It's possible to grow a surprising amount of your own food, vegan-organically, even if you don't have a garden. For example, various herbs, wheatgrass and salad greens (e.g. sunflower or buckwheat greens) can be grown on a well lit windowsill indoors and a wide variety of seeds including alflalfa, green lentils and red clover can be sprouted in jars, kept on a kitchen or other indoor surface.  If you would like more information on this topic, then please consult my article Windowsill Gardening, published in Growing Green International No. 9, available from the Vegan Organic Trust.  You could also read my earlier Vegan News articles on Sprouting and Herbs.

However, if you are also fortunate enough to have a balcony, some outside window ledges, or a perhaps even a patio, then believe me you have even more scope for growing fresh and tasty edible items on your very own doorstep!

Containers
In order to grow your own produce on your patio/balcony you will first of all need to obtain some suitable containers. There are many kinds of containers available that are suitable for such purposes.  Some have been developed especially for this purpose such as strawberry planters, potato barrels, plastic tubs, window boxes and hanging baskets. These items can be rather expensive to purchase, but can be obtained from most garden centres. However, if possible, try to use recycled containers in order to reduce waste and keep costs low.  When adapting containers for growing purposes you may need to drill some drainage holes, if the container doesn't have these already. 

Compost
Obtaining vegan compost can still be somewhat difficult.  The best vegan compost available at the moment seems to be the peat-free organic compost produced by B & Q, which can be improved by adding a little sharp sand and seaweed meal.

Planting Up Containers
Now comes the interesting bit – planting up your containers! Most mail order catalogues now offer a good selection of seeds that are suitable for container growing. For example salad crops often grow well in containers, especially varieties of cut-and-come again salad leaves. Sow a variety of salad leaves to add interest and colour to your salads, cutting the leaves off with scissors just before use for peak freshness.  Beats supermarket-bought salad any day!

There are also quite a few varieties of small-sized tomatoes that do well in containers and hanging baskets (see table). Peppers are best grown indoors on a sunny windowsill, but plants could be put outside on a balcony/patio in the summer months. Strawberries usually do well in containers too and of course it's harder for the slugs to attack your plants, if you have a first floor balcony crop!  By selecting your crop varieties carefully it is also possible to grow cabbage, radishes, carrots, spinach, aubergines and beetroot without having a garden.

Be aware that crops grown in containers do tend to dry out much faster than those planted directly into the soil, so you will need to be more conscientious about watering.  If your container plants need some additional feeding try watering them with SM3 Seaweed Extract.  Comfrey liquid is also animal free and ideal for feeding tomatoes and peppers. (Both available from the Organic Gardening Catalogue.) Container grown plants are easily protected from extremes of weather.  Save any large plastic bags for use as early or late season covers. Alternatively invest in some fleece. The Organic Gardening Catalogue also offers a selection of pop-up greenhouses that could be used on a patio or balcony, as well as plant cosies to cover individual plants.

Key to Suppliers:
OGC – Organic Gardening Catalogue
T & M – Thompson and Morgan
SH - Suffolk Herbs
CS – Chiltern Seeds
TO – Tamar Organics

Flowers
If possible try to grow a few flowers in containers too. Pots of poached egg plant, nasturtiums, French marigolds, pot marigolds, lavender and night scented stocks will make an attractive display, attracting bees and other pollinating insects to your patio.

Note: At the time of writing Thompson & Morgan were offering their entire mini patio vegetable collection for £27.99, a  saving of £10.33! (Order Code: GAA4316). Phone their orderline on 01473 695225 to place your order.
 

This article was originally published in Growing Green International, No. 15,  in Summer 2005. The four vegetables listed at the end of the table did not appear in the original article as they are new seeds, now being offered in the Thompson & Morgan 2006 catalogue. Please check availability of seeds carefully before purchasing as this may well change in years to come. However, one of the purposes of the plants listed above is to show the gardenless gardener the vast variety of plants that are suitable for container growing. No doubt in years to come many more suitable varieties will be on offer too.