How to create an abundant and healthy container garden

Containers offer a wonderful opportunity to grow veg, fruit and herbs in almost any outdoor space – and they can be very productive. But growing abundant, healthy crops in containers in a small urban space is not always so easy - lack of space and sun, wind and watering are amongst the issues often faced. As a result, plants in containers may yield poorly, not taste as good as they should or simply not flourish.

In this online session, you’ll learn about low cost and sustainable ways to provide plants with the full range of minerals and trace elements that they need to thrive. You’ll discover how to nurture the soil in your pots so that it is full of the healthy microbial life that healthy plants need – and how to reuse it every year.  We’ll explore how a diverse, wildlife friendly garden can also contribute to abundance.  And you’ll learn about a variety of ways that plants in containers are most prone to get stressed, how to recognise stress, and how to minimise it.

With a little knowledge and practise it’s often possible to grow a lot of food in containers in a small space. For example, to be self-sufficient in salad and herbs for 8 months of the year, as well as growing a significant proportion of your other veg and fruit needs. This workshop will help you on your way.  

It’s recommended that less experienced growers attend the Eight Steps session first.

Trainer bio

Mark is author of the Vertical Veg Guide to Container Growing. Unable to get an allotment, his container growing started on his Camden balcony in 2009. He founded Vertical Veg in 2010 to: 

• Offer practical advice on everything from easy first growing projects, to how to create a highly productive edible garden in containers. 
• Find solutions to overcome the specific challenges of growing in the city – like lack of space & sun. 
• Pioneer – working with others – how to grow food abundantly and sustainably in containers using local, natural resources. And to champion how growing in small urban spaces can help feed our cities,  change our food culture and improve our wellbeing.