POTS A-PLENTY
NOT everyone has a garden but you can grow plants in anything that has the capacity to hold soil.
Whether it’s dustbins, buckets or Wellington boots, as long as it has drainage, you can grow in it.
Dustbins are actually great for growing potatoes if you’re short on space. You can pick these up relatively cheaply, drill a few holes in the bottom, put a bit of soil down and then sow your seed potatoes on top.
And as kids grow out of Wellington boots so quickly, why not put old pairs to better use?
Put a few holes in the sole of the boots and screw these up onto fence panels to create an array of interesting wall containers that you can plant up with herbs or flowering plants.
Takeaway coffee cups made from cardboard and egg boxes also hold planting potential.
You can easily recycle them into containers to help seeds germinate or pot up cuttings and grow them on your kitchen windowsill.
Plastic bottles have a variety of uses, too. Use the tops as mini propagators over peas to protect them from early frost and birds,then use the bottom of the bottles as pots to plant in.
Buckets also make very good planters.
Again, add your drainage holes and soil and within minutes you can start planting up.
BAGS OF SPACE
PROBABLY one of the easiest things to grow in is a grow bag. The Levington® Gro-Bag® has been about since the 70s and is a tried-andtested way to start growing your own.
Tomatoes are predominantly grown in the bags but they can be used for anything, really.
Plants can be placed directly into the bags with no need for pots and planters, but the secret is to make sure you’ve got enough space. Some people like to cut the whole top section of the plastic off, peel it back and then plant straight into the compost.
But I prefer to cut squares out where I plan to plant, leaving the plastic around to stop weeds growing. It will also prevent the soil from drying out – you’ll just need to keep checking it’s moist.
The average grow bag will hold three plants quite comfortably and they can stay in the bag for about a year before they’ll need planting out.
Any longer than a year and plants