Container gardening is exactly what it sounds like — growing your garden solely in containers! Think you don’t have enough room to have a garden? Think again! The beauty of container gardening is that you can have a garden practically anywhere! Container gardening goes far beyond a few flower pots on your front porch. If vegetables are your favorite, why not start a vegetable container garden? Think that’s impossible? That is where you would be wrong. Many vegetables and fruits can easily be grown in containers.
Fruits & Vegetables That Grow Well in Containers:
- Tomatoes
- Beans
- Peppers
- Lemons
- Strawberries
- Lettuce
- Radishes
- Blueberries
Container Gardening Benefits:
Container Gardening Allows You to Have Full Control Over Your Soil’s Environment
- First, select an organic potting soil, and then, you can amend it to create the ideal environment for any given plant. For example, we all know blueberries are acid-loving plants. With a container garden, it is much easier to create that perfect, beneficial acidic soil environment in which they thrive.
Container Gardening Can Allow You to Plant Earlier
- Another benefit of container gardening is that it allows you to plant earlier. Since containers are raised, they create their own micro-climate, which tends to be warmer than the ground. This means that if you would normally plant your seedlings in April, it may be warm enough in your containers to plant them in March.
Container Gardening Gives You More Water Control
- When you water your container garden, you can more easily observe how the water is being absorbed by your soil. If you need to retain more moisture or you need better drainage you can easily amend your container garden soil to create the optimum soil environment for your plants. This can help you conserve water by reducing waterings.
Choosing the Right Container
There are a variety of materials to choose from. Terracotta, wood, plastic, resin, pottery, and even fabric pots are all great options. With so many options, it can seem overwhelming to select one, but a lot of it is personal preference. Each has its own benefits. For example, fabric containers help prevent overwatering. If you know you tend to kill plants by over-watering, these may be the perfect option for you! These containers are breathable, which allows water and air to circulate more freely throughout the soil. These containers also prevent your plants from becoming root-bound, which can be a common issue with other types of containers. If you live in a very dry area or aren’t prone to over-watering, you might want a container that holds onto water longer. If that is the case, then any of the other options would make a great choice.
How Do I Plant My Container?
Regardless of what you are planting, you always want to make sure that there are holes in the bottom of the container to allow for drainage. If you are planting succulents or cacti, you may want to fill the bottom of your container with pumice or some other sort of rock to improve drainage.
Next, fill your container with a high quality, organic potting mix. Then plant your transplants or seeds accordingly in your container. Make sure your plants are secure and covered with enough soil to keep the roots fully covered. You can also mix in an organic fertilizer at the time of planting transplants to replenish any nutrients they may have lost while planted in such a small container. You can mix in a granular fertilizer into the soil around the plant, and then water. Fertilizing frequency depends on the type of plant you are growing. Plants, like tomatoes, tend to be heavy feeders, and naturally require more nutrients. Research how often you should be fertilizing your plant of choice.
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Fertilizer – An Important Step in Organic Container Gardening
Once your plants are nice and cozy in their container home, you’re finished! Make sure to water regularly and feed, according to schedule. You’ll want to keep an eye on the roots in your container garden. Sometimes, a plant can outgrow the container in which they are planted. When this happens, they can become root-bound, which restricts the amount of nutrients the roots can absorb. You will know when this is happening, because the plant will easily slide out of the container, and the roots will be wound around each other very tightly. If your plant becomes root-bound, do not fret. Simply buy a larger container, and replant it in its new home.
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