Thinking of what to grow in the kitchen garden in containers begins with planning what you want to eat, just like if you were planning what to grow in beds and borders. Almost anything can be grown in a container so before you get started, make a list of the things you would like to eat and then decide how many containers you have, how big they are and what space you have. That's a great place to start. Here are some more tips to help you grow your own food in containers.
Growing fruit and vegetables in the kitchen garden in containers
There are so many vegetables and fruit to grow in containers. Still, if you are also growing in the ground in the kitchen garden, we recommend using the containers for things like salads, strawberries, tomatoes, nasturtiums and other edibles. These are easy to grow and easy to keep on picking and sowing throughout the spring and summer. Adding some edible flowers like pansies and nasturtiums is also an excellent way of filling the space. If you want to grow more fruit in containers, you can even grow smaller apple and pear trees plus, if you have a sunny site - try a pretty lemon tree.
Potatoes and squash can grow in the kitchen garden in containers
Potatoes are straightforward to grow in containers, and if you don't have space for rows of them in the ground or if you don't need to grow lots of them, a container is a great option.
- Fill a large container with one-third of compost
- Place your seed potatoes on top
- Add another third of compost
- As the foliage grows, top it up with compost until they are ready to harvest.
Other container plants include a big courgette plant. They can take up a lot of space in the kitchen garden, and one plant is usually enough for a summer's worth of courgettes, so one in a container works perfectly well.
Grow pollinator-friendly plants in the kitchen garden in containers
Whether growing in a bed or a container, you will need to attract pollinators to help your plants grow and form fruits. Ways use some containers for plants such as Lavender, annuals such as Calendula, Cornflowers and anything you love that insects will also enjoy.
Grow in the kitchen garden in containers with lots of herbs
Herbs are easy to grow and edible and also great for beneficial insects. Container-grown herbs mean you can move them around and close to your door, so you can pop outside and pick what you need when you are cooking as and when you need them.
With so many grow-your-own options in store, visit us to fill your containers this year.