Hello

[bruin]

Hello everyone

My name is Leigh and I have a lot of time on my hands. In a desperate bid to keep myself occupied (out of trouble) I have spotted a project. I have just moved into a new flat (downsized) and spotted outside the front door two of the sorriest looking brick built containers you have ever seen.

My idea is to fill these containers with herbs and perhaps a few vegetables that everyone in the block will be able to use and benefit from, thereby enhancing the look of the property and providing something that will be of use to my neighbours too. It has already helped me to meet my neighbours as I didn't want to upset anyone.

Now having had the grand plan and being armed with the necessary approval, I have to admit I have NEVER grown a thing in my life before. Please help me I need support and advice, Bought the books and even tried to read one but OH DEAR gardeners cannot write for toffee and they all seem to make the same mistake, my knowledge is minimal I know grass, soil and the difference between a daffodil and a tulip!

Please be patient with me my intentions are good and this is the road to hell

Leigh (Bruin)

[bill1953]

Hi Leigh sounds like you are a good neighbour! There's tons of help on here and everyone is really nice. If you read through the topics such as those under herbs and veg you'll probably find a lot of the answers you want, if not post a topic!

Bill

[bruin]

Thank you Bill

[Lillia]

Very nice to meet you You sound eager and that's the most important thing!

[Dr.Syn]

Fantastic project and public spirited well done and most of all welcome

[Milims]

Hi there and welcome

[Maykal]

Hello Leigh and welcome!

I suppose you should start by decide how much time and effort you want to put into looking after the two stone planters. Do you want to plant seeds on a yearly basis, maybe starting them off indoors and transplanting them when the weather and their size allows? Or would you rather have herbs that more or less look after themselves once they are established?

I would probably recommend the latter to begin with. You could perhaps choose some plants like rosemary, thyme, bay, and maybe lavender (not so much use in the kitchen, but looks and smells lovely). You should also take the location of the planters into consideration. How much sunlight do they get? Are they in a sun trap? Is that location exposed to cold winds or frost? How large and how deep are the planters?

All the best with the project!

[Chants Cottage]

Hello Leigh

Great idea... there's nothing like a bit of greenery to perk things up around the place. before last year, I was the same as you, I had never grown anything or had any inclination to. I don't know what possessed me but I started growing things to eat in our very small back yard. I had one small raised bed and a my small collection of containers expanded rapidly - I used any space I could, window sills, the recycling box bay lid, up the walls... It was very addictive.

The things I found probably the most successful in terms of saving money and using most were salads. I didn't have to buy any all summer. They were dead easy... I grew some from seed and some small plants from B & Q. I didn't read anything apart from the instructions on the packets, just stuck 'em in compost and away they went. Get a few different varieties and they'll look very nice too. It's not nearly as scary as it might seem, just give it a whirl whatever you do. I had some great disasters... I grew some potatoes and ended up harvesting the seed potatoes, which are the totally inedible ones that you plant, because I was too impatient and wouldn't give them a chance to grow first. How we laughed, as we spat them out.

A book I have found very useful, also being a gardening novice, is the River Cottage Veg Patch one, I think by Mark Diancona (I may have just totally made up his surname but it's something like that). I think it's designed for beginners, or certainly doesn't exclude them and it's written in a really friendly easy to read style. Or come here and ask away... I'm new to this forum (and forums in general, in fact) and I'm finding it a very unscary place to ask my novice gardening questions because everyone is so nice and helpful. Good luck! (Not that you'll need much - most things seem to just want to grow...)

Sarah

[MuddyWitch]

Welcome to ISH

Start with 'easy' stuff; salad leaves (as suggested above) are a great, fast first crop, that will come from seed in about six weeks in warm weather. Onions are a good one as they are planted as 'sets' (actually tiny onions that have been 'stopped' in their growth by the seed companies), they burst back into life once in the soil in the Spring. I agree lavender is an excellant choice as it attracts pollinating insects. Any herbs are worthwhile, but easier ones are chives, thyme and mint. Mint will soon fill the bed to the exclusion of everything else though!

You'll probably find that once you start others will join in. Good Luck

MW