What can I grow in planter up this shed wall?

Emmia

FrankFalcon said:

Hi all. 

Thank you for your comments. Hopefully, this will help you assist me. 

This is my shed. The planter on the left is 2m long. It’s is 420mm wide and 380mm high. The wall is brick but I’ve FIRMLY attached some artificial Ivy trellis to it and some Green netting (you can see by zooming in). The wall faces North East. I want to be Greedy/Lazy and if possible grow something edible. The wall protects the trellis from the wind. What’s your thoughts peeps? 

What's your appetite for watering / feeding what's in the planter? As that will be a key consideration. Personally I think the faux ivy stuff you've put up hides the wall well. 

Tomatoes might be an option, but you'd need to replace them (and the soil) annually, and they're thirsty/hungry (and the N/E direction isn't ideal). Or potatoes (plenty of green leaves on top). But again needs regular refreshment.

A trained apple (e.g. fan or espalier) on a suitable rootstock might work, but again you'll need to water it. And the trellis / net won't be enough support. 

FlorayG

You're going to struggle to grow anything edible in that aspect, sadly. It won't get enough sun to ripen anything. The planter isn't large enough for any sort of tree or shrub; you need something much deeper for a permanent planting. I honestly can't think of anything that would really thrive with the combination of that aspect and that shallow planter (I'm a very experienced gardener BTW); there's stuff that will GROW but it won't thrive and there's stuff that will thrive for maybe 2-3 years then will struggle for root space and you will be watering and feeding it every day
If it was me I would get a MUCH bigger planter and re-think

FrankFalcon

Hey guys

Thank you so much for your time and explanations. Do you reckon Alpine Strawberries or raspberries are out of the question too? 

If so, then let’s change tack. Something that will naturally grow up the wall (doesn’t have to be edible) that is colourful, easy to manage and doesn’t take lots of attention 

Thanks again. 

FlorayG

Raspberries will do for a couple of years only, then they like to run and shoot up elsewhere - not having that option will mean you having to dig them out and replace. Strawberries like full sun to be sweet.
Because the container is small I would suggest annuals and then replace the compost every year. Black-Eyed Susan and Morning Glory do well in shade and they climb and you could put  bizzie lizzie in to cover the soil, that likes shade

Eldi_Dos

Personally I would lose the artifical Ivy and netting, it takes away from the quality look of the planter apart from anything else.

It would make a nice herb garden, with a mature Rosemary bush in the middle of planter, they are quite hardy and give flavour all year round.
You could also get some plastic shims and place them out of sight supporting the second strut from the left as there will be considerable weight in planter when full.

Emmia

Eldi_Dos said:

Personally I would lose the artifical Ivy and netting, it takes away from the quality look of the planter apart from anything else.

It would make a nice herb garden, with a mature Rosemary bush in the middle of planter, they are quite hardy and give flavour all year round.
You could also get some plastic shims and place them out of sight supporting the second strut from the left as there will be considerable weight in planter when full.

I find that rosemary really needs the sun and a bit of heat that you don't get with a NE facing box.

It is low maintenance though, but won't be covering the wall if that's what the OP wants 

Eldi_Dos

Emmia said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Personally I would lose the artifical Ivy and netting, it takes away from the quality look of the planter apart from anything else.

It would make a nice herb garden, with a mature Rosemary bush in the middle of planter, they are quite hardy and give flavour all year round.
You could also get some plastic shims and place them out of sight supporting the second strut from the left as there will be considerable weight in planter when full.

I find that rosemary really needs the sun and a bit of heat that you don't get with a NE facing box.

It is low maintenance though, but won't be covering the wall if that's what the OP wants 

Yeah Rosemary will thrive better in full sun, but I have one that only gets sun in the last few hours of the day and manages to survive.It is nice when there is snow on the ground to be able to pluck some leaves off to flavour whatever is being cooked for evening meal.Not many other plants will give you that.

Working_Mum

FrankFalcon said:

Hey guys

Thank you so much for your time and explanations. Do you reckon Alpine Strawberries or raspberries are out of the question too? 

If so, then let’s change tack. Something that will naturally grow up the wall (doesn’t have to be edible) that is colourful, easy to manage and doesn’t take lots of attention 

Thanks again. 

I have alpine strawberries growing in the gravel of my garden - they seem to be bulletproof. I decanted some of them into pots and they're in the shadier part of my garden but they are growing and ripening. I probably get half a cup of teeny strawberries a day from them at the moment!!

What about ferns or hostas - they're not fussy about light and grow well is shaded conditions - they're easy to manage and the hostas get flower spikes on them and look wonderful. My ferns, hostas, Solomon's seal have gone crazy in my shadiest border and are huge. Geraniums have grown in the shade too - not as vigorous as on the sunny border but still a fab showing.

Katiehound

^^^^
Hostas are wonderful and grow well in shade but.... the snails & slugs LOVE them!

 I have found this year that the hostas out in the open (so to speak, as they are all in pots) don't get munched. The ones near the house & garden walls are providing fodder for something & that is despite petroleum jelly on the plant pot rims. Currently I have 7 different varieties & some of the variegated ones really lighten the area & look amazing.

Working_Mum

@FrankFalcon i took some pics for you this morning of my shady border. It gets the sun from the middle of the afternoon. I realised the two clematis I planted last year have settled in quite well so thought I'd share as you mentioned climbers in your post recently.