Growing food in pots: herbs, veg and fruit for small spaces

There is a particular kind of joy in eating something you grew yourself, and you honestly do not need a big garden to have it. A sunny patch on a Highveld balcony, a warm corner of a Cape courtyard, a few steps outside the kitchen door, that is plenty. Pots turn any of those spots into a little food garden, and they give you something a bed in the ground never will, which is the freedom to move a plant into more sun, or under cover when the frost creeps in.

Most edibles share the same two loves, and once you have those sorted the rest is easy. They want as much sun as our generous South African skies can give them, six hours a day at the very least, and they want consistent water without ever sitting in a soggy pot. Containers dry out faster than open ground, especially through a dry Highveld winter or a howling Cape summer southeaster, so a finger in the soil most mornings will teach you more than any watering schedule. Feed them now and then, give them a pot with proper drainage holes, and they will feed you back.

Here are four of our favourites to start with, the ones that reward a beginner and still keep an old hand happy.

Tomatoes

Nothing tastes more of summer than a warm tomato picked off your own plant, and they are made for pots. Plant them out once the frost has properly gone, from about September on the Highveld and a little earlier at the coast, and give them the sunniest, most sheltered spot you have. A deep pot is the secret here, because tomatoes grow a big thirsty root system, so go for something generous rather than a shallow trough, and push a stake or cage in at planting time so you are not wrestling a floppy plant later.

The thing most people get wrong is watering. Tomatoes hate the feast and famine of a pot that bone dries and then gets drowned, and that swing is what splits the fruit and brings on blossom end rot. Aim for deep, even watering, most likely every day once the summer heat arrives, and feed every week or two once the little green fruit appears. Pinch out the side shoots on the tall cordon types to keep the plant putting its energy into fruit rather than leaf.

Basil

Basil and tomatoes are friends on the plate and in the pot, and happily they want the same things, warmth and sun. It is a tender soul that sulks the moment the temperature drops, so treat it as a summer crop and do not rush it into the cold spring ground. A herb pot near the kitchen is perfect, because you will want to snip it constantly, and it needs a spot with morning sun and a little afternoon relief in our fiercest heat.

The one thing everyone gets wrong with basil is letting it flower. The moment it sends up a flower spike the leaves turn bitter and the plant thinks its work is done, so pinch out those tips the instant you see them and keep harvesting from the top. Frequent picking is what keeps it bushy and sweet. Water it in the morning so the leaves dry through the day, keep the soil just moist, and one healthy plant will keep your kitchen in pesto all season.

Lemon tree (and citrus)

A lemon tree in a pot is one of the most rewarding things you can grow, glossy green all year, scented white blossom in spring, and fruit that hangs on for months. Citrus loves our climate, so give it the warmest, most sheltered, full sun position you have, ideally against a north facing wall that soaks up the day's heat. This is where a bigger pot earns its keep, because a lemon needs room and stability, so start it in a large, heavy container and know that on the Highveld the great advantage of a pot is that you can wheel it into a sheltered spot when frost threatens young trees.

Where people come unstuck is feeding and drainage. Citrus in pots are hungry plants and quickly go pale and yellow without regular feeding, so give it a specific citrus fertiliser through the growing season and keep an eye on the leaves for the story they tell. At the same time it will not tolerate wet feet, so a free draining mix and a pot that never stands in a saucer of water are non negotiable. Water deeply and let the top few centimetres dry before the next drink.

Strawberries

Strawberries might be the perfect container plant, because they are naturally shallow rooted and they trail beautifully over the edge of a pot, a bag or a hanging basket, which also happens to keep the fruit off the soil and away from slugs. Plant them from autumn through winter in the warmer parts of the country for a spring and early summer harvest, set them where they will catch full sun, and do not bury the crown, that little growing point should sit right at the soil surface or it will rot.

The mistake to avoid is crowding and inconsistent water. Give each plant a bit of room to breathe so air moves through and the fruit stays healthy, and keep the watering steady, because a shallow pot in full sun dries out in a blink and thirsty plants give you small, sour berries. Feed them while they are flowering and fruiting, tuck a little mulch under the ripening fruit if it is resting on soil, and net them, because the birds will find your strawberries long before you do.

Growing your own food in pots is really just a series of small, happy habits, a morning check of the soil, a pinch here, a feed there, and the pleasure of eating something that travelled a metre to your plate. The one decision that quietly makes all of it easier is the pot itself. Match the pot to the plant, deep and roomy for tomatoes, a big steady home for your lemon, something shallow and free draining for strawberries, always with proper drainage, and half the work is done before you have planted a thing. Come and find the right one, and let us help you grow something delicious.

Frequently asked questions

What edibles are easiest to grow in pots?

Herbs like basil, along with tomatoes and strawberries, are the most rewarding and forgiving in containers.

How much sun do edibles need?

Most need full sun, at least six hours a day, to crop well.

What size pot do vegetables need?

Herbs are happy in small pots, tomatoes and strawberries need a medium pot, and a lemon tree needs a large, sturdy one.

How often should I water edibles in pots?

More often than plants in the ground, as pots dry out fast. Check daily in summer and water when the top is dry.