If you liked the last blog 5 Veg that you can grow in a Pot or Planter then here is the second installment of pot grown veg. More suggestions for veg you can grow at home even if you don't have a garden.
Spring Onions
Spring Onions can be used in salads, sandwiches or stir fries so they are a useful crop to grow. They don't have massively long roots so can be grown in a shallow or medium planter like the Oxford Planter. You can double up with a different crop. For example, if you read last weeks blog (link above) then your spring onions could share a planter with your Cut and Come Again Leaves. Whatever pot you choose, just fill with compost to within about 1" (3 cm) of the top. Then lightly scatter the seed over the surface and cover with 0.5" (1.5cm) of compost. Water gently to keep the soil moist and you'll soon see the plants emerge. If plants look crowded then thin out a little and use the thininngs in salads or sandwiches.
Beetroot
Beetroot is grown for the roots although you can eat the leaves - use them where you would use spinach. You need a 5 Litre pot for beetroot. Take care when buying your seeds, Choose a baby beet variety - smaller and bolt resistant for growing in a pot. Larger varieties may become restricted by the pot and become woody as a result. Beetroot seeds are actually clusters of 4 or 5 individual seeds so plant a single seed in your pot. You will get a number plants. Sowing 2 weeks apart will give you a steady harvest of tender, golf ball size beet throughout the summer. For full instructions on how to grow it see this blog Grow at Home: Beetroot
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is from the same plant family as beetroot. But it is grown for the leaves. And what leaves they are! With stems in jewel like colours these are sure to wow you when they start to grow. Chard is a very productive crop as it will produce new leaves when cut so one or two plants will provide nutritious leaves for a full season. As it doesn't have deep roots this is another one for a shallow planter or an Instant Raised Bed Make a shallow drill in your planter around 0.5" (1.5cm) deep. Sow seeds into it and cover lightly with soil. Water well. As seedlings start to emerge thin and use thinings in salads. You should be able to start eating in around 10 weeks.
Tomatoes
The easiest type of tomato for a pot is a bush variety as these are small compact plants that need less support. These willl grow happily in a Tomato Patio Planter. If you prefer to grow climbing varieties then these will need more support. A Tomato (Climbing) Patio Planter or Tomato Crop Booster Frame would both be ideal. Whichever sort you choose, tomatoes are easy to grow and well suited to pots providing they are fed. So make sure you order tomato food from your garden centre when you order your planters, compost and seeds. For full details of how to grow tomatoes see this recent blog Grow at Home: Tomatoes
Baby Carrots
Your pot needs to be quite deep for carrots. The best varieties for pots are round, white or French carrots. The French wil be the sweetest, the round the 'carrotiest' tasting and the white will actually grow about 5" (12cm). A Deep Oxford planter would work well or a Raised Bed if you have the space. Carrots grown in the ground are often wonky as they have to negotiate stones and other obstacles in the soil. The advantage of growing in pots is that you should get lovely straight carrots. For full instructions on growing carrots Grow at Home: Carrots I hope that this has inspired you to get growing.
Please comment if there are any crops you want more info on or pot grown veg you think we missed. And do follow us on Socail Media for further info. Thanks for reading!