Vegetables can be grown in conventional pots, tubs, barrels and troughs, which should be at least 30cm (12in) in diameter and depth, or better, 45-60cm (18-24in) wide and deep. They should be filled with an all-peat potting soil. But perhaps the most convenient way to grow vegetables on a patio, balcony or flat roof is to plant them in growing bags. These are purely utility containers consisting of a plastic bag about 1.2m (4ft) in length and 30cm (12in) wide, filled with potting soil, generally an all-peat type.

Growing bags are used only for one season, for instance, for a crop of tomatoes, or a succession of several shorter-term crops like radishes. Holes are cut in the tops of the bags for planting or sowing.

Most vegetables like plenty of sun, so choose a sunny part of the patio for them. This is especially important with tender kinds like tomatoes, sweet peppers and aubergines, all of which also need sheltered conditions. Read the rest of this entry »

Culinary herbs can be grown in ornamental terracotta pots or troughs and need a very well-drained soil and plenty of sun. Several small herbs could be planted in a large pot or trough. A group of containers planted with herbs could make quite an attractive feature on a patio. And the cook in the family will welcome the easy access to a range of useful kinds of herbs.

There is a very wide range of culinary herbs available but people find the following the most popular and the most useful.

ANNUALS

Several popular herbs are annuals and need to be sown afresh each year. Included here is parsley (Petroselinum crispum), which is sown direct in early or mid spring. Seeds are slow to germinate. Sometimes this plant will reseed itself. The tender basil (Ocimum basilicum) is sown outdoors during late spring, as is coriander (Coriandrum sativum) and dill (Anethum graveolens). Read the rest of this entry »

It cannot be denied that growing plants in containers is quite labour intensive, particularly during warm weather when they will need a lot of watering. Then there is feeding of plants (needed more often than plants growing in the garden), changing potting soil, moving plants into larger containers, the pruning of some permanent plants (although the same plants in the garden would also require this) and protection during the winter if you live in an area subject to severe frosts.

WATERING CONTAINER PLANTS

This will be a regular task in warm weather, when some containers may need checking twice a day. Do not neglect to check them regularly in cooler weather, too, even in winter, when the soil can still dry out, albeit more slowly. Read the rest of this entry »

Permanent plants like shrubs and trees should not be planted immediately in large containers (unless, that is, you purchase large specimens). Ordinary, small young specimens are better started off in smaller pots and gradually potted into larger sizes (two sizes larger each time) before the pots become packed with roots, until they are large enough for their permanent pots. Moving plants into larger pots like this prevents roots of young plants rotting from large volumes of wet soil around them.

Plants can be potted in early spring lust before they come out of dormancy and start into growth again. The technique is as follows: first make sure that the plant’s football is moist. Ensure the container has drainage holes in the base, then spread a layer of pebbles over the bottom for good drainage. Cover this with a thin layer of rough peat or partially rotted leaves. Read the rest of this entry »