Container gardening

**Peaches** · 01-09-2005, 04:02 PM

I'm interested in growing some of my own vegetables and herbs this year. However, there are two problems:

1. I am the Cruella DeVille of the plant world. I only have to look at a plant and it withers and dies.

2. I have very limited yard space and would need to do all this planting in pots.

So here's what I'm looking for - plants which are (a) hard to kill and (b) grow well in pots. The climate here is quite mild, but we're not guaranteed much sun. In fact, last spring and summer it rained cats and dogs. Does anyone have any suggestions to get me started on the right track?

Thanks!

**Telephus44** · 01-09-2005, 10:19 PM

Cool! Another container gardener! Welcome!

I have always had a vision of growing real food that I can eat, so every year I try a couple of vegetables. I have never had good luck with any of them, so I continue to tweak my methods. This will be my third year. What I have had good luck with is herbs. They seem to be pretty tolerant of just about everything except my cats. In particular I would recommend basil, mint, catnip, and lavender. I have had ok results with oregano, and not too good ones with parsley and camomile.

The other thing I would do would be to ask people at your garden center - when I moved from Massachusetts out to Colorado I had no idea what to start with, and the people at the garden center gave really good suggestions. A really good book on the subject is The Bountiful Container by McGee & Stuckey.

Also, don't worry about being the Cruella DeVille of the plant world - it just means you get to buy more plants (when the first ones die)! This happens to me a lot, I got over it after the first year. I figure one of these years I'll get it right.

**Dixie** · 01-09-2005, 10:32 PM

Last summer, dh and I grew Banana peppers in containers. We had more peppers than we could possibly eat. All I did was water them and keep them in the sun. I've heard you can grow just about anything in containers. I'm going to try growing strawberries and onions in pots this year.

**Peaches** · 01-12-2005, 01:33 AM

I've had a read through the gardening 101 thread, which is so unbelieveable that I'm inspired and feel like I can grow anything. We're going to make a compost bin this weekend, and I'm excited about not wasting so much organic material and composting it instead. I'm going to organise my pots and tubs and have a chat with the bloke at the garden centre. Also, I'm seeing a friend this weekend who had great success growing her own potatoes in a large pot on her patio, so I'll pick her brain too!

Thanks for your replies and advice everyone!

**forestdale** · 01-12-2005, 01:56 AM

Hi peaches, I missed your post earlier. I'm glad you got something out of the gardening 101 thread and that you are going to give it a try. Remember that gardening is like everything else, you have to learn how to do it. It's really just a pinch of fertilizer, a splosh of water and a good mixing. You'll be surprised how much you can grow when you get the knack of it.

My main concern with you is the sun. Most vegies and herbs need sun for at leart 6 hours a day. Never mind though, soldier on and I'm sure you'll be eating your own produce this summer.

Potatoes are a great thing to grow in a container. They still need sun though as although they grow below the soil, they send up green tops. You can grow spuds in an old clean garbage bin with the bottom removed, in a wire framed circle you make yourself or any sort of container that will hold a heap of soil, potatoes and compost. I'll do a thread on potatoes soon. I think they are the best home vegie to grow as most potatoes are sprayed when they have finished growing to get rid of their tops. When I say "sprayed" I mean with poison so if you can get your potatoes without this addition I'm sure you'll be better for it.

In the meantime, Sara gave you great advice when she said to ask at your garden centre about what grows well in your area. Lettuces grow well in most places and they don't need a lot of sun, ditto with spinach.

I'm really pleased you're starting your compost heap. That will make the world of difference to your soil, and to your health when you start eating your vegetables.

Good luck with your planting and keep checking out the gardening threads, I'll add all I can for you and Sara when I have more time.

**DaisyLady** · 01-12-2005, 06:41 AM

Peaches, many years ago I grew baby carrots in a window box that I suspended on the fence in my postage stamp yard. I didn't get a lot of sun but the fence was dark and seemed to help catch what sun there was. I didn't get a ton of carrots but then I only had one box. We moved to a 2 acre property just after that so I didn't get to repeat the experiment the following year.

**britbunny** · 01-12-2005, 07:49 AM

Peaches,

Without the aid of a greenhouse, last year I grew garlic and tonnes of other herbs, lettuce, potatoes, carrots, peppers and onions. When the plants were evry small if the weather was too wet I just wheeled the pots close to the house and cut down old water bottles to cover them until the wind/rain got better.

There are books available about vegetable container gardens such as "the windowbox allotment" which might be worth a look.

