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Container Growing

Most gardeners grow in containers, a hanging basket or a pot on a patio is container gardening. Indoor herb growing in containers is common as well but vegetable growing in containers is not so common.

Container Growing

A mixture of decorative and edible plants growing in containers on a patio including cordon tomatoes, courgettes and peppers. Note the upside down tomato planters hanging on the walls.

Yet if you don’t have enough space for a vegetable plot then vegetable and fruit container gardening is the way to enjoy your own fresh crops. Many of the champion show growers, those people with the fantastic leeks and onions actually grow in containers, admittedly large containers, but containers nonetheless.

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Container growing of tomatoes is usual, a grow bag is a container and so is a large pot. But you can grow nearly anything in a container. There are very few vegetables that you cannot grow in a container and you can even grow fruit in containers. Growing figs in a container that can be brought into the greenhouse or conservatory so that they avoid winter frosts is usual and enables a crop even in northern areas where growing figs out of doors would not be realistic.

Growing citrus trees in containers offers the same benefits, they can come into the warmth when the weather turns cold. Minaret apple trees, where the fruit comes directly off the single stem, do very well in containers. They look well in a large decorative pot on the patio, and taste well too!

Organic Container Growing

Organic container growing is perfectly possible, although you will need to use fertilisers such as fish, blood and bone and dried blood to achieve good results. In fact, it is easier to garden organically in containers as it is easier to apply barrier methods to keep the pests away. You don’t need chemical sprays if the pests can’t get to your crop in the first place.

Some crops do much better in containers than natural soil. Carrots love growing in deep containers as do potatoes. Salad crops, lettuce, rocket, spring onions and radish do well. A few troughs on a patio can supply your needs right by the kitchen door. You can’t get fresher than that.

Railway sleepers make for perfect gardening containers. They can be cut to suit the size of your garden perfectly, providing both length and depth for your plants, vegetables or fruits. For a more rustic look to match your garden, there is also the option of using reclaimed sleepers.

These articles should get you started growing a wide range of vegetables and salad crops even if you only have a balcony!

Articles on Container Growing Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs

Container Gardening - Container Vegetable Growing

Container Gardening - Container Vegetable Growing

We lived in a house where the back garden consisted of concrete so growing vegetables didn't seem like a possibility. My wife just started acquiring pots like they were going out of fashion and planting flowers. Well what's good enough for the...
Container Gardening - General Advice Guide & Tips

Container Gardening - General Advice Guide & Tips

In the summer our patio is a riot of colour as my wife grows a lot in pots. They soften the edges and link the patio to the rest of the garden. When we had a terraced house with a concrete back garden, container growing made life tolerable for me as I...
Container Gardening - Protecting Your Plants & Crops From Pests

Container Gardening - Protecting Your Plants & Crops From Pests

Just as with any gardener outside, your plants will be under attack from pests. Slugs & Snails The first and worst problem is the slug. The beasties crawl across the concrete at night, climb into your pots and in the morning you wonder where...
Growing Tables for Vegetables, Fruit & Herbs

Growing Tables for Vegetables, Fruit & Herbs

Growing tables provide a way for the less able and wheelchair users to continue to enjoy growing their own. One tip for those unsteady on their feet is to fix some grab rails to the vegetable growing table. Don't forget that a table loaded with compost...
The Basics Of How to Plant Container Gardens

The Basics Of How to Plant Container Gardens

An interesting article about growing in pots and how to plant container gardens from Mary Hanna. All the information you need to know on how to plant Container Gardens. This article will show you how to plant successful and healthy Container Gardens....
What Vegetables Can You Grow in Containers?

What Vegetables Can You Grow in Containers?

With all container grown vegetables you want to go for varieties that are "suitable for close spacing ", sometimes described as "mini-veg ". The simple answer is anything you like as long as the pot is big enough! The easiest thing to start with is...
Winter Care of Container Fruit Trees

Winter Care of Container Fruit Trees

With new houses having gardens that deserve the title 'postage stamp' we've seen patio growing of fruit trees in containers becoming more and more popular. The minaret columnar style of trees can be very productive in pots but they do require...

 

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