Grow Your Own Magazine

I'm starting to think that maybe I need to reorganise where things will go.

In section 4 of my patch I was originally going to put tomatoes, aubergines and peppers (I made sure to specifically buy outdoor varieties and I don't have a greenhouse) and then have butternut squash in a couple of containers.

Since then I have started growing a cucumber plant too as I saw the seed packet in a shop and couldn't resist! I assumed I was going to grow this in a container too (presumably a large container with bamboo stakes, by the sounds of another recent thread).

I was just starting to think, though, do tomatoes (moneymaker and gardeners delight) do well when transplanted directly into the ground or are they generally better off in containers? Would it be wiser to keep the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aubergines in containers and then plant a couple of squash plants into the vegetable patch instead?

I don't know if it's just a matter of aesthetics, or space, or a reason to do with what grows best.

Hi NGG,

I only started growing last year but grew tomato, cucumber etc in the ground and had great success. Just bare in mind that the cuc's will need a lot of support when the fruits appear. DO you have a fence you can grow them against? I just looped string around the fence and used it to tie them up?

Canes might work too but a trellis etc I think would be better. I staked the toms too.

Hope this helps, Mandy

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The problem with growing things in containers is that you have to be very attentive with watering. Generally plants are better in the ground where the roots can go deeper in search of water. The problem I have with growing tomatoes outside is blight!