Growing Herbs and Vegetables

Detailed information about growing vegetables and herbs outdoors in plots or pots and containers

General Tips

Jump to:-  Location & Soil Preparation | Sowing Seeds | Hardening Off | Growing in Containers

Go to:-   Growing Herbs - details | Growing Vegetables - details  |  Garden Store  |  Seed Germination Temperatures

For even more detailed instructions on growing vegetables, fruit, herbs and edible flowers plus in-depth articles on growing your own edible produce visit our sister site www.pots2plots.com or why not visit our gardening blog The Urban Gardener.

Hardening off

If sowing seed in pots or trays indoors, it is recommended that you "harden them off"  before moving them permanently outdoors. 

This is done by placing the pots outside in a sheltered position during the day once the daytime outside temperature is no less than 16C/61F, and then bringing them back indoors. This should be done over a period of a few weeks,  gradually lengthening the amount of time the plants remain outside from 2-3 hours when you first start, to all day after 3 weeks or so. The plants can then be moved outdoors permanently so long as night frosts are no longer a threat.

You can try shortening the above process, however growth may be severely checked resulting in much delayed cropping....and if you get it very wrong DEATH.

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Growing vegetables in containers

Most vegetables can be grown in pots or containers provided they are large enough. This is particularly important for root crops such as carrots, or very large plants such as cabbages.

Many herbs will grow in pots which are just 7.5cm/3" in diameter and pots as small as  15cm/6"in diameter  can be used to grow small crops of some vegetables such as radish,  salad leaves (including  Rocket), Spring Onions and baby Carrots.

The easiest containers to use are plastic ones because they are light and durable and come in many shapes and sizes. Particularly useful are 20cm/8"-deep troughs, which are excellent for growing vegetables such as spinach, baby beetroot and turnips, dwarf beans and carrots.

Growbags are recommended for trailing plants such as cucumber, courgettes and squash as well as peppers and tomatoes, although the latter may need support if cordon varieties are grown. Special growbag supports are available at many garden centres.

Terracotta containers are also suitable and often more decorative as are wooden containers.  

Use compost or a compost/soil mix for containers to keep them as light as possible. Ensure all containers have drainage holes in the bottom so that the compost/soil doesn't get waterlogged.

If space is at a premium, why not grow a few vegetables or herbs amongst your flowers. Many have quite pretty foliage which won't look out of place amongst flowering plants.

Don't forget hanging baskets - there are now some tomato varieties which have been specially bred for hanging baskets.

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Growing Herbs - click here for detailed instructions on how to sow and grow individual herbs

Growing Vegetables  - click here for detailed instructions on how to sow and grow individual Vegetables

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