By MARY LOU MARCHAND, Beltrami County Master Gardener
Do you want to grow fresh vegetables but don’t have a good garden space, or live in an apartment or townhouse? Maybe you just want a small garden? Growing your veggies in containers may be just the ticket.
Containers. Almost any container works as long as it is large enough for the vegetables you’re growing and has good drainage. Large plastic pots, window boxes, and wooden barrels or boxes are all good choices. Drainage holes are usually easy to drill, if there are none.
Fill large containers where they will be on the deck, patio or balcony. Big pots are heavy! Use a plant saucer to catch extra water so it won’t stain surfaces or drip on the neighbors below.
Soil. Planting medium is important. Garden soil tends to pack down and not drain as well when used in large pots. A better choice is one of the peat based potting mixes that are lighter weight, weed free, and drain well.
Water. Growing veggies need to be kept moist, but not wet. Stick your finger in the soil up to the first knuckle. If it’s dry, water. On the hottest days, the pots may need to be watered twice a day, especially if they are in full sun. The same holds true for warm and windy days.
Fertilizer. All plants need food to thrive. The potting soil will sometimes have a slow release fertilizer already mixed in. That’s a good start, but it’s not enough. Every couple of weeks a water-soluble fertilizer should be added when you water. There are a variety of these available commercially.
Mulch. Use grass clippings, chopped leaves or wood chips, or even modest sized flat stones to mulch the soil. Mulching conserves water, and keeps the soil cooler in hot weather. Stones have the added advantage of deterring squirrels from digging in the pots.
Light. Six or more hours of sunlight are needed for most vegetables. Green beans, broccoli, salad greens, radishes and leafy greens such as Swiss chard and spinach will do fairly well in shade but they are happier in sun.
Vegetables. Look for bush type plants for cucumber and zucchini, or trellis cucumbers and green beans. A five to 10-gallon container will hold one tomato, or two peppers, or eggplants, or broccoli. Support a large tomato plant with a wire cage. Peppers or eggplants can be tied to a stick if they need support. Window boxes are good containers for radishes and lettuces. Start a new pot every few weeks for season long picking.
Potatoes in a pot are possible. Use a 15 or 20-gallon container. Place 6-10 inches of soil in the bottom of the pot, add the seed potatoes and cover with another two inches of soil. As the plants grow, continue to add soil or chopped leaves until only the topmost leaves are uncovered. Do this until the potato plants start blooming. Then, just let the crop grow until the foliage dies back or you can’t stand it any more, and “dig” the potato crop.
Look for healthy, vigorous plants to start your container veggies off right. Follow up with the right sized container, good potting soil, sufficient water, a little fertilizer, and plenty of sun for successful vegetable gardening in containers.
