gardening catalogue that I want to try out on my south facing wall next year, it's supposed to grow best on a trellis and seems to be blueish in colour.

Cheers
Ina

[gunners71uk]

well get some old scaffolding planks or old bricks make some raised beds as high as you like then fill with mix manure top soil, mushroom compost.straberrys in a tower and errr tomatoes in a hanging basket called tumbler,get a lean too green house. all the best. make elderflower wine , scrounge green tomatoes make chutney or get an allotment as well i am 43 full time house husband , carer for our disabled son an three teenagers have a wife who works and a garden at home i still find time and i am as old as shiney . gives you some ideas

[JayBee]

Hello Northampton,

The town of my birth.

Left it three years ago and moved to County Kerry, Ireland, where I tend to my cottage acre.

Last time I was over there I was a little sad to see so much construction. It seems as thought Northampton, Wellingborough and Kettering are trying to merge into one big city.

Progress?

Good luck to all over there trying to live The Good Life!

[Wombat]

G;DAy James,

Welcome to the site. I had a quick flick and some interesting stuff on your blog! Nice to see you here.

Nev

[diver]

welcome to the site Nigel. I started growing in containers....tomatoes and potatoes and then got an allotment....but I still grow beetroot in the border and I'm sure you could grow it in containers....good luck with ti and I hope you enjoy the site

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello there Nigel and welcome to the site good to see a fellow northamptonian.

I am just about to move into a house with a very similar garden by teh sounds of things, so there will be many more articles that you should find usefull apearing over the next few months.