Practicalities of container gardening

The advantages of container growing are manifold, but you do need to stretch your imagination and be a bit creative if you think you haven’t got enough of the right kind of space. If you haven’t got much ground space, think about vertical growing: how about containers on steps or stacked on different levels of bricks or stone? And don’t forget hanging baskets, windowsills and ledges. If you have no outside space at all, have a look around your living space and see what sills and ledges could be used indoors, and whether you could position tables or other units nearer to the window to enable you to grow more. Containers offer easy and instant access to your crops, and help bring the outside indoors. You can move plants around easily to get as much sun as possible or into the shade and shelter when necessary, and once they’re up and running most plants require only simple routine maintenance.

Gardener’s favourite: traditional terracotta pots.

Containers can brighten up any ‘dead space’ and are ideal for hiding anything unsightly; in fact they can add a feature to the dullest-looking wall or fence. You can change things around as often as you like to make up endless pot-scapes. Above all else, I think container growing can offer anyone the chance to raise their own produce and give real satisfaction in the process.

Before you go out and buy containers have a careful think about the space you’ve got and what you might want to grow. Most crops need some sunshine, but not all like full sun, and some need protection from strong heat, wind and frosts. You’ll also need to be able to water them regularly so think about the practicalities of this – some plants need more water than others. At the same time, think about what you like eating and how much produce you could actually get through – it’s pointless trying to grow too much and then have produce wasted. When you’ve drawn up a list, read through the vegetable, herb and fruit directory on pages 20–103 and check the suitability of your site against your chosen plants (there’s a short potted guide on each entry for quick reference).

Take some measurements of the space you have and work out how many pots you might need, then make a rough plan of where they might go. There will be plenty of choice of pots in all shapes and sizes, so you should be able to fill even the most abstract of spaces with something. At any largish garden centre you’ll find pots and containers available to suit all pockets and tastes, from the practical and cheap plastics and fibreglass, to the more traditional wood and terracotta. Then there are colourful glazed and patterned earthenware pots, stone and concrete ware, and finally, trendy metal and slate, plus plenty of combinations in between. For a really cheap and practical solution, choose grow bags or simply roll down the top of a bag of compost and use that as a planter. And if you want to improvise and recycle, then the world’s your oyster providing you can make draining holes in it, and don’t forget second-hand pots and planters can always be given a new lease of life by varnishing, painting, stencilling or sticking on mosaics to pretty them up.

Here are a few other things to consider apart from cost when shopping for containers:

■ Size-v-space Always choose the biggest container you can afford for the money and the space you have. Depth and width are more important for certain plants, but as a general rule, the bigger the better. Remember the weight of the container when it is planted – this may be a factor especially if you have a balcony, or you want to be able to move things around.

■ Drainage Make sure whatever you choose has ready-made holes in the bottom or can be drilled easily to make your own.

■ Porosity Terracotta and wood are more porous than plastics or glazed pots, and have a tendency to dry out quickly; they may not be the best choice if you are not on hand to water regularly. However, this can be minimized by lining the pots with plastic, or wood can be sealed with varnish.

■ Self-watering If watering is going to be difficult to maintain, it is worth investigating self-watering containers. These are usually made of plastic, can be quite costly and don’t always look good, but they are certainly a practical solution. You can also find kits to help transform other types of container into self-watering ones.

■ Heat retention Some materials like metal will subject plant roots to extremes of temperature in the heat and cold, so look at lining them to help make them more plant friendly – bubble wrap is a good liner in this instance. You can also use thick plastic sheeting like pond liner, or remnants of a compost bag, or wads of garden fleece.

■ Length of life If something’s cheap it’s probably not going to last that long. This is fine for produce that has only a short life, but long-living trees and bushes should be put in containers that are sturdy and frost proof and will last the lifetime of the plant. One last point: remember, if you choose an expensive container because it’s fashionable, first weigh up its practicality for your requirements and then think about whether you’ll get fed up with looking at it after a few months.

More ideas…

With so many things to think about already, your brain is probably fit to burst! Or you might be feeling a bit fed up because you think you can’t grow as much as you thought. In such situations, I usually find a simple brainstorming session gets me back on track. Think about combination planting (where you can put together several plants in one area that all complement each other in some way). A small but sunny situation could lend itself perfectly to an Oriental ‘pot garden’ of garlic, coriander, spring onions, chillies and pak choi – all the ingredients for one sensational flavoursome meal. If you like Italian, combine pepper and tomato plants with basil and rocket. Try mixing the seeds of different salad leaves with edible flowers and soft-leaved herbs in a large container for a pick-and-come-again salad bowl idea. If you haven’t got any shade, you could think about planting a small fruit tree or bush in a container with a wide circumference, then underneath in the shade of the foliage you can plant more shallow-rooted crops that are quicker to mature and don’t like too much direct sunlight. Strong-stemmed, more mature trees and bushes can also be used as natural support systems for climbing plants like runner beans, and tall varieties of sweetcorn can be used as natural support structures for peas, broad beans and French beans as their root system is shallow enough not to disturb the growing corn. For the fruit lover, a hanging basket of strawberries or a window-ledge container of the alpine varieties makes an easy and satisfying choice.

