Small garden  Growing in containers  Shady garden  Fencing  Patio   Cottage garden   Lawn

I will explain what I mean  

• The right Pot. You guessed it, by pot I mean container. Any size container can be used for growing vegetables from raised beds through to flowerpots providing it has enough depth and space for root growth and is filled with the right soil. More about this later. 
• The right Spot. Nearly all vegetable plants grow better in full sunlight rather than in shade. However, Some vegetables will tolerate shade, so you will need to select plants to suit the spot, Sunny or shady. More about which vegetables thrive in sun or shade later. 

If your gardening is limited by space or poor soil. It really is worth having a go at container grown vegetables. You can use containers placed on window sills, patios, your balcony, in fact anywhere providing you follow the few simple guidelines set out in this article. Almost every vegetable that grows in a garden can be grown in a container.

The growing season can be extended, by moving containers nearer to the warmer walls off your house in winter. Insulating pots and containers is also a lot easier.

Harvesting is the best bit. Eat the vegetables at their peak when full off flavour. 

Or buy it loose from a local topsoil supplier, it's a lot cheaper than buying it in small bags from garden centres.

You might want to try growing in or making containers from  hay or straw bales.

Good drainage is important. If the container becomes waterlogged the vegetables will die. Drill or cut drain holes about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch from the bottom and add an inch of coarse gravel in the bottom. 

Seeding and Transplanting. If you have saved seeds from last season's harvest you will know how to sow them.  If not read the packet or go to my article sowing seeds. It's really that easy.  Always buy plants or seeds that suit your garden soil and shade or full sun. Choose disease-resistant varieties whenever you can.

Chemical free container gardening. Chemicals, even those labelled "organically acceptable" can cause more damage than good. Contact killers sprays often hit and kill other plants, chemicals to treat fungal problems can be washed into the soil killing the gardener's best friend, the garden worm. By carefully checking plants for problems like fungi. Before, introducing them into your garden and generally looking after them with correct feeding and watering, you need not become dependent on the use of chemicals.

Light and shade (the right Spot).  Nearly all vegetable plants grow better in full sunlight than in shade. So it is important to either choose the Right spot for the plant or the Right plant for the spot.

Fruit bearing plants like cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes will need a lot more light, so position them in the sunniest spot.  

A few of the leafier vegetables grown for greens rather than for fruits or roots will grow in light or partial shade.  

Shade tolerant vegetables include  lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, kale and mustard greens. You may get smaller, thinner and paler coloured leaves when grown in light shade, but the taste will be the same. Shade tolerant vegetables