I force many of my greens to give me a second and third harvest. I never pick only the outside leaves of my lettuce, spinach, chard, or mustard. They’re the oldest and toughest on a plant. Instead, I give the row a clean cut, slicing the plants about 1 inch above the ground. This encourages the plants to send up new tender growth and to try again to develop seedpods. For the harvest, I have a pleasing combination of young, tender leaves from the center of the plant mixed with the older ones. Read the rest of this entry »
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 »
