I found this article in Sunset Magazine. Even though we have space for a garden, I think this would be a fun idea for planting all of our salad greens on the deck. That way we can just go out in the evening and "cut our dinner!!" How fresh can you be?!?!?!
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| Image from Sunset Magazine |
Step 1 – Choose Your Veggies (Note: Use this guide to
grow herbs, strawberries and flowers in your container garden too.)
What do you want to
grow in your container veggie garden? The only rule is to choose vegetables
that you actually like to eat – it’s one of the benefits of being a grown-up.
There are many varieties of vegetables that have been developed especially for
container gardening. Look for descriptive words like “bush,” “compact” or
“dwarf” when buying vegetable seeds or transplants (small plants ready to put
directly into the garden). It’s fun to start seeds indoors yourself (or in a
mini greenhouse) about 8 weeks before it is expected to be warm enough to
transplant them outside into your containers.
Tip: Plan to plant an
extra pot or two of veggies to share with your friends.
Step 2 – Choose Your Veggie Planters
Gardening in
containers is easy (you don’t need a PhD from a horticulture university to be
successful – all you need is a little basic knowledge) but one of the most
important factors in your gardening success is choosing appropriate garden
planters. Nearly all vegetables and herbs will do well in a 5-gallon pot (12″
diameter and 12″ depth) but plants with shallow roots, like salad greens, will
grow well in 6-8 inches of depth.
Use light colored
pots for veggies that prefer cool temperatures (like lettuce and cabbage) and
dark colored planters for heat loving plants (like tomatoes). For tall growing
plants, choose pots made of heavy material like terracotta or add a layer of
clean sand to the bottom of the planter for added weight and planter support.
Choose colors and
styles of planters that compliment your house and yard. There is a large
selection of beautiful garden planters available to suit any taste and budget.
Consider self-watering garden planters for extra convenience and a sure water
supply for thirsty plants on hot summer days. Some plants will do best if
supported by a trellis or stake attached to the garden planter.
Tip: Share the fun
and help a friend get started in veggie gardening.
Step 3 – Add Soil to Your Containers
The soil for
vegetables that are grown in containers must be lightweight, loose, and hold
moisture well. Regular soil is too heavy, compacts easily and should never be
used in planters. It is important to choose a “soil-less” soil mix developed
specifically for gardening in containers. These soils are various mixtures of
vermiculite, perlite, peat moss and other nutrients.
The soil can be
reused the following year by adding special soil boosters that replenish lost
nutrients that vegetables require. Another benefit of using lightweight soil is
that your planters will be easy to move around – one of the main advantages of
container gardening is its portability.
Now for the fun part.
The next step in our container gardening guide is…
Step 4 – Plant Your
Veggie Garden
Follow the directions
on the seed package to determine the best time for planting in your area based
on your gardening hardiness zone. Use a zone finder tool to determine your zone
by zip code and be sure to make a note of your zone number.
Many gardeners will
sow seeds directly into garden planters for quick growing veggies like greens,
but purchase transplants for longer maturing vegetables like tomatoes. After
planting your seeds, spray soil lightly with a mister and cover pot with
plastic wrap to retain moisture and warmth. Keep the soil moist at all times.
When the seeds sprout, remove the plastic cover but continue to water very
gently – remember they are baby veggies and need loving care.
Other information
about the plant’s requirements (spacing, etc..) can be found on the seed
package. Try to give each plant the conditions that they prefer. This is easy
to do with container gardening – you control all of the environmental factors
(soil, sun, water etc…).
Tip: Remember to add
your favorite herbs, small fruits (like strawberries) and flowers (nasturtiums
and dwarf marigolds are nice) to your veggie planters.
Bonus tip: Plant
salad greens around the base of your tomato plant. By the time the tomato plant
in the center needs the space you will have harvested the greens.
Step 5 – Fertilize and
Water Veggies
Your veggies need to
be watered daily and fertilized on a regular basis. Fertilizer is the key to
abundant produce and healthy plants. Fertilizer replenishes the nutrients that
plants need and that are washed away every time you water your containers. For
best results look for complete organic fertilizers that are recommended
especially for container gardening and fertilize according to the package
directions.
Avoid using liquid fish emulsion fertilizer – cats and
raccoons love the smell. (A special note about herbs: Herbs need less
fertilizer than vegetables. So after the initial planting, you will not need to
add fertilizer again.)
Watering must be done
daily and more often on extremely hot summer days when the planter soil is
likely to dry out quickly. Be sure you have free flowing drainage holes in your
garden planter. Elevate veggie planters on bricks or wood to allow drainage and
to protect surfaces. Consider watering aids and time-savers like self-watering
planters, water-holding crystals that are added to the soil mix, and
drip-irrigation systems designed especially for gardening in containers.
Tip: Put a layer of
peat moss on top of the soil in each planter to help retain moisture.
Step 6 – Give Your Veggies Sunshine
Most vegetables
require 6 hours of sunlight daily. Leafy vegetables like lettuce will do fine
with somewhat less light. If necessary, putting planters on casters makes it
easy to move your plants from areas of limited light to more sunny areas. Group
pots of heat-loving veggies together in the warmest spot on your patio and
cluster vegetables that prefer cooler temperatures in areas that are sheltered
from the hot afternoon sun.
Garden design is a
great opportunity to create a garden that is productive, creates useful
extensions of your living space and is pleasing to look at. A potting bench can
even be used as an outdoor buffet for family dining on the patio or deck.
Tip: Get your kids
involved in gardening. Even kids that don’t like veggies will eat the baby
carrots they grew themselves.
Step 7 – A Daily Gardening Schedule
Your new vegetable
garden is very low maintenance requiring few supplies or tools, but you will
need to water daily, fertilize regularly and be sure to harvest your veggies
and berries as they ripen (the fruit of your labor). Herbs can be snipped and
used as needed, either fresh or dried.
Most important of
all, is to enjoy the time you spend in your garden – getting your hands in the
soil and working with nature is relaxing and also provides a satisfying sense
of accomplishment.
Tip: An attractive
planter of salad greens or herbs makes a healthy and thoughtful gift.
It’s that easy.
You’ll soon discover that there is nothing like the taste of fresh, just-picked
vegetables from your own thriving container garden.
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