Quick Summer Crops In Pots

Integrating vegetables into your diet is not only beneficial for your health, but the process of planting and caring for them can be incredibly rewarding. As warmer weather approaches and summer arrives, now is an ideal time to sow vegetable seeds.

Regardless of whether you possess a balcony, a compact patio, or an expansive garden, numerous vegetables can be cultivated in planters throughout the summer season.

When to grow vegetables in containers:

Timings vary depending on the crop, but the main growing season is from early spring to autumn..

Suitable containers:

Pots, troughs, and grow-bags provide an opportunity for gardeners who lack the time or space for a vegetable plot to cultivate fresh and flavourful produce.

Using smaller containers may lead to insufficient moisture and nutrients for the roots of the plants. It is advisable to select containers with a minimum depth and width of 45cm (18in).

Compost:

For best results use a sterile peat-free potting compost such as multi-purpose, container compost or grow bags.

Homemade blends consisting of two parts soil and one part well-decomposed organic matter, enhanced with additional fertilizer can serve as a cost-effective alternative. However, these homemade mixtures are not sterile, which may increase the risk of pest and disease issues.

Watering:

Plants in containers require frequent watering as they tend to dry out more quickly, particularly in hot weather.

Which vegetables to grow:

Baby salad leaves are simple and fast to cultivate, whether in a pot, growing bag, or window box. You can stick with well-known varieties like lettuce or rocket, or experiment with a more unique salad seed blend. Sow seeds regularly in small batches to provide continuous harvests and avoid gluts.

Begin harvesting when the plants reach a height of 8-10 cm (3-4 in), which is usually around six to eight weeks. Select individual leaves as required, or utilize scissors to cut across patches, ensuring that stumps remain at a height of 2.5 cm (1 in). Continue to water the plants, and they should regenerate once or twice thereafter.

Follow the lead of top chefs by incorporating pea shoots which are peas cultivated for their sweet tips rather than the pods. Once plants are 20cm (8in) high, harvest the top 5cm (2in) of the stems. In two or three weeks, they should produce more sweet, tender shoots.

Spinach is rich in nutrients and is quick and simple to cultivate as a cut-and-come-again ‘baby-leaf’ vegetable or for larger leaves.

It can be cultivated throughout the year if the appropriate varieties are selected and is also suitable for container gardening. It has a delightful flavour when sautéed in a pan or enjoyed as young fresh leaves in a salad.

Avoid planting spinach during extremely hot or cold conditions as this may lead to poor germination rates. To ensure a continuous harvest, plant seeds at regular intervals every few weeks during spring and late summer or autumn. If you intend to use spinach for cooking it is advisable to sow a generous amount as the leaves significantly decrease in volume when cooked, meaning you may require more than anticipated.

Spinach grows rapidly, making it an excellent choice for filling any short-term gaps in your vegetable garden, borders, or patio containers. Grow in moist but well-drained soil or compost in partial shade. Sow seeds in a shallow moist drill and cover lightly with soil.

Spinach can be harvested six to ten weeks following sowing. Generally, summer varieties are ready for picking from May to October, while winter varieties can be harvested between October and April. It is important to monitor your crop closely as spinach tends to grow more rapidly in warmer conditions. Trimming the plant just above its base may promote the growth of additional leaves for a subsequent harvest.

Salad onions, also known as spring onions are simple to cultivate and require minimal space, making them suitable for even the tiniest gardens and they thrive in containers as well. Sow small amounts frequently for rapid harvests throughout the summer. Salad onions are delightful when eaten raw in salads or when prepared in stir-fries.

Fill the pot with compost and ensure it is well-watered. Scatter the seeds thinly and cover them with approximately 1cm (½in) of compost. Water the young salad onions regularly until they are well established and thereafter during dry periods. Salad onions typically take around two months to grow to a size suitable for harvesting. You can simply lift individual onions as needed. Salad onions are most flavourful when they are small and young.

Radishes are among the simplest and quickest vegetable crops to cultivate! Ready for harvest in just 4-6 weeks after sowing—depending on the variety—radishes provide a delightful peppery crunch when consumed raw in salads.

Lightly scatter the radish seeds across the surface of the compost. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of additional compost and ensure they remain moist during the germination process.

As the seedlings develop, they can be thinned to a spacing of 2-5cm apart. To maintain a steady supply, re-sow radish seeds every 2-4 weeks.

