12 EDIBLES TO GROW IN POTS
1 Chillies Incredibly easy to grow. This is a Mediterranean crop and used to tough conditions. Just give the plants some sun, and possibly a small stake for extra support if they are in a windy spot. Use a good soil-based compost, and you won’t need to feed them.
2 Lemons These are hungry plants, so make sure you use a good, soil-based compost, adding some grit or sharp sand to improve drainage. Needs protection from frost.
3 Dill I grow dill both for its leaves and its seeds. Does best from direct sowing, as it does not like its roots disturbed. It will thrive in a pot, provided you water every couple of days and don’t let it dry out. For a good crop of decent-size seeds, I like ‘Mammoth’.
4 Kale Choose a generous pot, as this annual is a sturdy, long-lived vegetable, but not the thirstiest of crops; a good soaking twice a week will be enough. My top three cultivars for flavour and colour would have to be ‘Redbor’, ‘White Russian’ and ‘Red Russian’. 5 Peach Fan-training against a wall is the better way to go because of the additional heat reflected back to help ripen the fruit. All you will need is a warm wall, plenty of sun and a large pot, around 45-50cm in diameter. Water once a week, or every three to four days in hot weather, soaking the pot thoroughly. ‘Garden Lady’ is a slow-growing cultivar ideal for pots. 6 Butternut squash Choose cultivars suited to growing well in pots – I’ve grown both ‘Barbara’ and ‘Butterbush’. Sow this annual crop early in pots on a warm windowsill with the aim of having good-sized plants ready to go out as soon as the frosts are over. Your squash in a pot will need regular watering, as well as feeding, and will benefit from a good rich soil.
7 Bay A great choice for adding structure to your container garden all year round. Very easy to look after, provided you give it a good sunny spot and feed it regularly. Prune every spring, both to keep it at the size you want it and to reduce any congestion.
8 Tarragon A perennial, but it will need some protection through the winter. There is only one species to grow, Artemisia dracunculus or French tarragon. Avoid Russian tarragon ( Artemisia dracunculoides). It may grow faster, but it is tough and lacking in flavour. French tarragon does not set viable seed, so if you are starting from scratch, buy a plant and pot it up in early spring. 9 Fig Easy to train as a fan against the wall, and does not demand much. I fork in a bit of blood, fish and bone meal in spring and try to give the pot a good soaking once a week.
10 Oregano Buy plants rather than trying to grow from seed, and add some sand or grit when potting up. Give the plants as much sun as possible to maximise the flavour.
11 Apricot Make sure your tree is grafted on to dwarfing rootstock and that it is self-pollinating. Plant it straight into its ‘forever’ pot, which should be 45-50cm in diameter. Give the plant a good soak once a week, or every three or four days if the weather is hot.
12 Broad bean You will need a big pot to grow this annual crop. My current favourite cultivar is ‘Crimson Flowered’, which has the most beautiful wine-red, scented flowers. It is also particularly well-suited to container growing because it’s a compact plant.
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