Container Garden Saves Time, Space, but Yields Plenty

By planting in pots, savvy gardeners conserve not only space but time and effort as well. They concentrate precious outdoor hours on a small area that, tended well, can produce a significant and tasty yield. Pots, tubs and window boxes make great containers for growing vegetables. So do plastic garbage cans, dish pans and wooden barrels. Recyclers can use plastic bags, buckets and gallon milk containers. Decorator types might choose large baskets, old wooden buckets or galvanized watering cans. Do-it-yourselfers can build wooden boxes or make containers from chicken wire lined with plastic.

Possibilities are endless and needn't be expensive. The two important considerations for any container are size and drainage. Containers should be at least 8 inches deep. Containers more than 10 inches in diameter need two to four drainage holes, ½ inch in diameter. Most vegetables do best where they'll get at least six hours of sun a day. Later in the summer, quick-growing vegetables such as lettuce benefit from some shade, especially during the hottest part of the day. If sunlight is not obstructed by trees, adjacent buildings or roof overhang, most southern and western exposures will provide enough light to grow almost anything.

If vegetables such as runner beans and tall tomatoes need support, place the containers next to a fence or a trellis-clad wall. Nylon cord strung in a zigzag or tepee pattern up a wall can be used to train climbers. Start your container vegetable garden this spring with a variety of leaf lettuces, radishes and spinach. These early, cold weather crops are fast growers and can be started when temperatures range between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm-weather crops (tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers and squash) should be planted outside after May 15. Dwarf hybrids, such as patio tomatoes and bush zucchini, are perfect for container gardens.

Garden soil isn't the best choice for container vegetables. It compacts and may harbor pests and disease. Commercial potting mixes are available at garden centers. Or mix your own soil using 1/3 part good commercial potting soil, 1/3 part shredded Canadian peat and 1/3 part sand and/or vermiculite. You also can add one tablespoon of composted cow manure, also available at garden supply stores, to every two quarts of soil mix for a little extra kick. Spacing of container plants is crucial. Overcrowding will kill your production.

Container Garden, The Ultimate Container Garden By David Joyce.