Choosing Plants for an Edible Garden

Combine the joys of gardening with the pleasure of eating. With a little planning and some hard work, many delicious vegetables, herbs and fruits can be successfully grown in a way that is both visually pleasing and practical.

Plants That will Save Money

Choose things that are expensive to buy but easy to grow. A prime example of this is rocket Рover £1 for a small bunch but it grows so quickly and easily (hence the name). Purple sprouting broccoli is another expensive vegetable but very easy (if large) to grow. Salads are good value too. Fend off the slugs and snails and they can look very attractive and save money through the summer.

Growing Vegetables from Seed in Limited Space

The space available will determine what it is possible to grow. Struggling for window sill space just to start seeds off can be a nuisance and not everyone has access to a greenhouse or shed to store the tools, compost and other gardening accoutrements.

If space is limited, don’t give up. Nowadays there are many ways to achieve a productive and pretty garden. Buying small plants rather than growing from seed is an option if messing around with compost, seed trays and the like is not practical. Most garden centres sell trays of young vegetables ready to plant out.

Successful seedling establishment may lead to inundation…Eating 30 lettuce a week is a bit tricky. What can be done with the glut of seedlings? Gardening clubs and organisations like freecycle are useful for giving away or swapping excess plant seedlings. Car boot sales are also a way of turning extra plantlets into profit although this may quickly be spent on other bits and pieces.

Edible Container Plants

In smaller gardens or patios, even on balconies, consider edible container plants. Even root vegetables like carrots and potatoes do well in the right type of pot. Carrots can grow to perfection in old drainpipes or taller containers and may even be suspended along a wall. Growing them at height also reduces the risk of root fly infestation. Chard looks stunning in pots and makes a good centre piece to a bedding display. Strawberries are good in pots and hanging baskets too. Nasturtiums can be eaten in salads and thrive in pots and baskets.

Tomatoes and tender herbs such as basil and coriander are good in containers. Ornamental herbs such as eau de cologne mint also thrive. Mint is best constrained as it quickly spreads into all areas.

Fruit bushes such as blueberries can be containerised. Dwarf trees and patio fruit trees which have been grafted onto special root stock can also thrive in pots. They will need regular feeding, watering and repotting to refresh the soil and keep them healthy.

Herbs

Most herbs grow well if treated a bit like alpines. They like free-draining soil. Raised beds are ideal. Integrate herbs with alpines – thyme, sage, oregano and chives look great interspersed with alpine plants such as dwarf narcissi, aubrietia and rock roses. Group herbs together if at all uncertain which is which or if foraging for eating after dark is likely – that way there’s less risk of poisoning!

Don’t forget the contemporary trend for integrating vegetables and other tasty plants in amongst the other plants in the garden. An edible garden needn’t look like an allotment. Careful planning can lead to stunning colours and textures.

Feeling peckish now…just off to graze amongst the pots.