EASY ECO-TIPS

SMALL-SPACE GARDENING

Bring your containers to life with seasonal ideas from our columnist Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener

You might think a small container garden wouldn ’t offer many opportunities to be environmentally friendly, but think again! With a few minor concessions, they can be a really sustainable option. Choose drought-tolerant plants Conserving water in the garden is a challenge, especially in summer, but you can significantly reduce water consumption by going for drought-tolerant plants. Reuse or recycle your old plant pots Once you ’ ve finished with them, donate them to local nurseries or allotments, or give to someone you know who grows from seed. Use ecofriendly options If you usually start your garden plants from seed, kitchen towel tubes cut into small sections make a good alternative to plastic seed trays. If you ’ re going to use pots, opt for biodegradable and compostable ones. And there ’ s no need to buy new: choose recycled objects such as dolly tubs or vintage garden containers from reclamation yards or car boot sales.

SUSTAINABLE CONTAINER GARDENING Plant a mini forest Create a forest in your pots or window boxes to release oxygen and offset carbon dioxide. Miniature versions of Douglas fir, spruce, true fir, beech and maple release the most oxygen. Turn the page for Isabelle’s pick of drought-tolerant and mini forest plants. Follow her on Instagram @thebalconygardener

CROP OF THE MONTH

Potatoes

SOLANUM TUBEROSUM ‘MARIS PEER’

CHRISTMAS CROP HARVEST

Maris Peer potatoes grow well in pots in autumn. This all-round salad-type variety has a firm creamy yellow flesh and superb flavour and is good for boiling, roasting and mashing. Plant up to early September for a crop in late October, or leave them in the pot if you want to enjoy them at Christmas. For best results, plant in full sun.

SECRETS OF SUCCESS Use a pot at least 40cm deep and wide, with drainage holes in the base. Add a layer of potting compost or a garden soil/compost mix. A layer 10cm thick is enough for 40cm pots. Plant one to three tubers per pot, each with about 10cm of space. As the foliage develops, add further compost or soil until the container is full to within 5cm of the top. Keep well watered and feed with a general-purpose liquid fertiliser. Bring them indoors on cold nights and return outdoors during the day.

It couldn’t be easier to grow your own crop with this potato pot from Elho, 13.99, bakker.com. Plant it up and when your harvest is ready, lift out the inner pot to access the potatoes.

S M A L L- S P A C E G A R D E N I N G

How can I conserve water when using containers?

Water in the evening rather than the hottest part of the day, as less water is lost to evaporation when the temperature drops. Add moistureretaining crystals to larger pots, and use ‘grey water’ such as bathwater.

ISABELLE’S PLANT LIST

MINI FOREST PLANTS

Acer Palmatum ‘Dissectum’

Corylus avellana contorta

‘Red Majestic’ Fagus Sylvatica ‘Purpurea Pendula’

Ginkgo biloba

Juniperus chinensis ‘Stricta’ Picea glauca ‘Conica’ Pinus mugo ‘Mops’

Sciadopitys verticillata

DROUGHT-TOLERANT PLANTS

Achillea millefolium ‘Rose Madder’ or ‘Sally’ Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ Ceanothus (below)

Cistus creticus Eryngium variifolium Euphorbia characias Festuca glauca Lantana camara Lavandula stoechas

Osteospermum ‘Serenity Dark Purple’

Pentas lanceolata

Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’

Salvia namaensis Sedums Sempervivum calcareum Verbena rigida

MAKE YOUR OWN COMPOST & FERTILISER

Even if you only have a balcony, it’ s still possible to produce your own compost. You ’ll just need a container for transforming your kitchen waste – or other organic waste such as cut plants – into a rich peat or liquid for your plants.

Why is it such a good thing to do? Well, not only are you recycling waste, but you ’ re also giving back to your plants with a natural fertiliser that will help them grow and prevent pests. It’ s win-win!

You can make your own compost containers. See online for videos. (Also, see rhs.org.uk for an introduction to compost making.) To save time and get the most efficient results, there are two great products that are space-saving and visually appealing (see both below): the Urbalive composter, in which live worms will break down your waste; and the Organko 2 Bokashi compost bin, which uses micro-organisms. They have good ventilation and all the different layers you need to ensure everything rots down effectively.

Homemade liquid fertiliser can easily be added to plants along with compost matter.

ISABELLE’S ECO PRODUCTS

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