A HOME GROWN FEAST WITH POTS OF FLAVOUR SEE PAGES 18-19
There has been a surge of interest in growing edibles since the coronavirus outbreak as keen gardeners try to save money on fresh produce or cut down on trips to the shops. Even complete rookies are snapping up mail-order seeds, plugs and young plants as they take up a new hobby to occupy time during the lockdown.
I have little doubt that much of this fare is destined to be raised in containers. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the best ways to grow your own food as it’s easy, productive and something anyone can do, whatever the size of their outdoor space – of course, it’s perfect for those who don’t have enough room to swing a cat.
Not so long ago, there were very few vegetables, fruits, herbs or salads suitable for growing in containers, but modern breeding has led to a raft of varieties that will thrive in a tight space. Some online suppliers make them easy to find by listing them as patio or container edibles.
Among the best veggies are potatoes, tomatoes, French beans, courgettes, spring onions, Swiss chard and beetroot, along with stump or round-rooted varieties of carrots and radish. Mixed salad leaves are a must grow, especially for beginners because they’ll be ready for harvesting within 21 days.
Chilli peppers are essential for anyone wanting to turn up the heat in the kitchen while a collection of pot-grown herbs arranged in a sunny spot is useful for adding flavour to cooked and cold dishes. Parsley, coriander and basil are excellent annuals that come in several varieties, while rosemary, bay, thyme, mint, fennel, chives,
French tarragon and other perennials will deliver the goods for many years.
There’s loads of fruit that will do well in containers. Blueberries, cranberries, figs and gooseberries, along with red, white and black-currants are perfect. Perhaps the best for pots are strawberries – there are close to 100 different ones available that are supplied as ready-grown plants or rooted runners.
Pick the right pots for your edibles. It’s essential they have drainage holes in the base and are large enough for the eventual size of your plants – anything from 8in to 17in in diameter, depending on what you grow. I prefer those made of plastic as they retain moisture, while terracotta and ceramic pots dry out more quickly.
As a rule, most herbs are ideal in fairly dinky containers, while tomatoes, cucumbers and other top-heavy plants need bigger pots.
Mixed salad leaves, spring onions and other compact crops will be fine in shallow containers.
As for compost, good-quality multi-purpose that’s been fortified with controlled-release fertiliser granules and moisture-retaining crystals is best for vegetables.
Start seeds of tender veg off indoors, raising plants that are ready to go outside when there’s no longer any danger from frost – set ready-grown plugs into 3in pots, stand on a windowsill and move into larger containers outside in late May. Seeds of hardy vegetables are ideal for sowing directly into pots outdoors.
Looking after crops in pots is easy. Use a fertiliser high in potash to regularly feed those that form fruit or pods from the moment their first flowers appear. Other than that, keep on top of watering – if compost dries out, it stresses plants, reduces yields, and makes plants more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Thousands of us are thinking about sowing our own crops – and containers offer a delicious route to success