Short on time or space? Grow veg, herbs and fruit like strawberries in pots, with our selection of planters from £4-£75
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| Mini Grow Pots suit strawberries and herbs
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'There are plenty of strawberry containers with built-in watering systems and top-up points to make growing them easier.'
There's a wide range of vegetables that you can grow in containers. Some, such as chard, with its brightly coloured stems, and red, frilly, loose-leaved lettuce or blue-green kale also look good and brighten up a patio.
As well as ornamental crops, you can grow productive quantities of potatoes, in large, deep containers – there are tubs and planters available to buy for the purpose, or try a converted dustbin. Then there are spring onions, salad leaves, cucumbers and courgettes to grow throughout summer for a regular supply; as well as beetroot, carrots, leeks and turnips in plastic growing bags or 30cm- (1ft)-diameter pots.
Fragrant and tasty Mediterranean herbs are ideal for a sunny patio and work well as mixed plantings as you only pick small amounts of leaves at once. Peppers and aubergines also grow well in a hot spot.
It's easy to grow tomatoes, particularly dwarf varieties, in either pots or hanging baskets, while mangetout, peas and runner beans give a good display with their extra height and make worthwhile crops for a pot, given some support.
Strawberries
Fruits that are ideal for planting in a small space include strawberries. These just need to be protected from the wind and can be in full sun for most of the day. Although they don't need a great deal of attention, there are plenty of containers with built-in watering systems and top-up points to make growing them easier. The two broad categories of strawberries include summer-fruiting and perpetual. The perpetual varieties should provide small, regular supplies of late strawberries from August until frosty weather arrives.
Always harvest regularly as the pods mature so that the peas are at their sweetest. Too old and the peas become tasteless. Once the crop has been completely harvested, cut off the tops at ground level so that the roots stay in the ground. The valuable nitrogen that has built up in the roots during summer will then be available for future crops.
Planters to buy from £4 to £75
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| Children's Vegetable Patio Planters might well appeal to adults too
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Instant Planter from Westland Garden Health; £3.99.
Topsy Turvey Upside Down Tomato Planter from the Organic Gardening Catalogue; £12.95.
Strawberry Patio Planter from Haxnicks; £14.99 a pack of two.
Children's Vegetable Patio Planters from Greenfingers.com; £15 a pack.
Mr & Mrs Pot Set from Ken Muir; £16.95 a set.
Vegetable Patio Planters from Haxnicks; £14.99 a pack of three.
Mini Grow Pots from Ferndale Lodge; £19.95 a pack.
Children's Link-a-Bord Kit from Harrod Horticultural; £24.95.
Potato Barrel from Ferndale Lodge; £32.95.
Herb Wheel from Dobies; £49.95.
Vitopod Mini Garden from Harrod Horticultural; £74.95.
Self-Watering Towerpots from Ken Muir; £62.05.
* For more on these patio planters, see the Spring Special edition of Gardens Monthly, on sale 13 March 2008.
denotes Subscriber-only content | Friday 25 July 2008 | Help | Glossary 
