help for first time veg grower in containers?

[tab]

hi,
i am just starting to hopefully grow my own veg and salad.
can you help by giving me some ideas of the best veg and salad seeds to grow in containers and when should i start?
can i start at this time of year and whats the best to try for success?
shall i go for seeds or plug plants to grow and what is a good cheap or recycled container to start with for good results?
all ideas welcome!

[DavidT]

Several questions need to be asked here. Do you have a greenhouse or cold frame? Which veg / salad plants do you like to eat? Finally, what containers do you currently have? Containerwise, anything fron a 3 litre pot upwards would suffice. The thing is though, what growing conditions can you offer for whichever crops you like. Welcome to the site, by the way.

[Lady of Shallots]

My advice would definitely be think about what you'll want to eat! I ended up living on radishes, beetroot and spinach last year, and much as I like them I wish I'd thought about variety and quantity a bit more beforehand
Tomatoes are a good one as they're nice and easy to grow in growbags or containers and they form the basis of so many meals. I'm growing several varieties this year. I also think peppers are a good idea if you like them, mainly because they are so expensive to buy, yet pretty easy to grow! Although not sure how well they do without a greenhouse (I only have a cheap mini plastic one from wilkos, they're great if you're short on space but want to grow small amounts of peppers, chillis, cucumbers etc).
Also, a few shallow containers with mixed salad leaves are great as you always have something to go with your dinner, and they're so easy to grow! And herbs too, you'll find you use them all through the summer if you like to cook.

[planterlemon]

Originally Posted by Lady of Shallots

My advice would definitely be think about what you'll want to eat! I ended up living on radishes, beetroot and spinach last year, and much as I like them I wish I'd thought about variety and quantity a bit more beforehand
Tomatoes are a good one as they're nice and easy to grow in growbags or containers and they form the basis of so many meals. I'm growing several varieties this year. I also think peppers are a good idea if you like them, mainly because they are so expensive to buy, yet pretty easy to grow! Although not sure how well they do without a greenhouse (I only have a cheap mini plastic one from wilkos, they're great if you're short on space but want to grow small amounts of peppers, chillis, cucumbers etc).
Also, a few shallow containers with mixed salad leaves are great as you always have something to go with your dinner, and they're so easy to grow! And herbs too, you'll find you use them all through the summer if you like to cook.

Yeah this guy speaks the truth. Plant what you want to eat. Tomatoes, peppers, chili's are easy to grow plus it's summer time which means that it's planting season