What crop for which pot?

As the amount of soil in a pot is limited, it’s crucial to feed crops with the right fertilisers and not let them dry out, as they’re very thirsty when ripe. Keep picking, as this will help immature fruits get as much water as possible. Root crops can stay in the ground until you need them, but harvest other vegetables as soon as they’re ready.

FOR WINDOW BOXES Herbs Try some that aren’t so readily available in shops, such as sage or marjoram.

Lettuce When buying seed, choose packs of mixed ‘cut-and-come-again’ varieties.

FOR AVERAGE-SIZE POTS Tomatoes Feed regularly. Try small cherry or baby plums. Garlic Split a bulb and plant the cloves. They will need to over-winter to produce a fully formed bulb. Chilli If fruiting prolifically, you can pick and dry excess. Herbs Mint can be invasive, so plant in an individual pot.

FOR LARGE POTS Courgette Plant one seed per pot. Very thirsty, but water around, rather than on the plant. Harvest when 10-12cm long and you’ll get more fruit.

FOR LARGER POTS WITH SUITABLE SUPPORT Beans and peas Plant 3-4 seeds around the edges of a big pot. Keep moist and well fed. Pick regularly to get more crops.

FOR DEEPER POTS Potatoes Plant 2-3 seed potatoes with shoots pointing up. As stalks emerge, keep covering with soil to prevent the tubers being damaged by light.

Carrots Sew seeds in a shallow drill. Cover with compost and thin out to 5cm apart when the first divided leaves have appeared. Crops will mature in about three months.