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Ok, a lot depends on whether or not you get enough sun but I think you'll get by if you get morning and afternoon light.
Start with the right containers.
You'll need some depth, at least 45cm, so that you can retain enough moisture and a good enough root run for your plants. Be sure to use a sterile , branded compost. As great as home made is, you will be bringing fungus spores, disease and weeds into a restricted space and your plants won't thank you for that.
You can add well rotted manure in the base of the container, but again, be aware of the risks. Add water retaining crystals, these swell up when you water and slowly release their load over a period of time, helping the thirsty varieties to cope during dry spells.
Slow release fertilizers will help permenent plants such as vines or fruit bushes but won't act quick enough for short term crops such as salads and veg, instead use a soluble feed weekly or fortnightly, depending on the crop.
Always apply the feed after watering so you don't just dilute or even wash away the feed.
Keep moisture in by mulching regularly.
The best crops to try are compact ones such as turnips,carrots,onions,lettuce, french beans(dwarf), salds such as radish , tomatoes , peppers and spring onions.
If the narrow bed gets hot enough, try some slightly tender plantings. Aubergine and cucumber, indoor tomatoes and chillies.
Potatoes in containers have been gaining popularity recently and for all the right reasons. Containers that can grow with the crop help here. Old car tyres that you can stack up as the haulm or top growth gets taller are great, enabling you to earth up the spuds with each new tyre.
Leaf crops need less depth but will still benefit from a good root run, so try chard, mixtures of different salad leaves like beetroot and spinach, lambs lettuce and rocket.
The one advantage you have with the narrow space is vertical growing. Vines will succeed in big tub or half barrel, as will kiwi fruit or smaller varieties of squash.
The obvious fun crops are the ones you can just pick and eat. Strawberries are the number one choice there as they also like to trail over the sides of boxes , tubs or barrels and look very attractive. Blackberries are gorgeous freshly picked and eaten but be selective, choose a thornless variety or you'll be cursing me everytime you have to squeeze past the sprawling mass of stems!
The big tip for container growing is choose the right variety. Look out for names such as 'nanus' meaning small or petite.Compact, forcing or baby all give a clue to the eventual size of the crop.
Check the label carefully though as sometime it describes the crop as small but the plant can be quite the opposite!
Good luck and why not send us some pictures of the results?
The Green Knight
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