How To Grow Your Own Vegetables
From the best varieties, to making the most of smaller spaces, here is everything you need to know.
There simply isn’t anything quite like freshly picked, homegrown produce. Not only does it taste delicious, but with sun-ripened colours and firm textures, it looks more appetising on the plate.
Growing food from scratch can be daunting, but with these insider tips it is achievable, even in the smallest of spaces. And what better time to avoid a trip to the shops and sample a little of The Good Life?
Getting started
Start small and grow what you will enjoy preparing and eating. Herbs are a great way to test give growing a go! Parsley, thyme, rosemary and mint are all fairly self-sufficient and used regularly in cooking.
Choose your plot
Picking a good location is important. That said, not all of us has the luxury of having more than once space to choose from!
If you don’t have a garden, window boxes, a sunny balcony or even an unused flat roof all make good spots. Just try to keep in mind that most vegetables need at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.
Shelter
Ideally avoid places exposed to strong winds, as these could knock over young plants or keep pollinators such as bees from doing their job.
Moisture
In gardens, be sure to plant in moist, well-drained soil. If you have poorly drained soil (i.e. water pools), a raised bed is best. With rocky soil, be sure to turn the bed thoroughly and remove what stones you can.
Short on planting space?
As the phrase goes ‘it’s better to be proud of a small garden than be frustrated by a large one’.
Grow bags, empty pots, buckets and even old Tupperware can be used to plant in. Just be sure that there are holes for drainage. Remember too that terracotta pots dry out quickly, as water evaporates through ceramic.
Trailing varieties of tomatoes and strawberries can also be grown in larger hanging baskets, making use of height in sheltered spots.
Use the biggest pots you can to provide the best soil depth. Larger pots provide stability for tall varieties such as tomatoes, or vegetables with longer tap roots like carrots. More space also means you are more likely to get a bigger crop.
Varieties that like the same growing conditions can share pots. Basil and tomatoes both thrive in a sheltered spot in full sun, as do many Mediterranean herbs.
Make use of height
Use plant supports to help climbing varieties gain height. Tie bamboo canes or hazel poles together to form a tepee for these to grow around.
Watering and feeding
Seeds and seedlings should be watered daily. Once established, reduce this to every few days to encourage roots to grow downwards. Watering should always be done in the evenings to avoid leaf scorch.
Choose good quality peat-free, multi-purpose compost. For smaller containers, consider adding slow-release fertiliser granules and water-retaining gel to keep plants happy.
A feed of general-purpose liquid fertiliser can be applied every two weeks if necessary.
Pest control
Protect precious produce with insect spray. Or if, you want to remain organic, try mixing up a little washing up liquid with water and spraying that liberally in the evening. (This also works on rose-loving aphids).
What to grow
Salads
There are many salad varieties that will grow from seed, either in the ground or in containers. Be sure to choose one that gives a high yield.
Look out for ‘cut and come again’ Italian or French salad varieties. These are brilliant, as they can be cut an inch from the base and will regrow again.
Alternatively plant up your favourite, whether it’s Cos, Little Gem or Iceburg.
Courgettes (zucchini)
A single plant can provide up to 10 veg, making these a great option for small gardens. Perfect for patio containers, just keep them well watered and be sure to pick fruit regularly, removing any diseased leaves as they appear.
The colourful orange flowers can also be eaten and are beautiful stuffed, battered and deep-fried. Be warned though, their stems are prickly and can sometimes irritate sensitive skin!
Beans
Runner beans are easy to grow from seed, but they need to be trained upwards as they can reach over 6ft in height.
Instead, try dwarf (i.e. low growing) French beans, which take about 6-8 weeks to mature, and will crop for about a month.
Trays of ready-grown seedlings are great. Available from garden centres or larger DIY stores, plant a batch now, then replant another in June/July. Doing this should see you through until Autumn, with enough left over to freeze and enjoy over Christmas!
Tip: As they are shallow rooted you can also grow these in window boxes and their pretty white flowers will attract wildlife before turning into the beans!
Tomatoes
A kitchen staple, tomatoes are delicious picked direct from the plant. Most varieties are climbers, so need to be staked, but they will happily grow in a deep patio pot.
Buy as seedlings right now and they will grow quickly. To encourage upward growth be sure to pinch out any side shoots. When tall enough, nip out the top of the plant to encourage it to bush out and for larger plants strip off any lower branches below a foot, to avoid getting the leaves wet when watering.
Spinach
Grow iron-rich spinach from seed in smaller pots or a window box. With shallow roots they don’t need much depth. Just be sure to pick often and they will continue to produce for a year, being winter hardy.
Don't bother with
Brassicas, i.e. vegetables in the cabbage family as these are prone to pests; potatoes take time and use a lot of space and even highly experienced gardeners find celery, celeriac and Florence fennel a challenge!
Happy Digging xx
