Thursday, July 8, 2010

Container Vegetable Gardening Made Easy

Container Vegetable Gardening Made Easy

If you want to grow organic vegetables but don't have a plot of land to grow them on, you have another option. Container vegetable gardening is the method you want to use and I can get you started. You can grow many different types of vegetables in containers like tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, carrots and radishes. 

These all do very well in containers if maintained properly. The possibilities of container vegetable gardening are only limited by the size of the container. The bigger the container the bigger the plant and the more it will yield. Another advantage of a big container is that it will require less maintenance. Following is a step by step plan to successful container vegetable gardening.

STEP 1:
Container Selection: You can use pretty much any vessel that you want to but i like them to look nice because they are usually located near your house and you don't want to wreck your houses appearance. I like to find nice ceramic pots to use because they look nice and are not too expensive. Also make sure the vessel is a light color or not too dark because darker colors absorb heat and this could damage the roots of your plants. One other consideration is the size of the container

STEP 2:
Drainage: This is important. You need to make sure that the soil will be able to drain properly so make sure that there are holes in the bottom of the container so excess water can escape. If your soil becomes over saturated for long durations of time it will result in the plants roots rotting. One technique that will help this problem is to line the bottom of the container with some gravel or small rocks to allow the water to escape easier.

STEP 3:
Soil Selection: You need to choose a light weight soil mix that has peat and vermiculite in it or make your own. One part compost and two parts soil mix will do an excellent job and will provide the needed nutrients for the entire season. These soil mixes are excellent because they are usually sterile and the pH is adjusted to the proper limit.

STEP 4:
Watering: Proper watering practices are critical here. Container vegetable gardening requires more frequent watering schedules than plants in the ground because of the limitations of soil available to the plant. You should plan on watering about once a day if it is really hot and there has been no rain. Another consideration would be to install drip irrigation because this will ensure that the plant always has water and they love consistency. Drip irrigation is easy to install and in a future post I will tell you how to do it so check back soon.

This is a great way to provide healthy and environmentally responsible food for your family and friends to enjoy. It is great for people who live in the city and have limited space available for a garden. If you always wanted a garden but never had the time or space to make it happen this is a great way to go. Give it a try and I bet you will be surprised at the results.

By: Bill M.

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