Vegetable Gardening in a Container

[AngelinaCat]

[lrprn]

Here you go, Cat - everything you wanted to know about how to grow a garden (veggie or flower) in a barrel - http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_containe...659686,00.html

HTH!

[Minnymouth]

We do lots of container gardening around our house. We have our regular garden (a small one) and then the rest we put in containers. We have bell peppers, green beans, tomatoes, tommy tomatoes, lettuce patch all in containers.

Main thing about a container is you need good drainage, good soil, and a little bit of water everyday.

We use Miracle Grow garden soil in the bag in our containers. We even stake our tomatoes, beans all right in the containers.

Since containers "dry out" very quickly compared to planting in the ground, you must water a bit every day, preferably early in the morning or right at dusk. You do not want the pots standing in water, or the roots standing in water. Have good drainage holes in the bottom of the containers.

Most plants prefer the morning sun..... best for growing. And then shaded over in the evening or the heat of the day.

Always use pots big enough to allow for "good roots" to expand and take hold.

Hope this helps.............. Good luck......

[Bandit]

one thing I dont like about conatiner for veggies is the roots get too hot & they dont produce as well as the ones in the ground. so if you can only have containers then try to protect the bottom of the pot from constant direct sun as if it were in the ground...that is based on the pots being small. If they are larger then you can keep the roots from the sides & they wont bake as badly.

Since containers "dry out" very quickly compared to planting in the ground, you must water a bit every day, preferably early in the morning or right at dusk. You do not want the pots standing in water, or the roots standing in water. Have good drainage holes in the bottom of the containers.

i think that moisture every day helps to keep the roots cool as well, because it does not take much for them to wilt from the sun baking the roots.

[Minnymouth]

Yes, containers do dry out very quckly (as compared to those planted in the ground) and the dirt gets very hot also....... plant often wilt in the afternoon.
Morning sun is the best and shady afternoons. And a good cool drink at nite. Never water your plants in the heat of the day, or in direct sunlight, it has a tendency to "cook" container plants.

Container plants need a lot more TLC than those in the ground.

[AngelinaCat]

Hi All:

Thanks for your replies, and especially the link to the HGTV site. This weekend, I'll be looking around for a suitable place to put this barrel. We have lots of afternoon sun. I'm also looking at maybe putting some kind of wheels on it in case I need to move it after its got the soil and plants in it. Thanks again, I'll keep you posted.