Many new home fruit and veg growers have sprung up in the UK recently. While some may have been driven by the fear of foodstuffs running short because of a lack of crop-pickers post-Brexit, most have simply been inspired by the desire to do something productive and worthwhile during the long periods of pandemic-related restrictions. The health benefits of growing plants in general have been much trumpeted, but there is added appeal when the results can be eaten!
While not everyone has access to a large garden or allotment, there are still plenty of ways of growing worthwhile crops. Here are five simple ideas for getting the best results from tiny spaces.
1) Grow low volume, high value crops
You can grow things like potatoes in bags and containers, so by all means give it a go, but they aren’t expensive to buy in the shops, so why not go for things that are pricey? Herbs are an ideal home crop. They are easy to grow in pots, work well in spaces as small (and convenient!) as a kitchen windowsill, can generally be cropped multiple times, and make a real difference to meals. Parsley, mint, chives, thyme and coriander make up a good range and all thrive in the UK. Basil is a good addition, packed with flavour, but it needs protection from the cold and its season will be shorter than the others. Sage and rosemary are other options, but will require bigger pots and therefore a little more space — a balcony or small patio will provide ample.
On a similar basis of getting the maximum flavour from a small package, chillies and peppers are also well worth a go.
2) Be creative with containers
Plant pots sold as such tend to be quite pricey and you can grow crops just as easily in a multitude of other containers, many of which would otherwise be thrown away. Seeds can be planted and nurtured in plastic and glass food containers of all shapes and sizes. Cut down plastic bottles deliver terrific light levels for nurturing young plants, acting as highly effective miniature cloches and cold frames. Drill holes in bases where good drainage is required, and site somewhere warm and bright. An interior windowsill is perfect, but watch out for exposing plants to full sun for too long — some will thrive, others will wilt.
Repurposing old containers needn’t mean living with ugly plant holders either. Give them a paint job (water-based acrylics recommended) or smarten them up with spare bits of gift wrap. Look out, too, for old chimney pots and crockery, which can often be repurposed as attractive plant-holders. Basically, anything that won’t disintegrate when wet is usable — even old boots!
3) Grow up!
No, not an injunction to abandon your inner child(!) but to think about growing your food crops in three dimensions. Traditional gardens may start from the ground up, but if your space is limited you need to be looking at the vertical possibilities. If you have existing walls or fences, hang containers from them. Maybe you could connect two facing or adjacent walls with overhead lines and grow a grape vine. In a sheltered but sunny courtyard or patio garden, this will give you dappled shade, beautiful greenery and, if you handle it kindly, delicious fruits.
If you don’t have vertical structures, could you add some? Even a single square post can play host to pots on all four sides. Two can be linked by wood or wires to create a vertical surface, and three or more open up all sorts of combination possibilities.
If space is tight but money is not, you could even build (or have someone build for you) an entire framework to house you and your crops. Wood is the traditional material used, but it needn’t be. There are systems, like Millboard’s DuoSpan (see image), that enable complex designs incorporating multi-levels, pagodas and planters to be built easily using aluminium components that are much more durable and weather resistant.
4) Feed and water your crops
While growing crops in containers is perfectly feasible, the nutrients in the compost used will quickly be exhausted, so some feeding is usually necessary. On the other hand, overfeeding can do even more harm than underfeeding, which is why liquid feeds are generally preferred for containers — it’s too easy to overdose with solid feeds.
Pick the appropriate feed for your crop — for example, herbs benefit from seaweed-based feeds — and apply it little and often, upping the frequency when the plant is growing vigorously. Although you might think they need it, it’s best not to feed plants if you have let them dry out. What they need is water, and if there is one golden rule about growing plants in containers it is to ensure that they get all the water they need, especially in the summer. One advantage of growing in small spaces is that it is easy to set up an automated watering system that will ensure none of your plants miss out, even if you are away.
5) Grow what you like and share it around
It might sound obvious, but there is little point in growing crops that you and your family don’t like, especially if you only have a small space to work with. If you can, try tasting the varieties you’re thinking of planting before you plant them. For example, you might like tomatoes, but decide you’re not keen on the flavour or texture of particular types — it’s better to find out in advance!
Whatever you grow, enjoy it. And if you are blessed with a bigger harvest than you can eat or store, share it with those around you. There’s not much that boosts good neighbourly relations quite so much as a present of free, delicious, home-grown fruit or veg!
