Let us talk about Vegetable Containers!
First there’s lots of information out there on do’s and don’ts of container gardening, let’s start by ignoring this!
Whatever you want to grow can be grown in a container and, in fact, they’re now breeding plants specifically for containers to make this easier. I have grown giant Sun Gold Tomatoes in a 5-gallon pot and put jalapeno peppers in a 2-gallon pot, so it’s very possible to grow anything you want in a container. The limit is on you for what you can handle, for watering, fertilizing, and care.
Container gardens should be a must and include everything from half barrels to your basic 2-gallon pot from the local greenhouse. They are easy to add around your deck or balcony, and they also blend in nicely with your garden. It’s a superb way to get mint around your cabbage, but not have it take over!
So how do we do this? First things first, let’s start by using the right potting soil and/or mix! There are definitely ways to do this cheaply and help save costs by reusing 50% of what you already have and topping it up with fresh potting soil. Even a simple mix of topsoil, compost, and potting soil will work. What it will come down to is how often you will need to water!
Next is to decide what you want to grow. The sky is the limit, really. I have grown everything from indeterminate tomatoes to cucumbers and peas in baskets and containers. Add some flowers/ companion plants to help attract the pollinators and then just be persistent with your watering.
Notice I mention watering a lot in this section, that’s because containers dry out a lot faster, so they need water more often. I have had years when I easily spent 3 hours a day watering, but I also go big on this side of gardening to increase our food production. What consistent watering means is that you don’t want to drench the container, but you don’t want it too dry either, so this takes some practice! One of the easiest ways to tell if a container needs water is by feeling down into the soil. You do not want your plants saturated at all, as you will only kill them just like if you let them dry out too often. These will only cause issues/stress for the plants and potentially leads to other things like bugs.
Let us work together and help make the garden produce for you!
The Gardeners' Wings 