"D Russell" wrote in message ...
"Eur Ing John Rye" wrote [...]
In article ,
Heather wrote:
[...]
I have a "new" (to me) garden wihout the space for a proper vegetable
patch so veggies will have to be grown in the borders - [...] - or in grow bags on part of my sunny,
west-facing deck or in bags/pots[...].
Any suggestions as to what I might try that won't take TOO much time
and effort and might result in a few more classes being entered?
[...]
What else can I get away with in pots/growbags that will be ready in
September?
[...]
As for suggestions, i'd say grow unusual stuff, Aubergines, odd squashes;
butternut etc, that sort of thing rarely has anyone else growing it. Sneaky
way to win a few prizes.

Unusual stuff is clearly excellent advice, both for fun and for
showing. Squashes could be tied up supports to take less space and get
better light and air.

I reckon you can grow almost anything in containers, but the
"straight-up-and-down" things probably make more sense there or in
flower-beds than wide things like cabbages or sprawlers like peas.
Carrots, leeks, celery, radishes both European and Asian come to mind;
I suspect parsnips wouldn't work well in containers for show purposes,
as they want depth, but a few among the flowers would be ok.
Watercress will root from the stems you buy in the shop. I've never
had decent results from ginger or sweet potatoes, but you may be more
skilful: though it's too late this year.

Oats, wheat, and barley may not be much use for the show, but they
make lovely "flower" arrangements when cut just before ripening: I've
just moved house, and chucked out two big vases full of wheat which
had begraced the kitchen for at least ten years! I grew it in the
lawn, but cereals will be happy in containers.

I have known people who grow a plant called cannabis sativa in pots,
but for some reason they never seemed to enter their best specimens in
the show! (A Palestinian friend many years ago now took great pleasure
in telling the local senior police officer somewhere in Jordan what
the attractive strange plant in the tub beside his front door actually
was...)

Mike.