Hawkins - Pot it, grow it, eat it: home-grown produce, from pot to pan

Published in 2010 by New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd
London Cape Town Sydney Auckland
www.newhollandpublishers.com

Garfield House, 8688 Edgware Road,
London W2 2EA, United Kingdom

80 McKenzie Street, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
Unit 1, 66 Gibbes Street, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia
218 Lake Road, Northcote, Auckland, New Zealand

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text copyright 2010 Kathryn Hawkins
Copyright 2010 photographs and illustrations:
New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd
Copyright 2010 New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd
Kathryn Hawkins has asserted her moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and copyright holders.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

eISBN 978 1 60765 370 7

Senior Editor: Corinne Masciocchi
Design: Simon Daley
Photography: Stuart MacGregor and Ian Garlick
Production: Laurence Poos
Editorial Direction: Rosemary Wilkinson

Reproduction by Modern Age Repro House Ltd, Hong Kong
Printed and bound by Times Offset (M) Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

I first started growing plants in containers when I lived in a flat in London. We had a communal garden, and being on the ground floor I had easy access to the outside space. I was fortunate to have a south-facing wall adjoined to my flat which was marvellous for growing tender crops, and they never once got caught in a frost in the 12 years I lived there. I used to grow mostly salads, tomatoes, herbs and fruit, as well as Mediterranean shrubs like mimosa and oleander; I was also able to put my lemon tree outside all summer long without fear of harm from adverse weather conditions. In fact, coming to think about it, I was very spoilt indeed; I didnt even have to remember to water my plants regularly, because my two garden-loving neighbours were much more diligent with the watering can than I was! A few years on, I have my own garden and live in mid Scotland. I still grow quite a few crops in containers, mostly for convenience, as containers enable me to grow crops that wouldnt suit my soil conditions or which spread like wild fire if not contained; it also means I can quickly move things if adverse weather conditions prevail. I especially like grow bags: they suit my practical (and slightly impatient) nature because you can just open them up and start planting straight away. I enjoy being outside and tinkering around, looking after my plants; I find it therapeutic and relaxing, and its so easy to keep container plants neat and tidy with just a few simple tweaks here and there.

Our interest in gardening has been on the increase over the past few years, and most recently weve been reminded of the health and planet-saving benefits of growing our own fruit and vegetables. Most people think they have to have their own garden or outside space to raise crops successfully, but its really not the case. It may be surprising to discover that just about anyone with as little space as a narrow window ledge can raise their own produce. This is the book that will help you find something to plant, grow, and then eat and enjoy, no matter how much space you have.

A wide selection of fruit, herbs and vegetables can be grown indoors and outside; from herbs, chilli peppers, cherry tomatoes and strawberries on the windowsill, to small trees and root vegetables in a patio or balcony trough. Apart from customizing your own planters, tubs and pots, garden centres sell plenty of specialized containers for growing your crops, in every conceivable shape, colour, size and material, and to suit all budgets. Youll also find grow-your-own kits for raising produce like potatoes in a sack, salad in a bag, or mushrooms in a box. You will need to do a bit of careful planning before you get started and Ive set out all the things you should take into account before you begin, but once youve got past the first few pages of this book, youll be itching to get going! Then, almost as if by magic, within a few weeks youll quite literally be able to enjoy the fruits of your labour, and will no doubt be feeling very pleased with yourself as you tuck into your first plate of home-grown produce. In case you need a bit of inspiration, Ive included a few recipe ideas at the back of the book to give you some suggestions on how to make the most of your produce.

Container gardening is great fun and can really capture your imagination and help liven up the smallest of spaces with a splash of colour from a jazzy pot, fresh foliage and, not forgetting, of course, an abundance of healthy-looking, great-tasting, home-grown, quality produce. So get your potting gloves on and get planting!

Bon apptit!

Kathryn Hawkins

The advantages of container growing are manifold, but you do need to stretch your imagination and be a bit creative if you think you havent got enough of the right kind of space. If you havent got much ground space, think about vertical growing: how about containers on steps or stacked on different levels of bricks or stone? And dont forget hanging baskets, windowsills and ledges. If you have no outside space at all, have a look around your living space and see what sills and ledges could be used indoors, and whether you could position tables or other units nearer to the window to enable you to grow more. Containers offer easy and instant access to your crops, and help bring the outside indoors. You can move plants around easily to get as much sun as possible or into the shade and shelter when necessary, and once theyre up and running most plants require only simple routine maintenance.

Gardeners favourite: traditional terracotta pots.

Containers can brighten up any dead space and are ideal for hiding anything unsightly; in fact they can add a feature to the dullest-looking wall or fence. You can change things around as often as you like to make up endless pot-scapes. Above all else, I think container growing can offer anyone the chance to raise their own produce and give real satisfaction in the process.

Before you go out and buy containers have a careful think about the space youve got and what you might want to grow. Most crops need some sunshine, but not all like full sun, and some need protection from strong heat, wind and frosts. Youll also need to be able to water them regularly so think about the practicalities of this some plants need more water than others. At the same time, think about what you like eating and how much produce you could actually get through its pointless trying to grow too much and then have produce wasted. When youve drawn up a list, read through the vegetable, herb and fruit directory on pages 20103 and check the suitability of your site against your chosen plants (theres a short potted guide on each entry for quick reference).