Growing veg in containers

If you don’t have enough space to grow your own vegetables in the garden, grow them in containers. Even if you've just got a patio, balcony, or tiny garden then you can incorporate a pot or two dedicated to tasty edibles. Or they can become an attractive addition to larger gardens, especially if you position them close to your kitchen door where you can grab a quick handful of the freshest veg possible. From carrots and salads to peppers, potatoes and beans there isn't much that won't grow well in a container.

There are many reasons why it is an advantage to grow crops in containers:

• Ground is not needed, which is great for those with no garden.
• You can control soil texture, composition, and nutrients.
• Containers can be sited in positions that are easy to access, so people with mobility problems can still garden.
• It is easier to control pest damage to plants in containers rather than in a garden.
• Trailing plants can be displayed effectively.
• Plants can be protected indoors to give early crops, such as salad crops.

General care

• Maintain an even water supply and ensure good drainage to prevent waterlogging.
• Install an automatic irrigation system if you are often away from home.
• Apply a high nitrogen liquid fertiliser if growth flags and high potassium liquid fertiliser for flowering and fruiting crops.
• Ensure any pest and disease control products you use on your vegetables or fruit are suitable for edible plants.
• Larger containers are easier to manage than smaller ones
• Finally, harvest, and then sit back and enjoy your produce.

Container choice

You can use almost anything you like as a container for growing vegetables. If you’re planting a single specimen, choose a container that is just large enough to hold the roots without them being crushed. Salads and herbs thrive in relatively shallow containers. A depth of as little as 15cm (6in) can give good results. More demanding plants such as legumes, onion family and of course, root vegetables do better if you can provide a soil depth of 30-45cm (12-18in) or more, and will avoid you having to water and feed so frequently.

Plastic tubs of 60cm (2ft) or larger can be bought cheaply from DIY superstores and builders’ merchants and with several holes drilled into the base make ideal containers for useful amounts of crops. Even spent compost bags can be used and are perfect for growing potatoes.

Think about…

Whatever type of container you choose, make sure there are adequate drainage holes in the base. Although there are many different materials available, bear in mind that terracotta will tend to dry out more easily than plastic and is often vulnerable to frost damage. Think about how often you may wish to move the container, as some containers will be heavier than others of a similar size made out of a different material.

Growing media/compost

Mot crops will grow perfectly well in a multi-purpose compost, either peat based or peat free. Soil-based composts, such as John Innes No 3, are easier to maintain and water but heavier and relatively expensive. Mixing composted manure into the compost in the lower half of the container is a very effective organic fertiliser or add a controlled-release fertiliser, such as Osmocote, before planting. Growing-bags can be used but they are less satisfactory than containers, needing frequent watering - perhaps three times a day.

Great container veg

The following are very rewarding crops, but don't limit yourself - experiment. Very early sowings are best made in a greenhouse, conservatory, shed or garage and then the containers moved outside when it's warmer. Crops can be protected from cold and frost by covering with fleece.

Beetroot: sow in March with 10cm (4in) spacing. The young leaves can be used as ‘spinach’ or in salads. Follow these with quick-growing crops of late summer salads.

Broad beans: sow from February at 20cm (8in) spacing. The tops can be pinched out to reduce blackfly attacks and also for use as ‘greens’. When they come out in June follow with beetroot for late summer crops.

Carrots: sow cultivars from the Nantes or Amsterdam groups from February for June pullings, thinning to 5-7.5cm (2-3in) between plants. Cover with fleece from April to exclude carrot fly. After carrots, sow the pots with French beans to gather in September.

Herbs: parsley, for example, can be sown from March to be ready from June; coriander is also an attractive and popular crop. Repeat crops can be sown for late summer harvest.

Lettuces: mini lettuces, such as ‘Little Gem’ and ‘Tom Thumb’, spaced at (6in) 15cm can be sown from January for June onwards crops. Follow these with leeks for the winter.

Peas: sow cultivars with edible pods from March; plant every 15cm (6in). Gather these in June and follow with salad leaves for late summer.

Potatoes: plant early cultivars from March with one tuber for every 30cm (12in) of container diameter.

Salad leaves: sow from February aiming for 5cm (2in) between plants. Rocket, coriander, lettuce, chicory and spinach are tasty choices. Pick by pinching off the top few leaves leaving a stump to re-sprout for follow-on crops.

Salad onions: sow from February with 2.5cm (1in) between plants. Pull when they get big enough. By July, you should be able to re-sow with finger carrots for bunches of baby carrots in October.

Spinach: sow from February aiming for 10cm (4in) between plants. Spinach quickly runs to seed, so sow courgettes in June for late summer fruits.

Tomatoes, aubergines and peppers: classic Mediterranean vegetables whose fruit all look amazing in containers. In sheltered southern regions they will grow fairly well outdoors - tomatoes especially - on a sunny patio or other warm sheltered site.

In mild coastal or urban areas they do much better outdoors, but in northern areas where the growing season is short they really need shelter in a greenhouse, lean-to, conservatory or polythene tunnel. There is so much interest in these crops that garden centres and seed companies offer a good range of plants in mid-spring. Alternatively, raise plants from seeds sown in early to mid-spring.

Plant into any good potting compost. Leave plants in small pots until the first flowers form and then plant out into larger containers. If you plant before flowers show you can get a lot of leaf before fruits begin to form. Once fruits form feed every week with potassium-rich fertiliser.