How to Grow Your Vegetables in Containers
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I was living in a 2nd story apartment when the desire to garden started to come on. We had been married a few years and with a small baby I wanted a little bit more green on the table. I started badly with lots of fails but learned a few things along. the way that enabled me to grow tons of veggies on a small 5×7 porch.
Things have changed since those early days. A lot of new innovative tools and helpful videos from people doing just what I wanted to do have made vegetable in containers in smalls spaces so easy any one can do it.
By using the right varieties, the correct soil, adequate light and water you can have a thriving garden on your back porch!
Here are some tips to get you started and some links to inspiring container gardening information.
- Decide what is the first thing you want to grow: If this is your first garden choose easy to grow vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, beans, and radishes. Don't go overboard at first. I started with onions, potoates, corn, tomatoes, lettuce and zucchini. I've since dropped the corn but continue to grow all the others to this day. Think about what you would like to eat. What you would like to see on your dining table.
- Choose the varieties of these plants that will do well in containers. If you plant some vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers choose the smaller varieties that will do well in containers. Your favorite gardening catalog will list what varieties grow well in containers and tight spaces. Or you can just head over to Renee's Garden and pick up this pack.
- Choose your containers. Truthfully you can have success in any vessel with holes in the bottom. But for growing on a porch I've had success with Grow Bags, The Garden Patch Grow Boxes , and the Greenstalk
- Plan where your containers will go. Do your research. Some vegetables need more sun than others. 6 to 8 hours for vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers. More shade happy vegetables, such as lettuce, will be happier in your less sunny areas.
- Hardy or Tender: Starting things from seed? Can you start them outdoors or do you need to baby them and start them indoors. Know when your indoor seedlings are ready to go outside determine the temperatures your plants can handle. Tomatoes are tender and need warmer soil. Carrots and onions are hardy and can handle cooler temperatures.
- Know the watering needs: If you’ve had problems in the past with letting your plants go dry try a self watering pot or some of the watering helps on the market. Or add it to your child’s chore list. You need to pay attention more often to the water level in container plants. They can dry out and overflow easier
- By the way you can container garden in most anything. Wash your pots before using them if they held something else before. And…
Have fun!
