Everyone wants the benefits of homegrown fruits, vegetables and herbs, but not everyone has the time to invest in things like hand pollinating, fertilising, repotting, and all the other activities that help to produce a good crop. Thankfully, there\’s a group of plants that just grow like weeds – and work well in pots and planters.
Potatoes
The next time you (or someone you know) mow the lawn, save those dried grass clippings and put them in an old tyre. Bury some potato peelings with little green eyes on them in the clippings; once the seedlings have grown over the top of the first tyre, add another and some more clippings. If you don\’t have tyres, burying them in a hay bale will work just as well. Once your plants have grown big, leafy and then gone yellow, pull apart your hay bale or kick over your tyres and harvest your potatoes. The only other care they\’ll need is a decent watering every once in a while.
Silverbeet
Silverbeet grows well in pretty much any conditions; just plant, and water regularly.
Radishes
Radishes grow in even the most difficult soil; more water makes for juicier radishes. If you plant them too close, they won\’t grow well; so leave some spaces in between.
Spring Onions
When you next buy a bunch of spring onions, save the roots and chuck them in some soil. Water, and they\’ll grow back indefinitely – just cut what you need, and watch it regenerate.
Pumpkins
Pumpkin seeds in rich soil or a compost heap with regular watering will take off – if you combine Kent (Jap) and Butternut seeds in your plot, you may end up with hybrids. They\’re fine to eat, but you won\’t be able to store them for long; \”purebred\” pumpkins will last a long time if you leave some of the stem on when you cut them off the vine. They\’ll grow up fences and trees if you don\’t have a lot of ground space for them to sprawl. They\’re ready to harvest when tapping on the pumpkin produces a hollow sound, and the stalk has gone hard.
Rosemary
For rosemary to flourish, all you need to do is clip it once it starts to flower and avoid watering it too much. It\’s easiest to grow from a cutting (rather than seeds), so when your old plant starts to get tired, just clip a piece off and put it in some water until it sprouts roots.
Basil
When you get fresh basil from the supermarket, choose a bunch with roots and put it in good soil – it\’ll just keep growing. Once it starts to flower, the stems will grow woody and it won\’t produce many more good leaves – you might get a few small ones, which are great for pesto.
Cherry Tomatoes
Tomatoes can be difficult, but try this simple trick: grow cherry tomatoes in your bathroom. If your bathroom is sunny, the steam from your shower or bath will make the tomato plant think it\’s living in a greenhouse. Tip some cold water on the pot whenever you get out of said bath or shower, choose a good, rich potting mix, and you\’ll have more tomatoes than you know what to do with.