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Scavenging in skips for creative homes for plants
Why pay for a pot when almost any old junk will do the job, says Tom Moggach
THE other day I met a Bengali gardener who grew a perfect cauliflower in a Tesco carrier bag. It’s a difficult veg to grow, so I was doubly impressed.
It just goes to show that there’s no end of thrifty and creative ideas for growing plants in containers, if you follow a few simple rules.
That’s the key message of a fun event at Kentish Town Community Centre on Sunday July 5. For just £1, people can decorate and fill up containers with strawberry, herb and salad plants to take home.
Pop along for gardening tips, prizes for whacky containers and a special performance from the Camden Light Orchestra. Bring a container if you fancy, otherwise we have plenty of spares. On hand will be Chris Heath, plantsman at City Leaf and education officer at Kentish Town City Farm.
As a special guest, local gardener Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell, author of the new book Organic Crops in Pots (CICO Books, £14.99 www.cicobooks.co.uk), will judge the competition. “Container gardening is fantastically fashionable,” she says. “But it’s not always easy. And it’s no good growing plants in a teacup.”
An artist by profession, her ace book includes ideas such as radishes in plastic tubs, spinach in a wire supermarket basket, peas in a bucket and broad beans in a coconut sack.
When choosing a container, her first tip is to scavenge for old bits and bobs. The skips of swanky Highgate, apparently, are a prize hunting ground. In terms of size, she says, the bigger the better. Smaller containers need more frequent watering: “You have to be really vigilant, otherwise you get stunted growth.” Plastic retains moisture better than clay or wood.
Next, check its depth – this will determine what crops will happily grow. Salads and radishes have shallow roots, for example, whereas peas need around 20cm. Root crops, such as carrots, demand even more.
Good drainage is the next priority. It’s vital that water can seep away, to avoid waterlogging the roots. If needed, drill or puncture three or four holes in the bottom, then add a layer of pot shards, stones, pebbles, sharp sand, gravel or small chunks of broken-up polystyrene.
The next step is choosing compost or soil. Schneebeli-Morrell prefers organic, but bear in mind that the most “organic” brands have no formal certification.
Stick with one that contains loam – proper soil, that is, which helps to keep in moisture. John Innes, a well-known formula, is now available with no added peat.
When planting, it’s your call, she says. Start from seed, or by using baby “plug” plants or more established specimens. When growing seedlings, her top tip is to use a clear plastic storage box as a makeshift greenhouse. Keep the lid on to raise temperature, but ventilate on hot days.
Bear in mind, concludes Schneebeli-Morrell, that all containers need regular feeding. Shop-bought compost runs out of nutrients after a few months. A weekly feed is OK for most plants, for example with liquid seaweed extract. Every year, you may need to rake off and replace the top layer of compost.
See you next Sunday to get creative with containers!
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