Containers and raised beds

Raised beds

If you're starting a vegetable garden, putting in a raised bed or planter box is a good idea. There are several advantages:

• Raised beds allow better drainage and you can put in a good growing medium from the outset.
  
  
• You don't have to dig a raised bed or planter as you would a traditional vegetable patch.
  
  
• You can design the plot so that everything is within easy reach. Keep it to no more than 1.5 metres wide.

Because drainage is better, you may find you have to water more often. It's easy to install a watering system around the edges of the bed. Use plenty of mulch. Growing plants close together helps to shade the soil, reduce evaporation, and keep the roots cooler.

Container growing

Freedom from weeds and many pests and diseases makes growing vegetables in containers an attractive option. You can move the container to take advantage of sun or shelter - lettuces, for example, need warmth in winter and spring but in hot summers they do best in shade.

The downside is that at the height of summer some container-grown vegetables (tomatoes, for example) need daily watering. If you're planning a holiday you'll need to set up an automatic watering system or ask for a neighbour's help.

You can grow carrots, lettuces or three or four plants of silverbeet or dwarf beans in containers which hold 10 litres of potting mix (about 25cm diameter). For tomatoes you'll need at least a 15L container, about 30cm in diameter. Don't use containers less than 20cm deep as they dry out quickly. Line terracotta pots with plastic to retain moisture, and make some drainage holes in the bottom of the plastic.

Look for a potting mix suitable for outdoor containers. Keep the bag - vegetables will soon exhaust the nutrient supplies in the potting mix and you'll need to check the label for information on when to add fertiliser.