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Vegetable Gardening - Container Gardening

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Written by Dave Truman

Friday, 06 June 2008

by DaveTruman

Growing vegetables in containers - whether inside the house, in a greenhouse or just on the porch - has many advantages. Soil maintenance is easier. Pest control is simpler. There are more options for adjusting light and temperature levels.

Other than vegetables that take up large amounts of space, such as pumpkins and cucumber, most vegetables will do well in containers. Peas, peppers, carrots, and tomatoes will do just as well, if not better, when grown in a container.

Be sure to select a container that is large enough to accommodate the full grown plant at harvesting time. Use weed free soil and add the right amount of fertilizer even before you plant. Synthetic soil-like media are an option. Mixtures of peat moss, perlite, wood chips and others can be a good choice for a variety of species.

Be sure to prepare the soil before planting, or use a synthetic medium. This makes water control easier. It is important to balance adequate drainage and good retention of moisture to keep container-grown plants healthy. Place some marbles at the bottom of the container to keep holes from clogging and to ensure proper drainage. Mix in commercial soil prep to break up clay particles.

Water with care, though, even when the medium is well prepared. Soil can readily dry out when containers are near a window. It's easy to forget whether the watering chore was completed that day. At the opposite extreme, it's easy to introduce root rot in container plants. Keep a soil moisture tester on hand.

In most cases, soil straight from the outdoors isn't a good choice for containers. Very clay-like soil outdoors can be compensated for somewhat by natural features that drain the water away. In a container, the strong ability of clay to retain water is exaggerated. Very sandy soil will need to be built up. If that much effort is required to adjust outdoor soil, it's easier just to buy professionally prepared media.

Most vegetables need plenty of sunlight. You can anticipate a great crop of tomatoes if you place them in a south-facing windowsill that receives several hours of sunlight each day. Tomato plants also thrive in the heat, so there's a low-risk of burning them. There are other vegetables, like lettuce, that prefer less direct sunlight. Place these in partial shade. When you are container gardening, it's easy to move your plants in varied weather.

Whether your plants sit outside or are kept indoors, pests are able to find them. Be on the watch for insects as you would in an outdoor garden. Larvae can develop in the soil of container plants if the eggs were laid in the soil before planting. When used according to specification, insecticide soaps and other commercial mixtures are safe for treating plants, and safe for you when you eat the plants.

Having fresh vegetables readily available offers convenience and healthful options for your diet. Though container gardening requires some effort, the rewards are well worth the time investment.

About the Author:

Are you looking for gardening help to get your garden started on the right foot this year? Stop by the Gardeners Atlas website to learn more about growing a successful garden.

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