Radishes reach their sweetest flavour when they measure only a few centimetres in diameter, so it is best to harvest them while they are still young, before their roots begin to split and turn tough. Additionally, young radish leaves can be incorporated into salads for an extra burst of flavour.

Carrots are a classic choice for home gardening, being sweet, flavourful and rich in vitamins. They are easy to cultivate from seeds, require minimal space and can also be grown in pots. Plant small quantities consistently starting in early spring to enjoy harvests nearly throughout the entire year.

Sow the seeds sparsely and cover them with approximately 1cm (½in) of compost. Small, round-rooted varieties are particularly suitable for most containers.

For long-rooted carrots, deep containers are necessary; however, they can also be harvested at a young stage as baby vegetables if cultivated in shallow pots.

Carrots can be harvested approximately 12 to 16 weeks after sowing. It is advisable to harvest them as soon as they reach a usable size; focusing on the largest roots is not recommended as their flavour may diminish.

Beetroot seeds may also be planted in a large container and placed in a location that receives ample sunlight. It is advisable to choose varieties that produce rounded roots instead of those that are long and deep. Space the seeds 10cm (4in) apart and cover them with approximately 2.5cm (1in) of compost.

If you wish to harvest the roots while they are still small, approximately the size of a golf ball, you can keep all the seedlings. If you prefer larger roots, reaching up to the size of a cricket ball, it is advisable to thin the seedlings once they reach a height of about 2.5cm (1in). This involves removing some of the seedlings, typically along a row, to ensure that the remaining seedlings are spaced further apart. This practice alleviates overcrowding, which can impede their growth. You should thin them out to a distance of 10cm (4in) apart, eliminating the weaker seedlings. The thinned seedlings can be incorporated into salads.

It is important to water seedlings consistently during dry periods, until they are firmly rooted and exhibiting strong growth. After they are established, beetroots typically require less watering; however, the roots tend to be more tender if the soil remains relatively moist.

Beetroot can be harvested from early summer until mid-autumn, depending on the time of sowing and the specific variety. Begin by loosening the soil with a hand fork, then remove alternate plants once the roots have reached the size of a golf ball, allowing the remaining plants to mature if desired. These should be harvested when they do not exceed the size of a cricket ball.

The roots can be consumed raw, particularly when they are young, or they can be steamed or roasted to enhance their natural sweetness.

Beetroot leaves can be prepared similarly to spinach and young leaves can be added raw to salads. The leaves can be harvested simultaneously with the root, or you may choose to take a few leaves from each plant throughout the growing season. Ensure that at least four or five leaves remain on each plant to support its continued growth and the swelling of its root.

Runner beans are one of the easiest crops to grow, producing an abundance of long green pods from mid-summer to early autumn. They can be sown directly into a large container in late May or early June when all risks of frost has passed. For dwarf runner beans, the container should measure 30–45cm (12–18in) in width, while for climbing varieties, it should be 75cm (30in) wide, 45cm (18in) deep and sufficiently heavy to prevent it from toppling over as the beans grow vigorously up their supports. Establish a wigwam using 2.5m (8ft) canes for the climbing varieties. Sow the seeds at a depth of 5cm (2in) and space them 15cm (6in) apart. For climbing beans, it is advisable to plant two seeds at the base of each cane to account for potential losses; if both seeds germinate, simply remove the weaker or smaller one. Loosely tie the stems to the canes to get them started.

Runner beans require a significant amount of water and yield the best results when their roots are well-hydrated. Therefore, consistent watering is generally necessary, particularly as they begin to bloom and develop pods. When cultivating beans in pots, it is especially crucial to water them frequently and abundantly, as they tend to dry out rapidly. Mulching around he plants after planting will help to hold moisture in the soil.

Feed the runner beans every fortnight with a high potassium organic liquid fertiliser, such as tomato feed, once the first flowers appear.

Tie in any stems that become detached from their supports. When climbing varieties attain the summit of their supports, trim any excess growth. This practice should promote the development of side-shoots lower on the plant, ensuring the crop remains accessible and preventing the plants from becoming top-heavy.

Runner beans typically begin to produce crops around the middle of summer, contingent upon the specific variety and the timing of seed sowing and will yield for eight weeks or longer if picked consistently. Harvest the pods while they are still young, tender, and devoid of strings. It is crucial to harvest regularly – ideally every two to three days – to avoid the pods reaching maturity. Once maturity is achieved, the plants will cease to flower and no additional pods will develop.