Failproof Potted Fruits & Vegetables

Pot plants for your edible summer garden

We all love the fresh, organic goodness of home-grown fruits and veggies, but not all of us have the talent for keeping them lush (and alive!). Black Group Landscape & Construction has 6 failsafe potted fruits and vegetables for your edible summer garden.

Broccolini

In a 50cm pot, sow a small handful of seeds and cover them with soil, then mist well. Broccolini plants are easy to hydrate by watering them at the base a couple of times a week. To help your broccolini thrive, place your pot in a sunny position with partial shade. Broccoli shrubs can grow to be quite large, so only plant 1 or 2 seedlings in the pot with well-drained soil. Your broccoli will be ready to harvest in 50 to 80 days.

Celery

To grow celery, choose a pot at least 30cm wide and deep and find a position in full sun that’s protected from strong winds. Begin by filling starter trays with quality soil. Sprinkle the seeds over the mix to lightly cover, then gently water. Keep the soil moist throughout germination — this can take up to 2–3 weeks or longer in cooler conditions. Once the seedlings reach 10cm tall, fill the pots with quality potting mix and transplant the seedlings. Water well and feed weekly with plant food.

Corn

The best time to plant corn in spring is late in the season, after the last frost. Choose pots 30cm wide and deep and position them in a sunny spot, protected from strong winds. Fill your pot with quality potting mix and sow 2 seeds per pot, cover with soil and water well. Sowing seeds closely helps in pollination to allow the corn to fruit abundantly. Water every other day and feed your seedlings weekly with plant food. Your corn will be ready for harvesting in 60 to 100 days.

Strawberries

Choose a position in the garden or on the deck that’s nice and sunny. Sow your strawberry seeds in a pot with well-drained soil. Keep the soil moist until germination, then add organic mulch. Feed weekly to promote healthy growth and lots of berries. It will take 2 to 4 months for the plants to grow and about 4 to 6 weeks from blossoming until your strawberries are ready to be harvested.

Failproof Potted Fruits & Vegetables lemon tree

Lemons

Choose a lemon shrub from the dwarf variety (which can grow up to 1.5m) and a pot at least 50cm wide. Remove your lemon shrub from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots. Position in the hole and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water deeply 2 to 3 times a week, depending on weather conditions. Use fertiliser 3 times a year. When your tree starts to fruit (around 3 years), feed once a week.

Failproof Potted Fruits & Vegetables apricot

Apricots

Apricot trees should be planted in winter when the tree is dormant. Choose a pot that is 50–60cm in diameter with drainage and position it in a sunny spot in the garden. Fill with quality potting mix and plant your sapling deep. Water 2–3 times a week (more in hot weather). It will take 3–4 years for your apricot tree to fruit and it will produce fruit for 60 to 80 years!