Whether you’re short on outside space, have a garden with already-full beds, or simply have no garden at all, there will be edibles you can grow. But which fruit, vegetables, herbs or shoots will flourish in the patch of soil you can make available to them? Read on for a brilliant beginner’s guide.
Professional advice from: Patricia Tyrrell of Patricia Tyrrell Living Landscapes; Victoria Philpott of Victoria Philpott Gardens; Ben Renfrew of Fig Garden Design.
What do I need to know before I start?
When embarking on a new edible gardening project, Patricia Tyrrell advises: “Experiment and be adventurous. Just because it says ‘full sun’ on the seeds or instructions doesn’t mean it won’t grow in less. Don’t worry too much – just give it a go!”
When it comes to growing your own, simplicity and utility are key. “Don’t grow too many things,” Patricia says. “Also, grow something you’ll eat and in sufficient quantities – one leaf of lettuce is not much use.”
What grows in containers?
Lots of things, is the pleasing answer.
Potatoes If you have a large-enough pot – because they take up space – potatoes will grow well, Ben Renfrew says. “As the leaves emerge, add more soil to bury the new growth,” he advises.
Runner beans Use a large pot and add bamboo supports for them to grow up. “Runner beans can also be grown up a garden arch – I do this every year,” Ben adds.
Blueberries (and strawberries) “When it comes to breakfast, walking out of your door and picking some blueberries and strawberries for your muesli can be one of the simple pleasures of summer,” Patricia says. For blueberries, she advises these are undemanding to grow, “but they do need an acid compost”. (See What can I grow in hanging baskets, below, for Patricia’s strawberry tips.)
Chillis “I like to grow chillies every year,” Patricia says. “They’re quite hardy, as long as the frost has gone, and they come in so many colours and shapes, so are really ornamental.” She adds that a green chilli “is just an unripe red one”, meaning you can pick them at different stages. “At the end of the season, freeze them or make chilli jam,” she says.
Herbs “Great if you have a sunny corner,” Patricia says, advising that mint is especially suitable for containers, as it can be invasive in a bed.
Other good container edibles
Ben also suggests: tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, strawberries, peas, butternut squash, courgettes and lettuce. “The list is endless for pots and containers,” he says. “Carrots are particularly good in containers, especially if you have stony ground, as stones stunt the carrots’ growth and make them split.”
“Lettuce is particularly good in long window boxes,” Patricia adds.
What can I grow in a hanging basket?
The good news for balcony gardeners, or those short of floorspace outside, is that hanging baskets can be extremely fruitful (pardon the pun) for edible gardening. Here are our experts’ favourites:
Tomatoes “Tomatoes need to be a variety call ‘Tumbling Tom’ or a similar specific hanging basket variety,” Ben says. Patricia adds that these come in reds and yellows, so they can look pretty, too.
Strawberries Patricia suggests choosing a ‘day neutral’ variety, such as Tristar, because this will give you fruit for a long period of time. “Alpine strawberries are also good,” she says. “They crop for a long period and, even though they’re tiny, they have a wonderful flavour.”
Lettuce “I like ‘cut and come again’ varieties of lettuce,” Ben says. “You can just harvest some leaves and then they regrow, rather than having to harvest the whole plant, as with iceberg or little gem.”
Herbs To make your herb basket look stunning, Ben suggests mixing trailing and upright varieties, such as purple leaf sage, with trailing marjoram or thyme. “You can always add some edible flowers, such as viola, pansy or nasturtiums, for a bit of colour for both the basket and the salad,” he says.
Peas “You won’t get enough for dinner, but you will get the pleasure of splitting open a pod of fresh peas and eating them straight away,” Patricia says. She advises a small variety, such as ‘Little Marvel’.
“For mangetout,” she adds, “try the heritage variety ‘Carouby de Maussane’ with flowers as beautiful as any of the ornamental sweet peas.”
How do I keep my hanging basket in good shape?
Patricia underlines the importance of really good, preferably soil-based, compost and making sure whatever the basket is hanging from is strong enough to support the substantial weight of plant, crop and water.
“Remember, plants in baskets will dry out more quickly than those in the ground,” Victoria Philpott says, “so be sure to water and feed them frequently.”
Tomatoes, cucumbers and chillies grow fast, so are in particular need of regular top-ups of nutrition, Ben adds. He recommends high potash feed as the best to encourage fruiting.
Is there anything I can grow in a partly shady area?
“Partially shaded spots will receive 3 to 6 hours of sun per day,” Victoria advises. So spend a few days assessing the light in your potential planting area. As a general guide, she notes that the least tolerant of shade are plants that blossom before fruiting, such as peppers and tomatoes.
Her top tips? “Brassicas, such as cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and leafy greens including kale, spinach and chard, will do well in shade. Radishes, spring onions, leeks and carrots can also grow happily in partly shaded spots.”
“If [the plant] has a lot of green leaf, it’s probably happy with a little shade,” Patricia adds, noting that spinach, rocket, kale and lettuce will all grow well. “Peas, too, are tolerant of shade and may even last a bit longer in it,” she says.
Patricia adds that broad beans are a favourite shade-happy plant and also suggests that pots of herbs can be placed in partial shade. Particularly good varieties to try are: parsley, mint, coriander, spring onions, chives, pak choi, rocket and chard.
Which varieties would work better in a small bed?
Some plants are happier in a bed than containers. However, unless you have a standalone veg patch or raised bed, Patricia advises choosing plants that won’t become invasive. “Garlic, for instance, is a no-no, because it can become a weed in your garden if you forget to harvest it,” she says.
If you’re short on space, it’s handy to know that mixing flowers and vegetables can work well. “Many vegetables are really ornamental – red cabbage, for example, or the myriad varieties of kale, with frilly, textured leaves and dark green or purple colouring, such as ‘Red Russian’,” she says. “These could work beautifully with yellow or blue flowers.”
Victoria advises that some vegetables, such as squashes and courgettes, need room to spread out. “So, depending on the size of your garden, it might be best to grow them in a bed [rather than containers],” she says.
“Brassicas – cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and sprouts – can also work better in beds, as they take a long time to mature,” Ben says. He also suggests leeks and onions grow well in small beds.
What will thrive in a grow bag?
“Grow bags are filled with rich compost that’s great for growing vegetables including tomatoes, leeks, courgettes, onions, cauliflowers, cabbages and peas,” Victoria says.
Ben adds that cucumbers and squashes also work well. “One tip, though,” he says. “Only put in two plants per bag: the packaging always suggests three, but two tends to be better in my experience, as the roots have more space, so the plants are stronger and the fruit is better.”
Can I grow anything edible indoors?
“As long as you have a sunny spot, you can grow a variety of fruit and vegetables in pots indoors,” Victoria says. Her tips include: herbs, tomatoes, spring onions, radishes, peppers, lettuce, lemons and celery.
“I always grow a pot of peas indoors,” Ben says, “not for the peas, but for the pea shoots. Just pinch out the growing tips and throw them in with your salads.” He says many of the softer herbs, such as basil, tarragon and parsley, are well-suited to being grown indoors in a sunny spot, as are chillies.
“Biquinho, Orange Thai, and Bird’s Eye are some attractive small varieties of chilli to try,” Patricia adds. She also suggests basil. “It’s a Mediterranean herb and loves heat and sun. Grow it in succession from seed and keep it on a sunny windowsill. There are lovely purple varieties, so combine one with green basil for some leafy contrast.”
Original Source: https://www.houzz.co.uk/magazine/which-fruit-and-veg-can-i-grow-in-a-tiny-space-stsetivw-vs~135191007