I also only have a small yard but have managed to do well, we also have lots of non-edible plants too such as bamboo, winter jasmine, loads of grasses - which are good in the wind up here in the hills. As many bedding plants as you can shake a stick at, fushia, roses, holly etc.

When you have spoken to your man at the garden centre it might be worth your while to see if there's a nursery close by as you can get the same stuff a lot cheaper.

**across_my_Heart** · 01-14-2005, 10:20 AM

I've heard tomatoes do very well in containers. I had no luck last year with mine in the ground. So this year- it's container time!

I was so inspired by some photos I saw online somewhere, that this year I'm focusing on containers all over my garden. I have basil growing indoors in tiny pots, and it's doing very well. Basil is one of those almost-impossible-to-kill herbs.

I think containers are optimal for many veggies and herbs because you can move them around to get the best sun. Plus if they get too wet, the water drains. My poor gardens were flooded last year from all the rain we had.

**Peaches** · 01-23-2005, 02:35 AM

Okay, update!

Went to the garden centre and had a chat with the man. He said you can grow anything in pots and suggested buying seedlings for my first try rather than trying to germinate seeds. Could be true, then again he could just be trying to sell me some seedlings!

Didn't get to make the compost bin last weekend so we're doing it this weekend. Basically, we're going to use a large bucket with a lid. DH is drilling holes all over for air circulation and we're off to the local farmer to get some manure (it's free!). We're hoping with some attention and bit of turning to have some usable compost by the beginning of April.

Now then, let's talk about soil for a minute. Do I dig some up from my backyard? Do I buy a soil mix? I was afraid to ask the garden centre guy because I thought he'd try to sell me something else!

Finally, this is what I am going to attempt to grow (one or two plants of each): tomato, pepper, cucumber, green beans, potatoes, various herbs.

Am I too ambitious? Maybe, but I'm inspired! I can't wait to get started!

**britbunny** · 01-23-2005, 09:31 AM

You should just be able to use a bag of compost from the garden centre or from anywhere. When we first grew veg we had gro-bags but instead of just planting straight into the bag we emptied the compost into pots (there are usually 3 holes in a gro0bag but you can get 4 pots worth of compost) and that worked pretty well. you should be able to get gro-bags for about 99p each.

Also I don't think that the selection of things you have chosen is too adventurous, even if a couple of things aren't so successful you'll still have other things to show for your efforts. Herbs should do pretty well, and it sounds like you've chosen things that are pretty easy to grow.

I heard that you should grow I think it's marigolds next to potatoes to keep pests away.

you could possibly get a free compost bin from your council, if you check their website it should say there - we had a free one delivered but I don't know if they do it in your neck of the woods

Good luck!

**doodlebug** · 01-24-2005, 09:52 PM

This past summer I used a light-weight potting soil in my containers. I was worried about all the weight on our deck from the heavier soils and I found the pots much easier to move around since they were lighter. Of course, buying the potting soil isn't cheap. I also found that my containers needed water almost every day and frequent fertilizing. I had fair luck with tomatoes, good luck with baby carrots, lemon balm did great, had so-so luck with cucumbers and green peppers. My green beans did not do well nor did the peas. This year I'll concentrate on tomatoes, lettuce, carrots and maybe try cucs again. Good luck to you, I hope you have much success and lots of fun!
Oh, and if you have a cat you can expect it to try to use a few pots for it's bathroom, lol

I found that pine cones thrown around in the pots put a stop to this.

**forestdale** · 01-24-2005, 10:49 PM

peaches, don't use garden soil, you need potting mix in a bag. It's a mix of organic matter, sometimes sand, sometimes vermiculite, water crystals etc. It allows the plant roots to move around freely and establish enough to draw nourishment from the soil. using garden soil will result in a big mud pie and the roots of your plants will struggle.

**Peaches** · 01-30-2005, 02:02 AM

Hi guys!

My compost bin (a heavy duty rubber garbage pail with lockable lid that DH drilled holes in) is cooking away nicely! A lady I work with who keeps horses is keeping me stocked in fresh manure and all the organic kitchen waste is going in too. Every couple of days I take my compost bin for a roll up and down the driveway to give it a nice turn. I've saved egg cartons to germinate seeds in, and my local supermarket has seeds on sale 3 packs for £1, so I bought six packs (green beans, tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, scallions and peppers). I got a bag of potting soil for £1.99. I am visualising pots full of lovely veggies on my patio this summer. Thanks for all your input and advice! I just keep checking back here and on forestdale's threads (which are invaluable). I can't wait to post pictures of my first crop!

Thanks again!