A Compact Garden - Growing Vegetables in Containers

Here is a way to have a vegetable garden on the patio...

Container gardens can also be used as a landscaping element and serve the dual purpose of both style and function around your patio or other area.

Drainage is vital for healthy plants. Make sure your containers have appropriate drainage holes to allow water to escape. Without drainage holes, plants can literally "drown" and will be susceptible to diseases such as root rot. Containers need to be placed in spots where the plants can catch the sunlight. An advantage with vegetables grown in containers is that you can move the vessels around to follow the sun if no one spot in your patio or garden is suitable.

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Vegetables grown in containers will need some additional attention. Their root system is restricted to the pot so they are dependent upon you for all their water. Montitor your "plants in pots," they are far more likely to dry out in hot conditions which will kill your plants, or shock them, leading them to fruit poorly.

It is also very important to place a layer of mulch on the topsoil of the container. This will slow evaporation and keep the surface temperature of the soil cooler. Some plants, like tomatoes, have small, fiberous roots which will dry out and die in hot soil.

Container vegetables often need some additional fertilizing due to the extra watering. Nutrients will be washed away quicker in a container than in the ground. A diluted, water soluble fertilizer is the best option to use regularly with vegetables.

There have been many varieties of vegetables that have been bred to grow in containers. They are generally referred to as "dwarf" varieties. Along with vegetables you can also get dwarf fruit trees that can be placed into containers. A list of suggested varieties and container sizes may help with your selection. Check with your seed supplier on the varieties they recommend for your local area.

In general, there are many vegetable varieties that will do very well in containers. Tomatoes, lettuce, beets, carrots, cabbage, peas, beans, capsicums and peppers are all good choices. Cucumbers, cauliflower and broccoli will also do well as will virtually all herbs.

Crops like potatoes, corn, pumpkins and vine fruits generally need more room than a container can provide. But the size of your containers, the varieties available to you and your personal tastes will dictate what you grow. As with most gardening, trial and error is your best education, but the rewards\ for this learning process are tremendous.

About the author:  Judy Williams ( www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. Her site, No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.

Publisher note: Those who have read, In the Garden's article about How to Build a No Dig Garden, may be aware that a no dig vegetable garden can be just as successful in containers provided similar guidelines are followed.

Another well known way to grow plants in containers is the gardening art of Bonsai. Check out our sister website, Bonsai for Beginners!

News about Growing Vegetables in Containers

The Associated Press

Homeowners mix vegetables, flowers to save money The Associated Press - Aug 27, 2008 An increasing, albeit small, number of people are trying edible landscaping — growing fruits and vegetables mixed in with traditional, ornamental flowers ...

Garden Calendar Seattle Post Intelligencer - Aug 27, 2008 ONGOINGInterbay Food Bank Garden: Learn how to grow fresh organic vegetables and help feed the hungry, rain or shine, every Tuesday at 5:30 pm 206-234-2861; ...

• Show Me The Money (08/28): Grow Your Own Food KGBT, TX - 5 hours ago Now, if you live in an apartment or somewhere where you don't have much of a back yard -- container planting is a popular alternative. ...

Growing tomatoes upside-down Madison Daily Leader, SD - Aug 26, 2008 Other gardeners grow upside-down tomato plants in five-gallon plastic buckets, in part because the buckets have sturdy handles for hanging the containers. ...

Rapid Growth

Growing Your Indoor Garden Rapid Growth, MI - Aug 27, 2008 Not only are plants grown with this method more vigorous and productive, but recent issues with our food supply highlight the safety of eating vegetables ...

Sustainable lunch Schenectady Gazette, NY - Aug 27, 2008 Instead, I found smaller, reusable containers, with easier-to-open lids. We still use some plastic bags (I admit it: I put up most of my garden vegetables ...

Economy's down so kitchen gardens flourish Los Angeles Times, CA - 11 hours ago With the economy in a slump and gas and food prices riding high, it seems that families feeling the pinch have taken to growing their own vegetables, ...

Food crops need not be confined to single area of yard Lawrence Journal World, KS - Aug 23, 2008 Even those with no land are considering growing vegetables out of container gardens, she said. When planting crops close together, Smith said gardeners need ...

BLTs are birthday favorites Hattiesburg American, MS - 13 hours ago One of the containers was metal and covered in rust so I opted for the plastic freezer, but it didn't work. I tried to combine parts from both freezers. ...

Growing their own Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS - Aug 19, 2008 A growing number of customers are interested in growing vegetables and herbs in containers, said McKie. A popular option, she said, is mixing herbs, ...