We all dream of eating the fruits of our own labour, but with most of us living in apartments, a lack of a giant backyard may have you feeling shy about trying your hand at growing your own produce.

While nurturing your indoor plants may have partially scratched the itch, it is definitely possible for some fruits and vegetables to thrive in containers too! One of the best parts about creating an edible garden is that you can also easily get your kids involved in the growing their own food and teaching healthy eating habits.

We asked Angie Thomas, Horticulture Consultant at Yates, for her top fruits and vegetables that you can grow in containers – here’s her advice.

“When planting in compact spaces such as a pot or trough, try planting loose leaf lettuces, baby leaf spinach, and Asian leafy greens like tatsoi. Ensure these are in either full sun or part shade for optimal growth and keep the potting mix consistently moist, feeding each week with a nitrogen rich plant food.”

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Tomatoes

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“When planting in a pot or container, do ensure you purchase a compact variety of tomatoes. Make sure they get at least six hours of sunshine a day in an airy and sunny spot outdoors. Moisture stress can lead to an unhealthy tomato patch so ensure the potting mix is constantly moist. Feed each week with tomato liquid plant food and pick tomatoes regularly once ripe.”

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Herbs

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“Herbs tend to be easy to grow and can thrive in small pots and containers. Hardy herbs like rosemary, oregano, chives, sage and thyme are particularly good candidates for this. Pick leaves regularly to encourage fresh new growth and to help keep the plants more compact.”

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Silverbeet

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“Place compact varieties of silverbeet in full sun or part shade for optimal growth. Ensure the soil is consistently moist and fed each week with a fast-acting plant food to promote lots of lush leaf growth. It’s best to pick leaves regularly to promote fresh new leaf growth.”

Text: Homes To Love