To nail down the actual content, I investigated:
What is the bare minimum of information we need to collect in order to give an accurate recommendation?
What properties of plants would we need to consider?
I made a database in Notion that held this information for a set of around 20 edible plants. This could be filtered to show results for different situations - for example a small balcony with weekly watering in sun, a large patio with daily watering in shade. I tested my database with a range of growing conditions, and narrowed down the content required.
Have a go yourself!
Here are the plants sorted by category.
SpaceLightWaterChallenge levelCollectionsAnd here's the full whammy. You can play with the filters to suit your situation.
Plants | Budget | Annual/Biennial/Perennial | Container | Column | Related to Recipes (Plant) | Related to Jess space (Property 1) | Skills | Water requirements in low season | Source | Time to yield from plant | Water requirements in high season | Planting season from plant | Category | Image | Indoor / Outdoor | Light levels | Maintenance | Users | Difficulty level | Time to yield from seed | Collection | Planting season from seed | Challenge level | Season of yield | Companions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Medium | Perennial | MediumLarge | Thyme | Only when dry | Once a week | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors) | Herbs | Outdoor | Full sun | Low | easy | Not applicable | Not applicable | Easy | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors) | ||||||||||
Medium | Annual | Medium | Swiss chard | Once a week | Not applicable | Several times a week | Not applicable | Vegetables | Outdoor | ShadePartial shade | Medium | medium | 4 - 8 weeks | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors) | Medium | Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors) | |||||||||
Medium | Annual | MediumLarge | Kale | Not applicable | Not applicable | Several times a week | Spring (outdoors) | Vegetables | Outdoor | ShadePartial shade | Medium | medium | 8 - 12 weeks | Spring (outdoors) | Medium | Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors) | |||||||||
Medium | Annual | MediumSmall | Mustard leaves | Several times a week | Not applicable | Several times a week | Not applicable | Salad leaves | IndoorOutdoor | Partial shadeFull sun | Medium | medium | 2 - 4 weeks | Hot and spicySalad fiendStir fry | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Summer (indoors) | Medium | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Winter (indoors)Autumn (indoors) | ||||||||
Low | Annual | Medium | Cos lettuce | Once a week | Not applicable | Several times a week | Not applicable | Salad leaves | Outdoor | Partial shadeShade | Medium | medium | 8 - 12 weeks | Salad fiend | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors) | Medium | Spring (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors) | ||||||||
High | Perennial | Large | Lemon | Only when dry | Immediately | Daily | Spring (indoors)Summer (indoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors)Autumn (outdoors)Spring (outdoors) | Fruit | IndoorOutdoor | Full sun | Medium | challenging | Not applicable | Urban orchardMediterranean dreams | Not applicable | Challenging | Summer (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Spring (indoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | ||||||||
Low | Annual | SmallMedium | Coriander | Once a week | Immediately | Several times a week | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | Herbs | IndoorOutdoor | Partial shade | Medium | easy | 4 - 8 weeks | Stir fryHot and spicy | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors) | Easy | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Annual | Medium | Pak choi | Once a week | Not applicable | Several times a week | Not applicable | Salad leaves | IndoorOutdoor | Full sunPartial shadeShade | Medium | medium | 4 - 8 weeks | Stir fry | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors) | Medium | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Perennial | Medium | Lemongrass | Once a week | Immediately | Daily | Spring (indoors)Summer (indoors)Autumn (indoors) | Herbs | Indoor | Full sun | Medium | challenging | Not applicable | Stir fry | Not applicable | Challenging | Spring (indoors)Summer (indoors)Autumn (indoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Annual | Medium | Viola | Only when dry | Immediately | Several times a week | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors) | Edible flowers | Outdoor | Partial shadeFull sunShade | Medium | medium | 3 - 6 months | Happy baker | Spring (indoors) | Medium | Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors) | ||||||||
High | Perennial | Large | Blueberries | Only when dry | Summer following planting | Several times a week | Spring (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors)Summer (outdoors) | Fruit | Outdoor | Full sun | Medium | medium | Not applicable | Happy bakerUrban orchard | Not applicable | Medium | Summer (outdoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Annual | Large | Courgette | Not applicable | 4 - 8 weeks | Daily | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors) | Vegetables | Outdoor | Full sun | High | medium | 8 - 12 weeks | Stir fry | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors) | Medium | Summer (outdoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Annual | SmallMedium | Rocket | Several times a week | Not applicable | Several times a week | Not applicable | Salad leaves | IndoorOutdoor | Partial shadeFull sun | Medium | medium | 4 - 8 weeks | Hot and spicyMediterranean dreamsSalad fiend | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | Medium | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Annual | SmallMedium | Oriental mixed leaves | Several times a week | Not applicable | Several times a week | Not applicable | Salad leaves | OutdoorIndoor | Partial shadeFull sunShade | Medium | medium | 2 - 4 weeks | Salad fiendHot and spicyStir fry | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors)Summer (indoors) | Medium | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Perennial | Medium | Chives | Only when dry | Immediately | Several times a week | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (outdoors) | HerbsEdible flowers | Outdoor | Partial shade | Low | easy | 8 - 12 weeks | Salad fiend | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors) | Easy | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Perennial | Medium | Rosemary | Only when dry | Immediately | Once a week | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors) | Herbs | Outdoor | Full sun | Low | easy | Not applicable | Mediterranean dreams | Not applicable | Easy | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors) | ||||||||
High | Perennial | Large | Apple | Rarely | 6 - 12 monthsover 12 monthsSummer following planting | Several times a week | Spring (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors) | Fruit | Outdoor | Full sun | Medium | challenging | Not applicable | Happy bakerUrban orchard | Not applicable | Challenging | Summer (outdoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Annual | Large | Tomatoes | Not applicable | 4 - 8 weeks | Daily | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors) | Vegetables | OutdoorIndoor | Full sun | High | medium | 3 - 6 months | Mediterranean dreams | Spring (indoors) | Medium | Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Perennial | Medium | Mint | Once a week | Immediately | Several times a week | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors) | Herbs | Outdoor | Partial shadeFull sunShade | Low | easy | Not applicable | Happy baker | Not applicable | Easy | Spring (outdoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (outdoors)Winter (outdoors) | ||||||||
Low | Annual | Small | Cress | Daily | Not applicable | Daily | Not applicable | Salad leaves | Indoor | Full sunPartial shadeShade | Medium | medium | Under 2 weeks | Salad fiend | Spring (indoors)Summer (indoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | Easy | Spring (indoors)Summer (indoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | ||||||||
Medium | Annual | Medium | Chillies | Once a week | Immediately | Daily | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors) | Vegetables | IndoorOutdoor | Full sun | Medium | medium | 8 - 12 weeks | Hot and spicyStir fry | Spring (indoors) | Medium | Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors) | ||||||||
Low | Annual | SmallMedium | Basil | Several times a week | Immediately | Daily | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors)Summer (indoors)Summer (outdoors)Autumn (indoors)Winter (indoors) | Herbs | IndoorOutdoor | Full sun | Medium | medium | 4 - 8 weeks | Mediterranean dreams | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors) | Spring (indoors)Spring (outdoors) |