Getting started

This is an important section to read before buying your seeds and seedlings. Reading these points will help save you money and avoid wasted purchases, and above all, will help you get the best results possible.

Selecting seeds, seedlings and specimen plants

Once you’ve got an idea of what you want to grow, you’ll be looking around for seeds and seedlings. Like food products, seeds have a sell-by date, so always check they are in date before purchase. Go to a reputable garden centre or seed merchant that has a quick turnover of products, and make sure the packets are completely intact and undamaged. Pre-packaged seeds are treated so that you don’t introduce anything other than the seed at the time of planting – seeds from friends or unknown sources will not have this guarantee so you never quite know what else you might have to deal with. Many seed merchants have a money-back guarantee, so if their seeds don’t germinate, you won’t be completely out of pocket. Think about a space you can use for sowing seeds as you’ll need it to fill and store seed trays until seedlings are big enough to ‘pot up’ into bigger containers.

When it comes to seedlings and specimen plants, it’s really down to common sense. A garden centre or nursery with a good reputation will make sure their plants are well watered and look healthy, and some offer guarantees against failure. Don’t buy anything that’s withered or damaged, or excessively dry, or that looks like it’s out-grown its pot.

Choosing the correct growing medium

You’ve got your pot at the ready, now what do you fill it with? There are certainly plenty of substances available to choose from, but for the container gardener you can get away with between one and five types, depending on what you are planning to grow:

■ Seed compost Necessary if you’re planning on germinating plants from seed. It is fine textured and contains the right balance of nutrients necessary to get seeds germinated and keep them in good condition for about six weeks.

■ Soil-based compost Best suited to plants that will be in a container for a long time, such as fruit trees. It is a heavy-textured mixture which is able to retain water and nutrients for a longer period of time than other composts. If you fill a container with only soil-based compost, it will be heavy and dense, therefore it is usually lightened by adding a quantity of soilless compost or other material to improve drainage and texture.

■ Soil-less or general- (multi-) purpose compost Most widely used and readily available. Traditionally made from composted peat, but now mostly from peat substitutes. It is not always advisable to buy the cheapest compost, as with most things, you get what you pay for, and quality costs. A good-quality general-purpose compost should contain sufficient nutrients to feed your plants for six weeks. General-purpose compost is much lighter in texture than those containing soil and subsequently it will dry out more quickly; frequent watering is, therefore, essential.

■ Ericaceous compost Necessary for growing acid-loving plants like blueberries and cranberries. It is a lime-free mixture that will help prevent acid-loving plants developing chlorosis (see page 18). To retain acid levels, water only with rainwater, and choose lime-free plant food when feeding.

■ Citrus compost A special blend of nutrients in a compost mix that’s ideally suited to all members of the citrus family and their close relatives.

All composts lose their potency once exposed to the air, so keep opened bags well sealed, and only buy in quantities that can be used up quickly.

Container drainage

To ensure nutrients are retained in the compost for your growing plants and that they can take up water without drowning, it is important to make sure your container is prepared properly with drainage material. Adding horticultural grit to a compost can improve drainage if it seems a bit wet and sticky and holds together in clumps. You’ll see a substance called ‘vermiculite’ on sale in the garden centre which can be mixed into compost to make it lighter and improve aeration – this is a good substance to use if you’re trying to reduce the weight of a pot on a balcony.

Before you fill your container with compost, make sure there are sufficient drainage holes. Cover the bottom entirely with drainage material. Things to use could be pieces of old, broken terracotta pot, gravel or small stones. If you want to keep the weight down, you can use polystyrene chips or small upturned plastic flowerpots over large holes. All these substances will help create a good drainage layer and help prevent waterlogging and do not decompose in water or soil.

Once filled and in position, keep containers slightly off the ground so that excess water can drain away and the pot is unable to ‘sit’ in a puddle of water. Either use bricks or special pot feet which sit neatly under the edge of the bottom of pots to keep the air circulating underneath.

