Container Gardening?

[Telephus44]

I am just wondering if anyone else does container gardening. I have a couple of books, have read tons of websites, and have tried it two summers running with the following results:

Summer 1 (Central MA, small patio, full sun all day, all of the below in 5 gallon buckets with drainage holes drilled)

Tomatoes - started with a plant, got 5 small tomatoes all summer
Squash - started from seeds,
got plenty of flowers, no squash
Green Beans (bush variety) - started from seeds, got 9 beans

Summer 2 (Central CO, bigger patio, full sun half day/mostly shade half day, all of the below in 3 or 5 gallon buckets with drainage holes drilled)

Tomatoes - started with a plant - got 2 green tomatoes that never ripened
Jalepeno Peppers - started with a plant - got 1 1" pepper
Garlic - started from bulbs, they all died after 2 weeks

I'd like to actually grow some of my own food, but I'm getting really discouraged. I'm back in Central MA, and this is the time of year when I usually start planning what I'm going to grow, but I'm almost ready to just throw the towel in on vegetables and just grow flowers instead (at least they are pretty to look at!) Has anyone ever successfully grown any kind of vegetables of any kind on a small patio, preferably in New England? I'm just looking for some encouragement and advice on what to try this year.

Thanks!
Sara

[forestdale]

Sara, what sort of potting soil are you using?

[Telephus44]

Originally posted by forestdale
Sara, what sort of potting soil are you using?

I have not used one specific brand - I just make sure that it says potting soil and usually something about good for containers - I also look to make sure it has something to retain moisture (vermiculite? I think? I don't have my books in front of me). I generally add some Miracle Grow and ground up eggshells during the season, so I don't pay too much attention to the added nutrients. Is there a specific brand you use?

[Michelle]

Have you been using fertilizer? I got tons of tomatoes in my container plant this summer--though it was later in the season.

[forestdale]

Sara, you need to have any brand of potting soil that drains well but also retains moisture. IN other words, you don't want a sandy mix that will drain and dry out quickly, you want a mix that will drain well and retain some moisture around the roots.

The second point is what Michelle mentioned. All vegetables, partularly those grown in containers, need fertilizer. If the are grown in the ground they pick up bits of organic matter and other material that will provide the nutrients needed for the formation of fruit and vegetables. But when they are in containers, every single thing they need, you must provide.

I have successfully used organic fertilizers in the past to grow container vegetables, but you could use any commercial fetilizer.
The rule is you need nitrogen for leaf growth - so if you are going the organic route, this means bone meal or OLD animal manure. For the formation of flowers - tomatoes, squash, chili, peppers, beans - you need sulphate of potash. Follow the directions on your packet.

Just a word on tomatoes. They don't need any nitrogen fetilizer at all but they do need potash. When you plant them, just sprinkle the surrounding soil with potash or place it in the growing hole. It will help develop healthy roots and form flowers. All your other vegetables will need both nitrogen and potash, but when the leaves have formed and the flowers are turning into fruit, stop the nitrogen and continue with the potash only.