Zucchinis are so easy to grow that you don’t even need a pot, let alone space in the border. A large, well-made plastic bag can contain enough soil to keep a single zucchini plant happy and productive.

When to start: Spring.

At their best: Summer.

Time to complete: 30 minutes to sow; 30 minutes to plant.

You will need: Zucchini seeds, seed soil mix, multi-purpose soil mix, large – sturdy plastic bags, scissors, small pots, mulch – such as bark chips.

Plant seeds

Fill small pots with seed soil mix. Zucchini seedlings are large, so plant just one seed in each pot. Water them in and cover the pots with clear plastic bags to encourage germination.

Choose a sunny site

Once the seedlings have germinated, remove the bags and place the pots in a warm, sunny spot. Keep them indoors, or in a warm greenhouse, until all danger of frost has passed in late spring or early summer.

Plant into a large bag

Once the weather has warmed, harden off your plants by standing them outside during the day, and bringing them inside at night, for a couple of weeks. Set your plastic bag in a sheltered sunny spot outside. Make drainage holes with scissors in the bottom of the bag, fill with soil, and plant the zucchinis.

Add layer of mulch

Firm the plants in and water them well. To help retain moisture, cover the soil with a thick mulch of chipped bark or organic matter. Water every day during summer, and feed weekly with a tomato fertilizer. The plants grow rapidly, and will soon form large golden flowers that develop into tasty zucchinis.