Your First Pot
A simple, forgiving setup you can finish in 15–20 minutes. Works on a windowsill, doorstep, or balcony.
What you need
- ✓ 25–30 cm pot with a drainage hole
- ✓ Peat-free multi-purpose compost
- ✓ Seeds or young plant (basil, parsley, salad leaves)
- ✓ Small jug or bottle for watering
- ✓ Label & pencil (optional but helpful)
Light picker
| Light | Good first choices |
|---|
| Bright window / 5–6h+ | Cherry tomatoes (bush), chillies, basil |
| Part sun / 3–4h | Parsley, mint, rocket, spring onions |
| Shaded / indirect | Mizuna, lettuce mixes, chives |
Step-by-step
- Prep the base: Cover the hole with a crocks shard or mesh so compost doesn’t leak.
- Fill: Add compost to 2 cm below the rim (space for watering).
- Plant:
- Seedlings: Make a hole, place the plant at the same depth, gently firm around it.
- Seeds: Sow thinly, cover with 0.5–1 cm compost (check packet), mist.
- Water: Slowly until a little drains from the bottom. Don’t flood.
- Position: Brightest spot you have. Rotate weekly for even growth.
- Label: Date + variety. It helps more than you think.
Common issue: over-watering. If the top 2–3 cm feels damp, wait a day.
Weekly rhythm
- Water when the top 2–3 cm is dry to the touch.
- Feed lightly every 2 weeks once growth is steady (tomato feed for fruiting plants; general feed for leafy herbs).
- Harvest little and often (salads: snip outer leaves, herbs: pinch above a leaf pair).
