Home Grown Food: Vegetable Growing in a Small Space

I started growing some of my own food when I moved into a flat that had an old apple tree; the thrill I got from picking my first apple is something I can still remember. The best news of all is that you don't need to have a huge garden or an allotment; you don't need to spend lots of money or time or effort; you don't need to be an expert; all you need is a tiny bit of enthusiasm and a willingness to try.

There are one or two general tips to bear in mind:

1. You will need to water regularly - use a watering can not a hose.
2. You will need to feed the plants once the flowers appear. Use a general purpose sea-weed feed or tomato feed.
3. Drainage is important so ensure your container has holes in the bottom and use some stones or broken pots sharks in the bottom to increase drainage.
4. Keep free of weeds, in a small space you want to be nourishing the plants and not the weeds.
5. Grow things that you will like to eat.
6. Grow things that are easy to grow.
7. If like me you don't like creepy crawlies, avoid plants like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflowers that they love, or use companion planting to deter them. Slugs and their friends do not like onions, garlic, leeks or marigolds. Carrots are tricky because they attract carrot-fly but this can be overcome if you are particularly keen on them - me, I cannot be bothered and prefer buying mine from my local organic grower.

On a Windowsill

No outside space at all? Well I am sure you have a windowsill or window ledge and on that you can grow several things. You can pick up dwarf tomato plants from most garden centers for £1. You will need to pot it up into a bigger pot and I suggest you choose one to fit the shape and size of your windowsill. Some garden centers even do the work for you and have indoor plants ready to go.

A nice idea is to have one in a hanging basket but if you are using it indoors remember to buy one with a built in saucer for catching the water. How about peppers and chillies? These are easy to grow as well as good to eat. You might also try one or two strawberry plants indoors. Now that really is a treat. Herbs will grow happily on your kitchen window ledge, they are easy to grow and of course very handy.

On a Patio

There is no reason you cannot grow a successful crop of vegetables in containers. Indeed there are several varieties of seeds available now specifically for patio planting. The only limitation is your imagination.

You can use grow bags but they are not particularly attractive and there is a huge selection of containers now available that are reasonably priced. You could visit your local car-boot sale to find them or try your local free cycle website where people offer stuff they have no use for, free. Don't forget anything can be used as a container, old buckets, barrels, I have even seen an old toilet used. Buy grow-bags or peat-free compost to fill the pot or container.

A large pot with a wigwam of bamboo canes, 3 French bean plants, broad beans or peas provides a colourful show of flowers first and then the fruit just pick and eat. Try the purple varieties, the pods are a lovely purple but the vegetables are normal green.

Smaller pots can be utilized for anything you like: courgettes are particularly satisfying: one plant will supply you adequately throughout the summer, last year I had two and was swamped with courgettes. There is even a particularly pleasant one which grows in little round balls.

Tomatoes are always a popular favourite and I suggest you use bush varieties for patio planting. There are lots of varieties that grow happily in hanging baskets as do strawberry plants.

Strawberries you could also make your own strawberry tree: fill a large pot with compost, set a medium size pot on top and fill with compost and set a small pot on top and fill with compost and place your plants accordingly. If money is no object you can buy terracotta strawberry and herb trees.

Salad plants look particularly well in terracotta plant pots. Fill a small oblong one with compost and sprinkle with a mixed seed pack. Note if you space your sowing over several weeks you will have plants ready to eat all summer long.

You can even grow potatoes in containers. For many years I had successful crops this way. Or you can use a stout plastic bag; just remember drainage is important to make sure there are holes in the bottom for excess water to drain away. Half fill your bag/container with a grow-bag or compost, plant your potatoes and cover with compost. As the plants grow keep covering with compost until the bag is full. When you are ready to harvest it is easy to split the bag or to empty the container. There are custom-built potatoes bins available to buy from most gardening catalogues.

Raised Beds

A popular form of vegetable growing is in raised beds. All you need is a space you can enclose with short bordering. You can have just one but remember you cannot grow the same vegetable in the same bed every single year, you need to change or rotate the type you grow to avoid various diseases. Personally I have four beds which measure three feet (1 meter) by three foot and one foot deep. With these I can rotate the vegetables I grow on a four year cycle. Simply measure out a space, square is easier but no reason it has to be square. Border with wood, stone, or bamboo, you can buy lengths of bordering from any big DIY warehouse. Fill with top soil to about 1 foot deep and you are set.

I suggest you grow only things you like to eat. It does not have to be exotic, potatoes, leeks, onions, beans/peas, salad crops can be colorful, easy to grow and good to eat. You do not have to plant things in straight lines unless you want to. The only problem is if you are growing from seed, remember to mark where you have sown the seed so you can distinguish the tiny seedlings from weeds in the early days. If you prefer, garden centers will provide small plants at reasonable cost and this saves you from having too many if you grow from seed. Growing from seed though is particularly satisfying and you can share spare plants with friends.

Vegetable beds can be extremely attractive. Do not think you have to be confined in what you use. Mix your vegetables for colorful displays and you can include flowering plants like marigolds that help to deter bugs and slugs. I usually sow some mixed lettuce plants among my onions and leeks to help keep them un-nibbled. Please do not use those blue pellet things, the birds won't eat them but they do eat the slugs that die from them.

The possibilities are endless. I hope this short article has given you a few ideas that make you want to get out and get started. Enjoy!