Growing Crops in Pots

If you do not have room for a vegetable patch or time for an allotment, but would like to grow your own salad, vegetables or fruit, growing in pots is ideal.

- Buy ready grown plants of sweet pepper, chilli pepper, cherry tomato and aubergine, strawberries and herbs or try cut salad mixes grown from seed.
- Mix a handful of water-retaining crystals into your compost and fill your pot to the top. Gently tap to settle the compost and firm down with your fingertips. Leave a 2cm (1in) gap between the compost and the top of the pot for watering.
- Scoop out compost in the middle to leave a hole slightly bigger than the rootball of your plant.
- Gently remove plant from pot and place in hole. Replace the compost around the plant and firm, making sure the surface of the plant is level with the top of the compost.
- If growing from seed, check the instructions on the packet. Either raise in small pots before planting into larger ones or scatter across the surface of the compost and water in.
- For larger fruit bushes such as blueberries, figs, peaches and apricots, select a larger pot and make sure you check the compost requirements on the plant label.

Time Needed: 10 minutes for each container

What you need:
- A selection of pots 20-45cm (8-17cm) diameter
- Multi-purpose compost
- Water-retaining crystals
- Vegetable, fruit or herb plants
- Watering can
- Label and pencil