You don’t need acres for orchards

If there’s a back-yard, balcony or window ledge, a container exists to function as a plant-growing unit.

If there’s a wall that will support a hanging basket, there are edible plants to fit the situation.

Gro-bags, the convenient way to cultivate greenhouse tomatoes, are an ideal base for raising salad crops. Substantial potato harvests can be achieved when large bag-pots are used as a growing chamber.

There’s been great improvement in developing edible plant varieties for cultivation in a restricted space.

A range of vegetables that remained relatively dwarf on reaching maturity, was launched by Suttons. ‘Tumbling Tom’ is a cherry tomato for tubs or hanging baskets.

A mini fruit orchard for those without a garden sounds unlikely, but the advert often seen in gardening magazines is spot-on.

There are dwarf versions of apple, pear, plum, cherry, et al, ready to grace large pots on the patio. Offer them good drainage, organic-rich compost and a regular water supply to reap the rewards.