Vegetable-growing isn't the first project that springs to mind for the balcony or roof gardener, but, in fact, there is a lot of scope for making the most of even a tiny gardening space to produce fruit, vegetables and herbs for the table. The taste of food brought in and eaten fresh from the garden is better than any bought from the shops, and, even in a small area, there are plenty of varieties that can be grown.
Dwarf Varieties
Many fruit varieties are available on a dwarfing rootstock, which keeps them small, and they can be grown in containers, either as normally shaped trees, or as single-stemmed cordons. Against a warm wall, fan-shaped peaches, nectarines and cherries will thrive, as will grapes, which can also be grown over a pergola.
A new generation of "mini-vegetables" have been bred that are aimed at the smaller growing area and designed to be harvested and eaten while they are still small and tender. Tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines (eggplants) and peppers will all thrive in containers, as long as they are sheltered.
Herbs, particularly the more ornamental ones, such as purple basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Dark Opal') and variegated sages and mints, are decorative as well as useful. Edible flowers, such as nasturtiums, pot marigolds and borage, can be added to salads or frozen into ice cubes to add to summer drinks.
The main requirements for a successful crop are sunshine, water, food and shelter from cold winds. Sun is needed to ripen the fruit and keep the more tender crops, such as courgettes (zucchini), aubergines and peaches, at a warm enough temperature. Most edible plants need a lot of water. This is especially important for plants such as tomatoes, whose fruit has a high water content when ripe.
Edible plants may also need a soil or compost (soil mix) which is rich in organic matter or fertilizer, to provide the nutrients for their rapid growth, although the amount needed does vary from variety to variety, with lettuces being far more dependent on water than food, for example. For this reason, a crop of tomatoes in a grow-bag can be followed the next year by a crop of lettuce and radishes grown in the same bag.
Miniature Kitchen Garden
1. Not many of us have the space or time to maintain a kitchen garden, but this table-top selection will allow you to grow all the essentials. Place crocks in the bottom of terracotta pots for drainage. Plants with well-developed root systems, such as this marigold, will benefit from planting in a larger pot.
2. Pots of basil and other herbs are available from garden centres and many supermarkets. They can be potted on successfully to provide fresh herbs throughout the season. You may be able to divide a single plant into two or more pots when repotting.
3. Nasturtiums flower better in poor soil, and once planted should be left to their own devices. Give them a little water but no plant food or you will get lots of leaves and no flowers.
4. Additional plants to grow might include miniature tomato and strawberry plants. They need larger pots to allow for root development. Line a tray with a thick plastic sheet and cover with clay granules. These retain moisture and create a damp microclimate for the plants.
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