Container Vegetables
Smart Solutions : Episode SSL-614 -- More Projects »
Gardening expert Scott Daigre shows how people with limited yard space can still enjoy fresh summer vegetables by planting them in containers.
- Start with a large pot that offers a lot of room for plants to grow. A large pot also offers better drainage and keeps the plants from overheating.
Fill the container with potting soil. Raise the pot off the ground a bit to improve drainage by using ornamental pot feet, or balance it on some shards of broken terra-cotta pots (figure A).When planting a tomato plant, trim away the lower leaves and plant fairly deep. Also be aware that one tomato plant will grow to fill a fairly large pot, so make sure it has plenty of room (figure B).
One way to save money is to recycle large black nursery pots instead of buying terra-cotta or other decorative containers. The black pot will absorb too much heat, however, so cover it with a burlap or canvas sack (figure C). This is also a great way to dress up a plain plastic pot.Buy hybrid compact vegetables that take up less space. Squash, tomatoes and cucumbers are all available in compact varieties.Different seeds require various planting depths. For instance, a bean needs to be deeper in the soil than something smaller such as pepper seeds. Cover and tamp the soil down, then water. Another option is to start with seedlings.Be careful about mixing plants. Do not plant spreading vines such as beans with a tomato. You may be able to plant a few types of lettuce around the edge of a larger pot. Just don't get too much competition going on in one pot.Fertilizing is a must. Choose a type of fertilizer, whether it is liquid or granular, and stick with a feeding schedule. Organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion are great for vegetables, though fish emulsion is a fairly fragrant fertilizer and is not recommended for use on plants that are placed near a door.
Guests Scott Daigre
Landscape Designer
Powerplant Garden Design
Phone: 323-363-0844
E-mail:
sdaigre@aol.com
Also in this Episode
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