Easy Patio Salsa Garden

Arguably the best part of gardening is eating the fresh fruits and vegetables of the earth. If your aim is fresh, healthy salsa, you can make it happen easily with a minimum investment of time and money.

Some people have lots of land and time, but for those of us who are limited on either, patio gardening is a way to get some of the freshness with less time commitment.

There are a few basic plants you'll need and a favorite recipe, but a typical salsa garden should include:

Tomatoes

If you don't have a big yard, grow your tomatoes in either an upside down planter made especially for them (the Topsy Turvy Upside Down planter is very popular) or hanging basket. This removes the need for stakes as they will grow down instead of up.

If you'd prefer a container, find the largest one you can--we drill holes in the bottom of a huge tub that laundry soap come in from Sams Club. Be sure you use stakes or cages to support the tomato vines.

Your tomatoes should be in a very sunny spot & the soil should have a large amount of nitrogen, preferably from compost. Tomato fertilizer is also a good choice if you don't want to work with compost.

Choose the right seeds for your growing zone & plant them at the right time. A small local nursery is the best place to find information on your area as big box stores such as Lowes or Walmart may not order the best seeds for your location.

For a fantastic guide on growing tomatoes, see Tomato Growing Tips by Martha Bishop

Onions

Onions are amazingly easy to grow, just like most underground plants. You can grow them from seed, set or transplant, but be sure to choose the right variety for your area. Long day onions are for northern gardens while short day onions are for southern gardens.

If you're hoping for all your veggies to be ready at the same time, transplants will mature much faster & you can even hope for an early summer harvest. Keep in mind that onions are edible at any time during their growth, so if you're ready to harvest your tomatoes for salsa, you can harvest a few onions even if they are small. If any of your onion plants has bolted and formed a flower stalk, harvest & eat right away as they will not be good for long term storage.

For a great Onion gardening guide, visit U of I Watch Your Garden Grow Onion page

Hot peppers

Choose your hot peppers based on your personal heat preference. Many people favor jalapenos as they are medium heat with a great flavor. Start them indoors from seeds early in the Spring & don't transplant until the last threat of frost is gone. Choose the sunniest part of your patio or yard & make sure they stay hot & humid!

For more information, see Chiff's Hot Pepper Guide

Garlic

Extremely easy to sprout and grow from cloves even for beginner gardeners, garlic can be used in nearly all of your meals. Plant in fall for a spring time crop. If you use supermarket cloves, be sure you're in a warm area or you grow them indoors as not all types of garlic can weather a cold winter.

For more tips, see Garlic Central's Growing Guide

Cilantro

Perhaps the most important herb in salsa, Cilantro is extremely easy to grow & can be harvested many times throughout the growing season. It can be grown in a sunny patch on your patio or even inside your window. You can harvest up to 1/3 of the leaves at a time, but give the plant time to recover between harvesting.

For a wonderful guide to Cilantro, see Bonnie Plant's Learn to Grow Library

Lime

If you don't already have a lime tree in your yard or live in a cold area, fresh squeezed lime juice is a acceptable replacement. Lime trees can take 3-6 years to bear fruit, so if you're in a tropical area you can plant a dwarf one this year for future harvests.

In a few short months you can have fresh, tasty salsa that will make you opposed to buying premade salsa ever again!