Newbie needs easy grow veg!

[Rachel Ferguson]

I have just taken the plunge and decided to start growing my own veg. I am looking, initially, for produce that is easy to grow (outdoors) and doesn't take much tending, until I find my feet with all this gardening malarkey. I have had some success with new potatoes and spring onions (although the spring onions were TINY ) and am now looking to broaden my horizons a bit. Any tips for a newbie here as to what may be good for me to try next?

 

[zigs]

Hi Rachel.

Beetroot is always a good one, keep it watered so it doesn't bolt. I started off with a few plants that a neighbour gave me when I was about 7.

Grew a humongous one last year, Judges at the show didn't know what to make of it so they ignored it

 

[maddie]

How about some herbs, spinach, bell peppers and tomatoes? These are so easy to grow and anyone can do it.
Melons are good too.. I don't do anything at all and still have some melons from the seeds I mindlessly threw into a container after eating one.

 

[Jed]

I suggest also try silverbeet or chard. It is so easy and doesn't suffer pests and can be grown most times of year depending your location.
I posted about it some weeks ago.
https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/chard-or-silverbeet-anyone.176/

 

[Victor Leigh]

If your weather conditions allow it, I would suggest chillies and tomatoes. That's mainly because I like to eat both chillies and tomatoes. Of course, they are easy to grow, too. Just start them off in a nursery patch. Some people have tried using cardboard egg-racks successfully. When it's time to transplant, you have to be a bit ruthless. Just pick the best and throw away the rest.

 

[Rachel Ferguson]

Tomatoes aren't as easy as you would think. I tried tomatoes a couple of years ago, the crop was pitiful. I think a greenhouse is a wise choice for tomatoes, otherwise they just succumb to the weather. I've also tried growing peppers, they rotted on the plant before they even got to half the size they should have been for me to pick.

 

[thenextGeek]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but since my question is also related to the question of the thread starter I'll just ask my question here. Are there any hanging vegetables that you can recommend me to plant? I'm planning to turn it into some kind of insulator for the heat of the sun on my rooftop garden and while at it, I want to be able to harvest it and eat it at the same time. I'm thinking eggplants so is it a good idea?

 

[claudine]

Rachel Ferguson, maybe try growing a pumpkin? I'm a newbie when it comes to vegetables too and I can proudly say that my pumpkins were all a great success even though I don't have nearly any experience. Growing pumpkins is so much fun, they're delicious and the plant itself looks very pretty

 

[Jed]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but since my question is also related to the question of the thread starter I'll just ask my question here. Are there any hanging vegetables that you can recommend me to plant? I'm planning to turn it into some kind of insulator for the heat of the sun on my rooftop garden and while at it, I want to be able to harvest it and eat it at the same time. I'm thinking eggplants so is it a good idea?

When I was growing up people grew squash vines on their outside toilets and on trellises to give some summer sun protection. Yes, I'm that old.
I had a bit of a search and found this link.Maybe you could give it a go.
http://www.botanicalinterests.com/products/view/0239/Squash-Summer-Tatuma-Calabacita-HEIRLOOM-Seeds

 

[Rachel Ferguson]

@Claudine - can I grow pumpkins in pots?

 

[claudine]

@Claudine - can I grow pumpkins in pots?

I've never tried it...but I don't think so . The whole plant is huge, it needs so much space. I doubt if there is a pot big enough.

 

[Victor Leigh]

Pumpkins in pots? I think it's going to take some looking to find a pot bigger than a pumpkin. Maybe planting pumpkins in bathtubs might work. Discarded bathtubs, I mean.

As for plants to keep off the heat, I think there are a few vine-like plants which might help. If you want a vine-like plant that you can eat, then cucumber can be a possibility as you can see from the picture here:

 

[maddie]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but since my question is also related to the question of the thread starter I'll just ask my question here. Are there any hanging vegetables that you can recommend me to plant? I'm planning to turn it into some kind of insulator for the heat of the sun on my rooftop garden and while at it, I want to be able to harvest it and eat it at the same time. I'm thinking eggplants so is it a good idea?

Melons,gourds, squashes, french beans all do well in the sun.. make sure that you have bottles of water planted into the pots with holes drilled into them.. that was how I grew melons and gourds on my fathers roof top.
Support the vine well and it will take care of itself. Pumpkins are great too.. ridge gourd, snake gourd, bottle gourd.. are some other that would take the heat of the sun well.

 

[dhrynio]

I find pumpkin, carrots and radishes the easist. They just grow well without much work. tomatoes and peppers are not so easy depending on your region.

 

[iluvmario]

Peppers are very easy to grow. Bell peppers and jalapenos just need to be watered everyday and can be ignored the rest of the time. If you add all the additional steps (pruning and fertilizing ) your plants will be larger and produce even more.