Jane Moore - The Little Book of Crops in Small Spots: A Modern Guide to Growing Fruit and Veg

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is well within the reach of anyone, no matter how much gardening youve done before. We all have to start somewhere, usually with a tomato plant, and that isnt the easiest crop to grow by any means. Begin by trying to grow a few different plants youll soon gain some confidence and knowledge, and then youll be ready to branch out into other crops.

Simple, straightforward crops such as salad leaves, herbs and even a pot of home-grown cress can add so much to your meals and they are super easy to grow. Once youve mastered these, youll feel ready to broaden your scope, expanding production and trying your hand at the more demanding crops.

Use your space wisely and even the smallest or most awkward spots can be brilliantly productive and a joy to own. Look at the colourful flowers on your vegetable plants and the bees that visit them, listen to the birdsong as they flit about snatching the insects that your plants have attracted and watch those fruits and pods swell with promise.

• The growing instructions and suggestions are based firmly in the northern hemisphere. Many of these crops can be grown throughout the world, but you may need to adjust timings and care according to your seasons and how mild or extreme they are.
• Variety notes are just suggestions there may be plant varieties that are far better suited to your climate than those I have listed. There are hundreds of different vegetables and fruits out there more than I could ever grow in a lifetime of gardening. So take advice locally from garden centres and nurseries. Of course, fellow gardeners are the best source of tips, tricks and top varieties, and are usually very happy to share their wisdom.
• Use the information on the seed packet. These are your instructions on when to sow, how deep and what conditions the plants will need to thrive. Planting depth is crucial plant too deep and the seedlings will struggle to get to the surface, too shallow and the wind will blow them away or the birds will have them.
• The provides useful explanations of any gardening phrases I have used, so do refer to this if needed.

Most vegetables need sunshine to thrive but awkward spots are not always that great for allowing in plenty of sun, especially between buildings where the walls can shade for much of the day. A lot of crops need full sun, which is around eight or more hours a day, or partial sun, which is about four hours or so.

As a rule of thumb, crops such as tomatoes, apples, pumpkins and courgettes/zucchini need plenty of sunshine to fully ripen, so give these your sunniest spots. Leafy crops such as beans, lettuces and salads generally will tolerate more shade.

	Plant spring, summer, autumn, winter
	Harvest spring, summer, autumn, winter
	Weeks to harvest
	Skill level easy/intermediate/challenging
	sunlight
	watering
	height
	flower
	seeds
	feed

Dont underestimate how much water even a single plant will demand throughout a season of growing. These plants grow fast and furious and you need to keep up with them if youre going to get the best results.

If youre growing in the ground, in a raised bed or something similar, then the natural supplies available from rainfall will help, although you will still need to supplement this. But I suspect that, like me, youll be growing many of your crops in containers and these are totally reliant on you for providing water and nutrients, as rain will barely penetrate a pot as the compost surface will be covered by the foliage of the plant. Plants growing in pots and containers (including grow bags) will need watering sometimes daily throughout the growing season, so plan ahead, setting up water butts and containers to catch rainfall where possible. An automatic watering system makes life easier and, if it has a timer, it means you can water at night when the plant is able to make the most of the precious water without it evaporating in the heat of the day.

It doesnt matter how small a space you have or how inexperienced you are, growing your own crops in spare corners of your garden or on a patio is easy to do. In a way, growing in odd spots is ideal for developing your gardening skills as it forces you to start small, mastering one or two crops before you move on to more varied plants that require more management.

When we met, my partner had started his gardening life with a single tomato plant on the windowsill of his fourth floor flat. After a couple of seasons, he had progressed to several pots of herbs, a couple of tomato plants and a tub or two of potatoes. By then he had run out of space, and thats the tricky thing with odd-spot growing there just isnt enough room for everything you want to grow. You cant go wrong if you choose the crops you love to have at hand, the ones you want to eat freshly picked and lush, the things its hard to find in the shops. Be realistic though theres no way youll be growing sweet potatoes on your balcony or a mango in a pot, but you could grow a very nice crop of new potatoes and there are few trees prettier in a pot than a peach.

The great thing about plants, particularly vegetables, is that they really want to grow and will do their best to do so in whatever conditions theyre given just think of the sprouting potatoes and onions you may find in your veg rack! Give plants a helping hand, a nice rich growing spot, some tender loving care and regular watering and they will reward you.

Just because your available space is small doesnt mean it lacks potential its up to you to get creative and explore the possibilities. Keep it simple and straightforward to start with and remember you dont want to fill every available space with planting or there wont be any room to move. Take a look at other peoples ideas on blogs, Pinterest and other sites for inspiration. If youre in a flat or apartment and only have a windowsill, balcony or patio, then creativity is crucial and fun, too.