Feeding your plants

In a garden bed or border, plants can send their roots down deep into the soil for extra nutrition, but container-grown specimens are completely reliant on what you feed them. Compost provides food for six weeks, then after this it’s up to you to carry on providing your plants with food and nutrition so that they can develop properly and provide you with a good crop. Not all crops require additional feeding; salad leaves, which are quick to mature, don’t need additional feeding, but plants which have a long, steady growing season, like tomatoes, require lots of food. There are several organic and non-organic ways you can feed your plants, and it’s up to personal preference which you choose. Soluble fertilizers are mixed into water and are fed to plants as you water them. This fertilizer is usually required every 10 to 14 days, and is often applied to fleshy fruits like tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes. Other types come in the form of granules which are mixed into the compost at the time of planting and slowly release nutrients over a six-week period; you’ll also find ‘plugs’ of these granules which you can push into the compost more easily at a later date when it’s time to replenish the food supply.

A specialist ‘drip feed’ for citrus plants.

To increase the yield of flowering and fruiting plants, a fertilizer that’s high in potash is required, whilst a nitrogen-rich feed increases the development of foliage so is important for greens. Avoid any fertilizer that contains lime for acid-loving plants as this will act as a neutralizing agent in the compost, and the acidity level will drop. You’ll also find plenty of specific compounds for a variety of plants, for example, citrus feeders for pushing into the compost and slowly drip feeding your plant over a period of weeks.

With any plant food you choose, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions with regards to dosage and application.

Tools of the trade

The good news for container gardeners is that you don’t need much to get going. Take a trip to any garden centre and you’ll see an array of gardening tools, whilst some may be useful, you can really make do with just a few basics.

■ Dibber An inexpensive piece of kit that enables you to make a perfect hole in a pot of compost into which you put a seed or seedling. You can make various depths depending on how far you push the dibber into the compost. Available in different circumferences, ideally buy a slim dibber for seeds and tiny seedlings, and a wider one for bigger specimens. An old pencil or piece of dowling will also do the trick.

■ Trowel and hand fork Good for getting into small areas and in between plants to weed and turn the compost over. Trowels enable you to make larger holes than a dibber, necessary for planting larger seedlings and specimens, and you don’t have to disturb the compost as you would with a spade or large fork. Additionally, I find an old kitchen spoon and fork handy for getting into very small areas without disturbing delicate roots.

■ Labels Seedlings often look very similar when they first appear so label everything as it is sown so you don’t make any mistakes. Make sure you use an indelible pen that won’t wash off when you water. Save wooden ice lolly sticks to make your own.

■ Watering can and mister With a small nozzle or ‘rose’ for getting right to the base of your potted plants. I prefer to use different-size cans for different tasks, but it depends on storage space. For instance, I have a can for rainwater and one for tap water, and another can for applying liquid fertilizer. A plastic water spray with a fine nozzle is perfect for applying a fine mist of tepid water to cool or cleanse your plants, and to help fruit set and encourage a good crop.

■ Canes, support systems, string and ties Bamboo canes are inexpensive and very useful for cutting down to different lengths, depending on what needs supporting. Pop a stopper on the top (or a plastic cup) to prevent any accidents. They can also be tied together with garden string to make more detailed frames, such as a wigwam for runner beans or a trellis system for blackberries – much cheaper than elaborate ready-made structures (although the latter can add an artistic and stylish feature to a small space). Lengths of string can also be tied to canes for adding extra supports to allow peas to entwine themselves on. Collect fine twigs and sticks from hedgerows for adding to pots of peas to give them support. Whilst garden string can be used for securing most plants, you may prefer to use plastic ties or clips for smaller or more fragile plants (you’ll find quite a selection at your garden centre).

■ Secateurs and scissors Probably one of the biggest gardening tool expenses, but worth it. A decent pair of secateurs for cutting back and pruning will last you many years if you look after them properly. It’s also worth putting aside a pair of kitchen scissors for gardening use as well – useful for ‘snipping’ away in smaller areas, and for harvesting salad leaves, herbs and soft fruit. Floristry scissors are useful as well.

■ Fleece and netting Depending on where you live and what you’re planting, you may need to buy some of each. Both are inexpensive and readily available from garden centres, cut to measure from the roll. Easy to store and use, you’ll be able to cover your pots and containers quickly in order to protect them from adverse weather conditions, strong sunlight and pests.

■ Gloves Gardeners seem to be split 50/50 over whether they wear gloves or not. I can see the attraction of not wearing gloves – you certainly get more of a feel for what you’re doing – and for finer tasks I don’t wear them. On the whole, I’m a glove wearer (thin latex gloves are useful for most gardening jobs), mainly because I’m in and out of the kitchen cooking as well!

■ Tamper and riddle