Growing your fruit and veg in a small space

A kitchen garden is a great way of knowing exactly what you're getting onto your plate and can be a really satisfying thing to do. It's much cheaper than buying your fruit and veg from the supermarket and you don't have to let a lack of space put you off either as you don't need much to start your garden and enjoy some home-grown produce.

One of the great things about kitchen gardening is the resourcefulness of it and the knowledge that you can grow your harvest in a variety of different containers; pots, window boxes and even hanging baskets.

There are lots of different containers that you can use to house your fruit and veg so recycling doesn't necessarily mean a recycling bin; re-use your old jam jars, waste-paper bins and paint pots to establish a kitchen garden to be proud of. Kitchen colanders also make excellent plant pots on account of the great drainage they offer. Make sure that any container you do use is washed thoroughly before potting so that there's no risk of soil contamination, especially when using old paint pots. It's also worth bearing in mind that in order to get a rich harvest, you'll need to give your plants plenty of nutrients and sunlight.

Here are a few varieties of fruit and veg that can thrive in smaller spaces:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Asparagus
• Strawberries
• Runner beans
• Celery
• Blueberries
• Spinach
• Chard
• Artichokes

Other types of plants that work well in pots are 'cut-and-come-again' varieties like lettuces and herbs so you can create your very own living salad.

If you have a bit more outside space you might like to read some extra advice from the Royal Horticultural Society on growing fruit trees in pots.