babetoo
Chef Extraordinaire
i do container gardening. would be good to get some tips
babe
babe
ISO Container Gardening Tips
- Thread starter babetoo
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
QSis
Washing Up
I have an all-container garden, too, babe. My growing season in Boston is shorter than yours in San Diego (BTW, I want to move there when I win the lottery!).
I buy plants for most flowers, all herbs, tomatoes (unless I want a particular heirloom variety), Ichiban eggplants and a single jalapeno plant.
From seed, I plant radishes, pole and bush beans, and sunflowers.
I've grown many different flowers and vegetables in containers over the years, but have narrowed down the varieties to those I most enjoy and yield the best.
What kinds of things do you grow in your containers?
By qsis, shot with Canon PowerShot S230 at 2007-03-26
By qsis, shot with Canon PowerShot S230 at 2007-03-26
Lee
Last edited:
carolelaine
Senior Cook
I have some container plants. The best thing I've learned in the last 2 years is to buy the moisture control potting soil. It get really hot and dry where I live in the summer, but I am lucky to have a long growing season.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
There is very little, if anything, that you can't grow in an appropriate container.
When I had to have 2 surgeries after nearly severing my leg, my "garden" for 2 seasons was entirely in containers on my deck. I grew several different varieties of heirloom tomatoes - full size, paste, cherries; both sweet & hot peppers; eggplants; okra; greens; beets; carrots; edible flowers - virtually anything I felt like growing.
The keys for success that I find work for me for container growing are:
1) The large the container the better. Obviously for shallow-growers like greens that leans more towards width rather than depth.
2) A good relatively soil-less potting mix. If you have good homemade fluffy compost to mix in, so much the better.
3) Constant & consistent watering. In the blasting heat of summer here in Virginia, that can mean watering thoroughly twice a day.
4) Feeding. Whether you garden organically or not, containerized plants require more frequent feeding than open garden plants.
5) Pest Control. I've found this to be relatively easy, as I can hand-pick off pests like Tomato Hornworm & blast off aphids & such with plain water. Haven't had to resort to any chemical pesticides yet.
When I had to have 2 surgeries after nearly severing my leg, my "garden" for 2 seasons was entirely in containers on my deck. I grew several different varieties of heirloom tomatoes - full size, paste, cherries; both sweet & hot peppers; eggplants; okra; greens; beets; carrots; edible flowers - virtually anything I felt like growing.
The keys for success that I find work for me for container growing are:
1) The large the container the better. Obviously for shallow-growers like greens that leans more towards width rather than depth.
2) A good relatively soil-less potting mix. If you have good homemade fluffy compost to mix in, so much the better.
3) Constant & consistent watering. In the blasting heat of summer here in Virginia, that can mean watering thoroughly twice a day.
4) Feeding. Whether you garden organically or not, containerized plants require more frequent feeding than open garden plants.
5) Pest Control. I've found this to be relatively easy, as I can hand-pick off pests like Tomato Hornworm & blast off aphids & such with plain water. Haven't had to resort to any chemical pesticides yet.
OP
OP
babetoo
Chef Extraordinaire
I have an all-container garden, too, babe. My growing season in Boston is shorter than yours in San Diego (BTW, I want to move there when I win the lottery!).
I buy plants for most flowers, all herbs, tomatoes (unless I want a particular heirloom variety), Ichiban eggplants and a single jalapeno plant.
From seed, I plant radishes, pole and bush beans, and sunflowers.
I've grown many different flowers and vegetables in containers over the years, but have narrowed down the varieties to those I most enjoy and yield the best.
What kinds of things do you grow in your containers?
By qsis, shot with Canon PowerShot S230 at 2007-03-26
By qsis, shot with Canon PowerShot S230 at 2007-03-26
Lee
what a lovely yard. i pretty much just do flowers. you have inspired me to try some vegs. not quite time to plant though.
babe
spryte
Senior Cook
I have an all container garden too! I've done patio tomatos, tons of hot peppers - habaneros, jalapenos, banana peppers, serrano peppers, bell peppers, peas, jack-be-little pumpkins, all kinds of herbs, lots of flowers.
This year I'm trying tomatillos, strawberries, I have a mystery plant growing, that I 'think' will be some kind of veggie! I'm trying to decide what else to do. I have very limited space, but want to try my hand at some other veggies too.
This year I'm trying tomatillos, strawberries, I have a mystery plant growing, that I 'think' will be some kind of veggie! I'm trying to decide what else to do. I have very limited space, but want to try my hand at some other veggies too.
spryte
Senior Cook
I need some more of my bigger containers too! I'm considering trash cans... I think they might be cheaper!
