Tips & Tricks: Container Gardening

We've noticed a lot of new gardeners entering the world of growing your own food. With many of you not having the space to do traditional beds, but looking to grow in pots, baskets, on balconies or in small spares. We have put together some tips and tricks to growing in containers, along with what you can grow and what to look out for.

What can I grow in containers?

There are a huge range of edible plants you can grow in containers, anything from herbs right through to squash and fruit trees. the limits are really endless, it more depends on the type of container your growing your food in.

There are a few things to think about:

How deep do the roots grow?

If your plants roots don't grow very deep such as lettuce, radish, cress; then you don't need a deep pot. If your plant roots grow deep such as spinach, root vegetables (carrots, parsnip, potatoes), mint; then you need a deep pot.

Is the plant thirsty?

Most plants are thirsty, but some are exceptionally more thirsty. If so, you might want to consider drip irrigation to ensure they get the water they need but do not get root rot; as growing in containers will not give you as good drainage.

Do I need lots of nutrients?

Should you plant need specific types or nutrients in the soil then growing in containers can be great! As you can adjust the soil the plant without jeopardising any other plant. Where as many herbs and salad leaves will work great in containers with little help from you.

Does the plant grow up, across or bush out?

If your plant grows up like some tomato varieties it will need training and supporting, so pots are better than vertical planters for example.

If your plant trails like squash consider a deep pot with lots of room for it to spread.

What pests do I have to worry about?

Your main pests to worry about when growing in containers are slugs, mice and flies. Slugs love the moist soil and the walls of the contain give them somewhere to hide undisturbed. Mice love to make nests in large pots, under plants, again so they are undisturbed and if you water from the top you have risk of your soil going slightly green, which will attract flies.

The best way to avoid problems is to water from below where possible and make sure you rotate the compost in your pots each season, this will help with pests but also help your plants!

You could also try hanging methods to reduce pests, great for salads, herbs, strawberries and tomatoes to name a few.

Alternatives to pots

You don't have to use pots to grow edibles, why not save yourself a bit of money or spice it up by seeing what's around your home or free online that you can re-purpose. Some examples are - hanging baskets, old tyres, watering cans, an old sandpit or old trolleys.