BurlingtonFreePress.com, VT
05-27-06
Hold everything
By Kelli Brown
Gannett News Service
There's no substitute for freshness at your fingertips. If neighborhood association
rules, bad soil or a fear of snakes keep you from gardening, try digging into a
container garden -- filled with ready-to-pick fruits and vegetables.
As with any project, the best idea is to start small. In your first season, try out a
few pots with a variety of plants. Some people prefer to start seeds indoors in the
early spring, but garden centers carry a variety of produce starts that you can
transplant directly into a container.
1. Choosing a container
Almost anything from store-bought pots to wheelbarrows to old porcelain dishes
will work for a container garden. Keep in mind that the larger the pot, the bigger
your produce will be and the less watering you'll have to do.
Most plants do best in pots that are at least 12 inches deep. Choose a pot that is
the same diameter from top to bottom. Generally a pot that is 12 inches wide will
hold about 3.5 gallons of soil and a 16-inch pot will hold about 5.5 gallons.
For drainage, make sure your container has escape holes for excess water. If the
roots are soaked for extended periods of time, the plant will die.
If you need to add drainage, drill three to four one-fourth inch holes on the sides
near the bottom of the pot. Add a one-half inch layer of coarse gravel, rocks,
broken pots or even cut pop cans or Styrofoam peanuts to hold in the soil.
2. Pick the produce
Container gardens can support any type of fruit or vegetable if given a large
enough pot. The most effective gardens, though, will stick to varieties that have
compact growth habits. Some of the most common choices are tomatoes,
peppers, beans, carrots, onions, lettuce, spinach, eggplant and herbs.
Before planting, set your plants outside in the approximate area where they'll be
grown so they can begin adjusting to the environment.
3. Select the soil.
Container plants require a lightweight soil that holds moisture and nutrients but
won't compact and smother roots when wet. Mary Ann deVries, an Iowa State
University Extension state horticulturist, says a potting soil variety is the best
choice.
If you want to get a head start on the fertilizing, add a granular slow-release
fertilizer when planting. These pellets will release nutrients into the soil
throughout the growth cycle.
Fill your pot three-fourths full, then wet the soil. Allow the soil to settle and drain
completely.
When you're ready to plant, first insert any cages or stakes so as to not disturb
the roots. Then start from the middle and work your way out, planting the taller
growing plants in the back. The final soil level should be about an inch below the
rim.
4. Find location
Most garden plants do best in areas with full sun or at least six hours of sunlight
per day.
Some of the leafy varieties, including lettuce or spinach, can do well in areas with
more shade. Fruit-bearing plants, including tomatoes, peppers and eggplant,
require the most sun, while root plants such as radishes, beets and onions can
get by with a little less sun.
5. Watering
Plan to water three to four times a week or after the soil is dry 1 to 2 inches
below the surface. Water enough so that it flows out of the drainage holes. Avoid
wetting the leaves, since damp leaves can create plant disease.
During the hottest days when plants are in full bloom, you may need to water
them both in the morning and evening.
6. When to fertilize
If you used a fertilizer when you planted, you shouldn't need to fertilize again
unless the plant looks like it needs it.
If you chose not to fertilize at planting, it's important to apply a water-soluble
version when watering once every week or two until the plant begins to produce,
when you should fertilize weekly.
DeVries suggests sticking with a basic 10-10-10 (nitrogen, phosphate and
potash) formula and add more of each specific ingredient should the plant need
it. Nitrogen helps the plant grow, phosphate stimulates fruit or vegetable
production and potash helps the plant establish strong roots.
7. Harvest
The advantage of having a garden outside your door is that you can harvest
when you want and when it's ripe. Once ripe, some vegetables, such as beans
and squash, will need to be picked daily. Others will need to be picked only every
few days and some, especially root varieties, can stay in the ground for several
weeks before losing flavor.
Pros, cons of container gardens
With the exception of extra watering because pots are more exposed to heat and
sun, container gardening isn't that different from having a regular garden. In
many ways, it makes the effort much more manageable. Here's what you're
getting into:
Advantages:
Variety: You can grow just about anything you can grow in the ground.
Flexibility and mobility: If the soil or sunlight around your home is poor, you can
move the pots to areas that are better suited.
Restraint: The pots and limited soil space can keep fast-spreading plants in
check and can limit your produce to more practical quantities. Weeds and
animals are less likely to be a nuisance. Caring for a few pots can be easier than
digging up a portion of your yard.
Teamwork: Combining plants in one pot can help them be more sustainable by
fighting off pests. For example, oregano can fend off bugs that normally attack
broccoli. Disadvantages:
Water, water, water: Because container plants have a smaller soil area to draw
from, they're more likely to become dried out from heat and wind. On the hottest
days of midsummer, you'll likely need to water in the morning and evening.
Fertilizer: Again the restricted soil space limits the amount of nutrients available
to the plants, which means more fertilizing. However, slow-release fertilizers can
be applied at planting, which can eliminate weekly fertilizing.
Less production: Smaller space means smaller plants. However, in most cases,
well-maintained plants will yield substantial produce. Extra costs
In general, container gardens can be a bit more expensive than a traditional
garden -- simply because you have to buy the pots. Prices are approximate. A
look at some typical costs:
10-inch plastic (10 inches deep): about $4.
16-inch plastic (14 inches deep): about $17.
14-inch terra cotta (14 inches deep): $19 to $40.
14-inch cocoa moss hanging basket: about $25.
Tips, tricks can ease growing pains
The pot: Skip the saucer. Saucers under a pot hold in excess water and tend to
be a breeding ground for fungus and mosquitoes.
Growing:
Rotate each container in a circular motion to provide even sunlight to each side
of the plant.
Consider growing vegetables on a trellis (pole beans) or from a hanging basket
(tomatoes) to save room in your containers. Choose a pot that is wide at the
base and heavy enough to keep it from tipping over.
Tomatoes:
Before filling a pot for a tomato, bend two wire coat hangers into an L shape and
place in the pot. Adjust the hooks so they are even with where the soil level will
be. Fill with soil, place the tomato cage and bend the hooks over top the cage to
hold it in place. You can also try using two cages, one on top of the other. Turn
one quarter to make a tighter grid for the plant to climb.
To train the plant, prune the smaller shoots so that the plant has only one or two
stems. When the plants have flowered, give them a little shake about mid-day to
speed up the pollination process. Pruning: Cut or pinch plants, if you need to thin
or train them. Pulling plants out will risk disturbing the roots of nearby plants.
Watering: It's better to err on the dry side than to overwater and essentially
suffocate a plant (water takes the place of the air needed in the soil). However, if
you forget to water for a long period of time, it's still possible to resuscitate your
plant. First try watering every 10 minutes over 30 to 40 minutes. If that doesn't
work and the pot is lightweight enough to move, completely submerge the pot in
water, until the bubbles slow. Then let the pot drain fully. Herbs: Garden centers
and even vendors at local farmers markets sell a variety of herbs. Most can be
grown in a two gallon pot or can be added into other pots. Harvest herbs on a dry
morning or just after the dew. In most cases, you can take the leaves as you
need them. Never take more than one-third of the plant at once. The easiest to
grow:
Sweet basil
Oregano
Parsley How to clean your pots: With the pot empty, soak it for at least 10
minutes in a 10 percent bleach solution. Transfer the pot to a dish detergent and
water solution and scrub until mineral deposits are removed. Rinse and soak in
clean water until you're ready to plant. This process reduces the salt build-up and
kills pests from previous years. If you don't start with fresh soil and a clean pot
each year, at least rotate the crops you plant.
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