LOL! That may not be a bad idea spryte... I think you can find the large containers rather cheaply. If you know any landscapers, it may be worth checking with them for their containers that they have left over from their jobs. They normally throw these things away or reuse them. Most the time they have way to many to use all of them on their own.
Jeekinz
Washing Up
We have quite a bit in containers this year. You may have seen these in my other thread, but anyway:
Herbs
Grape tomatoes, hot peppers, etc.
There great to have now because we can move them around to where the sun is. The 3 square containers were $14 at Lowes. I move the rectangles back onto the deck railing in a few weeks.
Herbs
Grape tomatoes, hot peppers, etc.
There great to have now because we can move them around to where the sun is. The 3 square containers were $14 at Lowes. I move the rectangles back onto the deck railing in a few weeks.
I did container gardening for 3 years before I went ahead and built myself raised beds. I grew tomatoes, peppers, green and yellow beans, peas, greens, cucumbers and herbs.
Greens and herbs grow well in long planter boxes
Use the largest containers you can find. I've used foam coolers and large foam pots. Don't use clay/terra cotta, they dry out too fast. If you can find the cedar planter boxes they last for years and look great.
Invest in name-brand soil with time release fertalizer already in it.
Water, water, water. Pots dry out very fast. I used to water 2x a day.
Try planting flowers in with your plants in larger pots, a few marigolds in with the tomaotes, or mix in herbs like basil with peppers. (Google "companion planting" for lots of good ideas)
You can even grow carrots and radishes in those 1/2 whisky barrels.
If you grow tomoatoes I'd suggest hybrids or determinate plants. They will only grow so big while heirlooms and indeterminants can get up to 6 or 8 feet tall and the pots can blow over in strong winds (I learned that the hard way my first year)
Greens and herbs grow well in long planter boxes
Use the largest containers you can find. I've used foam coolers and large foam pots. Don't use clay/terra cotta, they dry out too fast. If you can find the cedar planter boxes they last for years and look great.
Invest in name-brand soil with time release fertalizer already in it.
Water, water, water. Pots dry out very fast. I used to water 2x a day.
Try planting flowers in with your plants in larger pots, a few marigolds in with the tomaotes, or mix in herbs like basil with peppers. (Google "companion planting" for lots of good ideas)
You can even grow carrots and radishes in those 1/2 whisky barrels.
If you grow tomoatoes I'd suggest hybrids or determinate plants. They will only grow so big while heirlooms and indeterminants can get up to 6 or 8 feet tall and the pots can blow over in strong winds (I learned that the hard way my first year)
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
I also do container gardening mostly tomatoes in a 8x10 green house our season is short. I grow them in the big rubber maid containers I drill holes on the bottoms and put broken up styrofoam and then the soil. Last year was a dismal year that has never happened before still don't know what got my tomatoes. I have the seedlings growing in the house. Here is my question should I throw out all the soil I spent SO much money on and buy new in case the soil was contaminated and if not what can I do with the soil to give it a boost. I've been using the same potting mix for about 5 years with great success and just fertilizing.
spryte
Senior Cook
This is my garden so far... it's just started... it's still very small...
Most of the pots to the right are still empty... but I ran out of room for dirt in my big rubbermaid tubs... I toss the old dirt w/manure & blood meal.
Violas at the corner of the house & My little crack flowers... I guess the violas in the barrel seeded the crack!
My hens & chicks that I mostly drowned! (no drainage in that bird bath) - I moved the survivors to this so I can drill some holes in the bird bath
My mystery plant... it was labeled asparagus... but I think it might be an artichoke
My dead palm (I put it out in March, it took too much room in the house), kale & grape tomatoes to be planted, hens & chicks... in front, mystery plant, rosemary, strawberries
More violas & some yellow flowers (the name has slipped my mind)
Most of the pots to the right are still empty... but I ran out of room for dirt in my big rubbermaid tubs... I toss the old dirt w/manure & blood meal.
Violas at the corner of the house & My little crack flowers... I guess the violas in the barrel seeded the crack!
