What is & how do I grow a container garden?
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Consider the following guidelines when choosing your container.
Avoid containers with narrow openings.
Cheap plastic pots may deteriorate in UV sunlight and terracotta pots dry out rapidly. Glazed ceramic pots are excellent choices but require several drainage holes.
Wooden containers are susceptible to rot. Redwood and cedar are relatively rot resistant and can be used without staining or painting. Avoid wood treated with creosote, penta or other toxic compounds since the vapors can damage the plants. One advantage of wooden containers is that they can be built to sizes and shapes that suit the location.
Use containers between 15 and 120 quarts capacity. Small pots restrict the root area and dry out very quickly. The size and number of plants to be grown will determine the size of the container used. Deep rooted vegetables require deep pots.
Make sure your pot has adequate drainage. Holes should be 1/2 inch across. Line the base of the pot with newspaper to prevent soil loss.
In hot climates use light-colored containers to lessen heat absorption and discourage uneven root growth.
Set containers on bricks or blocks to allow free drainage.
Line hanging baskets with sphagnum moss for water retention. Keep baskets away from afternoon sun.
If you choose clay pots, remember that clay is porous and water is lost from the sides of the container. Plants in clay pots should be monitored closely for loss of moisture.
Growing Mixture
Make sure your planting medium drains rapidly but retains enough moisture to keep the roots evenly moist. Your compost will make an excellent potting soil. Check the requirements of the plants you grow to determine whether you will need to add sand. If compost is not available, purchase a good quality potting mixture or make your own from equal parts of sand, loamy garden soil, and peat moss. Commercial potting mixes are usually slightly acidic, so you may want to add a little lime.
Most container gardeners have found that a "soilless" potting mix works best. In addition to draining quickly, "soilless" mixes are lightweight and free from soil- borne diseases and weed seeds. These mixes can be purchased from garden centers.
When you add your soil to your container, leave a 2 inch space between the top of the soil and the top of the container. You will be able to add 1/2 inch or so of mulch later.
Sunlight
Container Gardening
This 32-page booklet is part of Storey Publishing's Country Wisdom series. In this informative booklet you'll learn:
- How to select containers
- How to choose a good potting mix or make your own.
- How to plant and care for your container gardens.
- How to create beautiful hanging baskets and windowboxes.
- Which plants are best for containers.
- And more!
Your container garden will need at least five hours of direct sunlight each day, and many plants will benefit from even more. As a general rule, leafy vegetables such as cabbage and lettuce can tolerate the most shade, while root crops such as beets and carrots will need more sun. Fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers need the most sun. The amount of sunlight needed by flowers varies depending on the varieties grown. Check the flower guides for sunlight requirements.
Fertilizer
Since potting mixes drain water rapidly, fertilizer will be washed out of the container as you water. Lighter mixes will require more frequent fertilizing than heavier mixes. It's a good idea to use a dilute liquid fertilizer with every other watering. Liquid fish emulsion or liquid seaweed are great plant boosters, but remember that you need to provide your plants with a variety of nutrients. Check the labels on the products in you garden center to be sure that they contain a complete, balanced solution that includes trace elements.
Watering
In an exposed location, container plants loose moisture quickly. Some plants will need to be watered daily, especially during hot, dry weather.
What to Grow?
Annuals
Annuals suitable for containers include:
Alyssum
Begonia
Browallia
Coleus
Geraniums
Impatiens
Latana
Lobelia
Marigolds
Periwinkle
Nasturtiums
Pansies
Petunias
Salvia
Sanvitalia
Snapdragons
Thunbergia
Zinnias
I'm assuming you want a vegetable garden. If so, your need to know what vegetables are goods for grwoing in containers, and what size of containers are needed.
Here is a list of vegetables that can be grown in containers. Now, you are not limited to this list, it is just a guideline.
Tomatoes: Patio, Pixie, Tiny Tim, Saladette, Toy Boy, Spring Giant, Tumbling Tom, Small Fry
Peppers: Yolo Wonder, Keystone Resistant Giant, Canape, (Hot) Red Cherry, Jalapeno
Eggplant: Florida Market, Black Beauty, Long Tom
Squash: Dixie, Gold Neck, Early Prolific Straightneck, (Green) Zucco, Diplomat, Senator
Leaf Lettuce: Buttercrunch, Salad Bowl, Romaine, Dark Green Boston, Ruby, Bibb
Green Onions: Beltsville Bunching, Crysal Wax, Evergreen Bunching
Green Beans: Topcrop, Greencrop, Contender, (Pole) Blue Lake, Kentucky Wonder
Radishes: Cherry Belle, Scarlet Globe, (White) Icicle
Parsley: Evergreen, Moss Curled
Cucumbers: Burpless, Liberty, Early Pik, Crispy, Salty
Just about any type of container can be used for growing vegetable plants. The size of the container will vary according to the vegetables you select, and by the space needed for them to grow. 4 to 10 inch pots work for many herbs, green onions, parsley, etc. For small vegetables, 1 to 2 gallon pots work well, and many other vegetable crops such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant will grow well in 5 gallon containers. I use buckets, with holes drilled in the bottom to allow for adequate drainage, as they are fairly easy to handle, provide adequate space for root growth, and the handles allow for ease of movement around the porch or yard.
This site, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/h... has a great chart for container sizes in relation to the vegetable selection.
I hope this helps. Good luck with your garden.
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