EASY AND BOUNTIFUL

This plan is for those who are keen to get really involved in this growing lark but haven’t done it before – and have a lovely sunny spot for their planter. The following crops should be very easy to grow provided they get enough sun, plenty of water and a little bit of your time and TLC.

PLOT MAKE-UP

At least six hours of full sun. Plenty of water. 2–3 hours a week of your time. Eating your veg within 30–40 days.

A WORD OF ADVICE…

Courgettes and other squashes are easy to grow as long as they get enough food and water. Potatoes are very easy but be careful with spacing as they can spread quite a lot, and unlike courgettes and squashes, where you can move their trailing foliage around to suit the grower and the light needs of the other plants, potatoes are soil bound and so need more space. Salad varieties such as ‘Arran’ or ‘Red Duke of York’ are best for container growing and can be used for everything from salads to chips. Look for ‘early’ varieties, which produce potatoes quickly. Remember, home growing means you can choose when you harvest your crops, so pulling potatoes when they are young is fine and encouraged.

Tomatoes and courgettes are happy in containers in a sunny spot. Look for bush tomatoes, as they need less attention. Small-fruited cherry and tumbling tomatoes are particularly quick, easy and tasty. Spinach can be tricky, but perpetual spinach or chard are good substitutes that are far less fussy.