Vegetable Container Gardening

Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

You can be a gardener even if you do not have a garden as I have talked about container gardening in the past. Almost any plant can be grown in a container, but most people do not realize that vegetables can be grown in containers instead of a garden in the ground. Almost every vegetable can be grown in a container with about the only exception being corn. There are a variety of containers available on the market today so you can choose one suited specifically to the vegetables you want to grow.
There are many advantages to container gardening that you may not have realized. Containers, once planted are quite easy to care for. They do need more watering and fertilizing than a conventional garden but the time spent caring for vegetables in a container is much less than if you had an in-ground garden. Vegetable container gardening takes up less room than a conventional vegetable garden. You can also place the containers anywhere. If you only have a porch or balcony you can place them there, or in the very best light conditions or you can grow vegetables in container, place the containers in your perennial flowerbed. This will add landscape interest and texture to your perennial bed, you will still enjoy vegetables but you haven’t disturbed your perennials. Container gardens are portable, albeit some may be heavy and difficult to move but for the most part they are portable. This can be handy, if you want to chase the sun around your property during the day, move the pots to a sheltered area as severe weather approaches or you can start your ‘garden’ in town in the spring and then when you move ‘up the lake’ for the summer you can take your garden with you. Many people who live on the lake have tough growing conditions in their yards, either too much rock, little to no soil or too many trees. Container gardening can provide them with fresh vegetables without having to contend with the tough conditions. You can plant container gardens much earlier in the spring than an in-ground garden so you can harvest vegetables much sooner than the conventional gardener. You can even enjoy growing vegetables indoors during the winter months if you have the room or a greenhouse, sunroom or other favourable conditions in your house. The other great thing about vegetable container gardening is that it can be adapted for anyone because the workload for caring for these is much less. Growing vegetables in containers can provide children, seniors or handicapped persons with an opportunity to garden that they wouldn’t have in a conventional garden. Containers can be placed so they are wheelchair accessible, or so the person doesn’t have to bend over or can sit down on a stool or chair to care for them. The containers usually do not need weeding and if they need any grooming it will only take a few minutes as opposed to hours in a large garden. As you can see there is almost no reason not to try growing vegetables in containers. Another thing that may surprise you is that vegetables look great when they are growing in containers. All the neighbours will be coming over to find out where you got those exotic plants growing in your planters.
Regardless of the container you choose for the vegetable listed below, the care for the containers is the same. Soil is a very important part of setting up your container garden, as it is important to choose the right soil in order to guarantee your success through the whole growing season. Do not use the soil from your already established garden as this soil tends to compact over time in a container garden limiting the growing room for the roots of the plants, as well as, it can contain weeds and disease organisms that you cannot see. You must purchase a potting mix in a bag suited to container gardening. You can choose a formula called patio mix, container mix or soil-less mix. These formulas are relatively the same and are designed to not compact when used in a container. These soils should say they are sterilized on the bag to prevent disease and my come with or without fertilizer added. You will have to fertilize container gardens regularly throughout the season regardless of whether you buy a soil mixture with or without fertilizer so either formula will work. Before adding the soil to your container place a piece of window screen, a coffee filter, nylon pantyhose or a few rocks over the drainage holes to prevent the soil from washing out. If your container is too large for the vegetable that you want to plant you can add foam packing peanuts or bark mulch in the bottom of the container before adding soil so you do not have to fill the whole container with soil. This also makes the planter much lighter if you have to move it around.
Fertilize regularly. Because the amount of soil a plant can use is limited by the size of the container, the soil in a container garden loses nutrients very quickly. By a good a quality fertilizer with a high middle number, phosphorus, for container gardens (10-20-10) which is often called ‘flowering plant fertilizer’ if you have trouble finding a good fertilizer that you can mix with water with a high middle number you can settle for an all purpose fertilizer (20-20-20). It is very important to follow the directions carefully on the package. There will be directions on the label specifically for container gardens so mix your fertilizer with water following these instructions. Less is more with fertilizer so be careful not to over fertilize. Follow the suggestions on the package for a watering/fertilizing schedule for container gardens. Some labels may have two schedules one for flowers and one for vegetables. You may have to keep track of your fertilizer schedule on a calendar so you don’t go overboard or forget to fertilize.
