CROPS FOR SMALL SPACES Get

Crops for SMALL SPACES

These easy vegetables and salads will keep going all summer, no matter how little outdoor space you have for them

Homegrown tastes better

and is so easy to do. It’s also good for your wellbeing: growing your own produce gives you a sense of calm – and a regular supply to eat.

From salad with extra crunch to heavenly scented tomatoes and fresh herbs, it’s all very doable. The trick is to grow small amounts of different crops that offer big rewards. Steer clear of anything needing elaborate preparation and cultivation and opt for easy produce such as cut-andcome-again salad leaves, perpetual spinach and dwarf kale, herbs, chillies, dwarf varieties of French beans and compact tomatoes. Edible flowers such as nasturtium, borage and calendula are also a good choice, and add a pretty touch to the garden. Another idea is to plant mixed containers of herbs, tomatoes and chillies, for example, or large pots of mixed herbs, rather than separating varieties into individual pots. This adds more interest to your planting.

Getting started

You need to decide whether you are going to grow from seed or from plug plants. Plug plants and larger potted ones are widely available from garden centres and via mail order, but sowing your own seeds is easy to do and is much cheaper. There are two ways of doing it: either in seed trays for transplanting out later or straight into containers outside. Remember, for crops like salad leaves and beans, you will need to keep sowing at regular intervals to ensure a steady crop throughout summer.

When space is tight

Even if your outdoor area is small, as long as you use it efficiently there’s still lots you can grow. The sheltered environment of a balcony means it’s the perfect growing space. There’s usually plenty of wall area for slotting in vertical planters or trellis to provide support for young plants. Courtyards and patios generally offer more space for growing things than a balcony or terrace, but shade can be an issue if

Make the most of balcony space with planters designed to be hung safely

Fresh and fabulous!

ACCORDING TO GUY BARTER CHIEF HORTICULTURIST OF THE RHS, GROWING OWN FOOD IS A HOT TREND YOUR

you’re overlooke . Jus re e er to choose the sunniest and most sheltered spot possible.

How to grow

While shallow pots are suitable for growing salad leaves and herbs, you will need to use deeper containers for crops such as beans and tomatoes, to accommodate their deeper roots. Vegetables always do best in well-drained compost. Make sure there are enough drainage holes in the

ase o e con ainer and add a layer of broken crocks. Use a light, free-draining compost such as John Innes No 2 and mix in a good handful of horticultural grit, then raise the pots on feet to allow excess water to drain away. Your crop will benefit from feeding, so either add a controlled-release fertiliser to the soil or use a generalpurpose feed. Tomatoes will need a high-potash feed, while leafy crops like spinach and lettuce will benefit from a nitrogen-rich fertiliser.

FIVE EASY CROPS FOR POTS

PERPETUAL SPINACH

The perfect cut-andcome-again crop, this will be prolific throughout summer and autumn and into the following year. Pick smaller leaves for salads and just remember to keep on harvesting – and it will keep on giving. Try ‘Popeye’ or ‘Medania’.

ZESTY ROCKET

Packed with flavour, this salad leaf looks pretty growing in a handy pot by the back door, too. The tastiest salad leaf around is also the easiest one to grow. Pick regularly to keep the leaves coming fast. Try ‘Skyrocket’, ‘Apollo’ or ‘Runway’.

DWARF FRENCH BEANS

Available in purple, yellow and green varieties, these love a container, only grow to 40-60cm in height and are self-supporting. Even better, they’re stringless, which means less prep in the kitchen. Try ‘Amethyst’, ‘Boston’ or ‘Green Arrow’.

TUMBLING TOMATOES

Choose a compact bush variety with clusters of cherry tomatoes that will cascade over the sides of a container with no need for training or trimming off side shoots. Great if space is limited. Try ‘Tumbling Tom Red’, ‘Balconi Red’ or ‘Tumbler’ varieties.

SPRING ONIONS

Sow seeds in a large pot, keep the soil moist and as soon as they are pencil sized, harvest for salads – usually in around eight weeks. Leave others to round out and keep sowing for a regular crop. Choose ‘White Lisbon’ or red-stemmed ‘Apache’.