My hens & chicks that I mostly drowned! (no drainage in that bird bath) - I moved the survivors to this so I can drill some holes in the bird bath
My mystery plant... it was labeled asparagus... but I think it might be an artichoke
My dead palm (I put it out in March, it took too much room in the house), kale & grape tomatoes to be planted, hens & chicks... in front, mystery plant, rosemary, strawberries
More violas & some yellow flowers (the name has slipped my mind)
OP
OP
babetoo
Chef Extraordinaire
makes me want to get started again. i do like to just buy all the plants at one time and soil and etc. that can get expensive, may wait till end of may.
you guys are really much better at it than i am, i am jealous
babe
you guys are really much better at it than i am, i am jealous
babe
QSis
Washing Up
Spryte, thanks for all the great pictures! I like your eclectic little garden! I can't identify your mystery plant, but your yellow flowers look like coreopsis.
Babe, we all started as beginners! Container gardening is really fun and rewarding. And if something doesn't work out, replant this year, or try it again next year, or choose something else you like.
jpmcrgrew - can you describe what happened to your tomatoes?
Lee
Babe, we all started as beginners! Container gardening is really fun and rewarding. And if something doesn't work out, replant this year, or try it again next year, or choose something else you like.
jpmcrgrew - can you describe what happened to your tomatoes?
Lee
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
WOW! It's king of hard to explain the stalks kind of died and got rubbery the leaves had yellow spots it seemed like some fruits also had blossom rot. I looked up all the diseases a tomato plant can get but could never pin it on one thing. I did have one plant that did not have a problem. Also the seedlings I grew from seed in fresh potting soil were fine I gave some to someone else and they also had the same problem so I'm guessing it wasn't in my soil in the green house. I may have overwatered but that has never been an issue. I did cut off alot of the lower side stalks when they got big but don't think that was it either. I'm still clueless to what happened I run a fan in the green house because it gets so hot tops over 102 degrees but did not put the white sheet on top that year to help it stay a little cooler. It gets up to lower 90s in the summer here for a while but cools off at night to about 48 degrees
QSis
Washing Up
If yours sound similar to the plants described here Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture Garden Questions then you definitely want to ditch the soil.
To be on the safe side, do it anyway.
Lee
To be on the safe side, do it anyway.
Lee
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
Sounds very much like that may have been the problem. Could it be that it was caused by a couple of plants I bought in town? Could they have contaminated my crop? If not how does something like this happen?lyndaW
Cook
I have been container gardening for years, just be sure they have very good drainage.......
Hubby bought two black heavy duty plastic round containers, largest ones he could find, 26" round x 14.5" deep......just remember when you fill them with dirt they will be way too heavy to move.....and IF you place them on a wooden deck they may (over time) damage the deck
I use marigolds & petunias to control the bugs, planting them with the veggies
One year (dummy me) decided to plant corn in these large containers........Hubby had to take a ax to get rid of the corn stalks.......much cheaper to buy fresh corn (usually 5 for $1.00)
Hubby bought two black heavy duty plastic round containers, largest ones he could find, 26" round x 14.5" deep......just remember when you fill them with dirt they will be way too heavy to move.....and IF you place them on a wooden deck they may (over time) damage the deck
I use marigolds & petunias to control the bugs, planting them with the veggies
One year (dummy me) decided to plant corn in these large containers........Hubby had to take a ax to get rid of the corn stalks.......much cheaper to buy fresh corn (usually 5 for $1.00)
Claire
Master Chef
I had two years of very good luck growing Roma tomatoes in barrels for two years, then they started getting rotten spots at the bottom. The next year I took out about half the soil, supplemented it, and still am using the containers (with some of the same soil) to grow peppers and basil with no problems (they're the half wooden "whiskey barrels").
I've never tried it, but I've heard around town that potatoes grow well in garbage cans. You cut sort of a door in the side to reach in and harvest. Interesting. But I do tend to stick to gardening foods that are pretty bad all through the winter. In other words, I'm more likely, here, to grow larger tomatoes than cherry/grape tomatoes, simply because they're pretty good in the store all winter, but slicing tomatoes are flavorless all winter (and, really, the same in winter). Potatoes I've bought from my farmers and there just doesn't seem to be THAT much difference in flavor. But it might be fun to try the potato thing!
I've never tried it, but I've heard around town that potatoes grow well in garbage cans. You cut sort of a door in the side to reach in and harvest. Interesting. But I do tend to stick to gardening foods that are pretty bad all through the winter. In other words, I'm more likely, here, to grow larger tomatoes than cherry/grape tomatoes, simply because they're pretty good in the store all winter, but slicing tomatoes are flavorless all winter (and, really, the same in winter). Potatoes I've bought from my farmers and there just doesn't seem to be THAT much difference in flavor. But it might be fun to try the potato thing!
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