Vegetable Gardening - Container Gardening
Growing vegetables in containers - whether inside the house, in a greenhouse or just on the porch - has many advantages. Soil maintenance is easier. Pest control is simpler. There are more options for adjusting light and temperature levels.
One might think that planting in a container is limited to just a select few vegetables, but they would be mistaken. Of course, vegetables that need a large amount of space to flourish would not be the best choice. However, other vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, and peppers thrive under more controlled circumstances.
Be sure to select a container that is large enough to accommodate the full grown plant at harvesting time. Use weed free soil and add the right amount of fertilizer even before you plant. Synthetic soil-like media are an option. Mixtures of peat moss, perlite, wood chips and others can be a good choice for a variety of species.
Preparing the soil beforehand, or using a synthetic medium, gives another benefit: easier water control. Adequate drainage balanced against good moisture retention is important for healthy container-grown plants. Breaking up clay particles is easy by mixing in commercial soil prep. Put some marbles at the bottom of a container to ensure good drainage at the bottom and to keep holes from getting plugged by soil.
The key to growing a healthy plant is by carefully watching its water intake. If a plant is placed near a window, the soil can dry out quickly. Over hydrating can cause root rot, and forgetting if they have even watered the plants that day so it is best to keep a soil tester on hand to ensure proper moisture levels.
In most cases, soil straight from the outdoors isn’t a good choice for containers. Very clay-like soil outdoors can be compensated for somewhat by natural features that drain the water away. In a container, the strong ability of clay to retain water is exaggerated. Very sandy soil will need to be built up. If that much effort is required to adjust outdoor soil, it’s easier just to buy professionally prepared media.
A good long day of sunlight is what most vegetables usually thrive under. Tomatoes, for example, do best in windows that face south, and they handle the heat well. More delicate vegetables, such as lettuce, need to be places where there is less direct sunlight and more shade. If you need a little more or less sun, all you have to do is pick up the pot and go!
Keep after insects in a container garden just as you would otherwise. If the plants sit outside in containers, pests have open access. But even indoors most small insects can readily find their way through screen mesh and small cracks in doors. Sometimes, if the eggs were laid in the soil before planting, larvae will develop even if your house is sealed tight. Insecticide soap and other commercial mixtures, when used correctly, are safe for the plants and you when you eat them.
Growing vegetables in containers may require a bit more work, but the produce is definitely worth the effort. In addition, the health benefits that fresh vegetables offer help to complete a well rounded diet.
