Vegetables
Beetroot
A practical guide to growing beetroot in pots and troughs, including container depth, sowing, thinning, watering, succession and harvesting baby roots.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Small Garden Layouts
Layout ideas for making the most of every inch, whether you have a patio, a courtyard, a raised bed or a small plot.
A good small-space layout puts the tallest, sun-hungry crops where they get the most light without shading everything else, keeps thirsty plants close to the tap, and leaves enough room to reach every pot.
Four principles that work in any small space
- Tall at the back. Put tomatoes, peas and climbing beans on the side that won't shade the rest of your crops (usually the north side in the UK).
- Quick crops in the gaps. Radishes, salad leaves and spring onions fill spaces between slower crops and are harvested before those crops need the room.
- Herbs by the door. You'll actually use them if you can reach them while cooking.
- Grow up, not out. Railings, trellis, wall pockets and hanging baskets add growing space without using floor space.
Use the free Tiny Garden Layout Planner for a suggested layout based on your space and how much sun it gets.
Good crops for raised beds and small plots
Vegetables
Broad Beans
A practical guide to growing dwarf broad beans in large pots, including sowing, container choice, support, watering, tip pinching and harvesting.
- Full sun
- Easy
Vegetables
Carrots
Learn how to grow carrots in pots, including container depth, variety choice, sowing, thinning, watering and harvesting.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Courgettes
Learn how to grow a compact courgette in a large container, including pot size, planting, watering, feeding, pollination and harvesting.
- Full sun
- Some experience helps
Vegetables
French Beans
A practical guide to growing dwarf and climbing French beans in containers, with advice on sowing, pot size, support, watering and harvesting.
- Full sun
- Easy
Vegetables
Garlic
Plant garlic cloves in a pot this autumn and harvest your own bulbs next summer. Pot size, spacing, care, harvesting and drying.
- Full sun
- Easy
Vegetables
Kale
Kale is one of the hardiest leafy crops you can grow in a pot, giving fresh leaves from autumn right through winter. Varieties, sowing, pot size, pests and picking.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Lettuce
A calm, beginner-friendly guide to growing lettuce in pots, containers, window boxes and small gardens, with watering, harvesting and troubleshooting tips.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Onions and Shallots
Onions and shallots are easy to grow in a pot or trough from sets. When to plant in autumn and spring, how far apart, and how to harvest and dry the bulbs.
- Full sun
- Easy
Vegetables
Pak Choi
A practical guide to growing pak choi in pots and troughs, including sowing, moisture, partial shade, bolting prevention and harvesting.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Peas
A practical guide to growing dwarf peas and mangetout in containers, including pot size, support, watering, harvesting and common problems.
- Full sun
- Easy
Vegetables
Potatoes
Learn how to grow early potatoes in bags and large pots, including planting depth, earthing up, watering, harvesting and common container problems.
- Full sun
- Easy
Vegetables
Radishes
A beginner-friendly guide to growing crisp radishes in pots, troughs and window boxes, including sowing, watering, thinning and harvesting.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Rocket
Peppery rocket is one of the quickest salad leaves for a pot or window box. Which type to grow, when to sow, how to stop it bolting and how to keep picking.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Spinach
A beginner-friendly guide to growing spinach in pots, including container depth, sowing, watering, partial shade, harvesting and bolting.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Spring Onions
Learn how to grow spring onions in pots and window boxes, including container depth, sowing, watering, companion crops and repeat harvests.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Swiss Chard
Chard is a colourful, forgiving leafy crop for pots and troughs that keeps cropping for months. Varieties, sowing, pot size, watering, picking and winter care.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Tomatoes
A practical guide to growing tomatoes in containers, pots and growing bags, with advice on varieties, container size, watering, feeding and planting out.
- Full sun
- Some experience helps
Vegetables
Turnips
A practical guide to growing baby and salad turnips in pots, including container depth, sowing, thinning, watering and succession harvesting.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Vegetables
Winter Salad Leaves
Keep fresh leaves coming through the cold months with a trough of hardy winter salads. Which leaves to grow, when to sow, how to protect them and how to pick them.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Herbs
Chives
A beginner-friendly guide to growing chives in pots, including sun, shade, watering, harvesting, flowers and dividing crowded clumps.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Fruit
Blackcurrants
A practical guide to growing blackcurrants in large pots, including compact varieties, compost, watering, feeding, pruning and harvesting.
- Copes with part shade
- Some experience helps
Fruit
Gooseberries
A practical guide to growing gooseberries in large pots, including 40cm containers, partial shade, watering, feeding, pruning and harvesting.
- Copes with part shade
- Easy
Fruit
Raspberries
A practical guide to growing compact raspberries in large pots, including dwarf varieties, container size, support, watering, feeding and pruning.
- Full sun
- Some experience helps
Fruit
Redcurrants
A practical guide to growing redcurrants in large pots, including partial shade, soil-based compost, watering, feeding, pruning and cordon training.
- Copes with part shade
- Some experience helps
Fruit
Strawberries
A practical guide to growing strawberries in balcony pots, troughs and hanging baskets, with advice on planting, watering, feeding and protecting fruit.
- Full sun
- Easy