the backyard vegetable

Vegetables in small spaces

Not everyone has a big backyard.

However, even a small area can produce a useful amount of fresh food.

Small no-dig gardens can sit on concrete or paving, and many food plants will grow

happily in containers.It can however be difficult keeping containers adequately watered

- especially in the heat of summer.

'Self-watering' or 'wicking' pots will help solve this problem: the base of a watertight container

has a layer of gravel which is covered with shade cloth or weedmat. This acts as a reservoir.

A drain hole level with the top of the gravel prevents water logging.

A length of plumbing pipe stands upright in the gravel to allow the reservoir to be topped up.

The container is then filled with potting mix and topped with mulch to reduce evaporation.

Plants growing in this type of container are watered from below as water 'wicks' up from the

reservoir into the soil. This is a very water-efficient growing method.

Below are some options for growing food plants in small spaces.

Healthy basil plants in a single wicking

container - another broccoli box.

A simple raised container garden: three

broccoli boxes on a cast-off steel table

frame. A timber surround improves their

appearance.

Here is the raised garden planted out and growing happily.

In its first incarnation this box garden had drain holes. However, during summer it was

difficult to keep the soil moist and the vegetables did not thrive.

Version two is a wicking garden. The reservoir in each box is topped up every couple of

weeks and even thirsty leafy greens do well despite being under the eaves of the house.

Blackbirds like to scratch at the potting mix so the entire garden is covered with bird netting

supported on 19mm polypipe arches.