As I mentioned, you can grow almost any vegetable in a container. Below are some simple guidelines so you can pick a container specific to the vegetable that you want to grow. Follow the directions on the seed package for growing conditions and care instructions, just as you would for an in-ground garden. Make sure your container has adequate drainage holes before you plant it.
Lettuce: leaf lettuce, mesculin, other leafy greens, Swiss Chard and spinach - a box type container with a depth of 6-8 inches. Can also be planted in a hanging basket, very pleasing to the eye. A great thing to plant around the base of larger plants like tomatoes in the larger planters as well, or mixed in with other quick growing plants like radishes and onions. Sprinkle seeds over top of soil. Harvest when ready by trimming with scissors at base of plants. Can be planted over and over if needed and started in the early spring continuing until the snow flies. Head lettuce: needs more room to mature into heads so plant in a container with a depth of about 8-10 inches and space plants about 8 inches apart in the container.
Beets: plant in a box -ike container at least 8 inches deep. Grow just like the lettuce if you are only interested in beet greens but if you want bulbs to develop, space about 3 inches apart in the container. You can also plant quite thickly and thin by plucking out the greens with small beets to enjoy early and then leave some to mature into larger beets for later.
Carrots: the same requirements as beets but make sure the carrots are thinned out so they have room to develop. Pick varieties like Nantes, Thumbelina, Half-long or Little Finger. These varieties produce shorter carrots.
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts and Kale: multiple plants can be placed in a box planter or individual plants can be placed in pots at least 12 inches deep. You may have to use a heavier pot for Brussel sprouts so it doesn’t tip over, because they can get top heavy once they grow and start to develop.
Radishes: can be mixed in with other plants or planted on their own in almost any container with at least 3 inches of depth. Can be planted over and over during the season.
Onions: if growing green onions to be used all summer you only need a container with a depth of about 6 inches. These can also be planted with other crops. If you want to grow bigger onions like Spanish or white you need a container with a depth of about 12 inches.
Cucumbers: Any size container with at least an 8-inch depth. You want to train the cucumber vines onto a trellis so keep this in mind when picking a container. If using a round pot you can insert an obelisk or tomato cage in the middle as a trellis. If using a box planter you can place it next to a post, fence or wall, with a trellis behind it or attach a trellis to one side. Just use your imagination. Cucumbers like early day sun but prefer shade during the heat of the afternoon so keep that in mind when positioning your planter. Melons, gourds, small pumpkins and squashes -zucchini, other small squashes like acorn: grown just like cucumbers but need a container that holds at least 5 gallons of soil per plant. Any of these plants can withstand direct sun the whole day and grow best with maximum light.
Peppers - regular and hot (and eggplant): any pot that will hold at least 3-5 gallons of soil. All types look great in a pot and are easy to grow. Love full sun. May need staking as plants mature.
Tomatoes: many varieties meant specifically for container growing. These can be planted in a container that has at least 5 gallons of soil. Some of these species have a trailing habit so a hanging basket or larger pot may be better so the plant will trail over the edge. These plants are often cherry tomato or smaller fruit producers. Look for names that contain words like a planter, patio or small size in the name i.e. pixie, tiny, small fry, etc. Regular Tomato species: needs a container that holds about 10 gallons of soil or a larger box that has 10 gallons per plant. These plants grow larger than the patio varieties and will need support as they grow. Support with tomato cages, staking or trellises. Install supports in planter right after you place plants in to prevent damaging the roots later on.
Potatoes: Yes! Even potatoes can be grown in a container. A very large container, like an old wash tub or half of a large barrel will work. Make sure you add drainage holes before planting. Place about two inches of potting soil on the bottom of the barrel, then place the seed potato on the bed of soil. Add just enough potting soil over the seed potato to cover it thoroughly. As the green leaves develop and poke about an inch above the soil line keep adding more potting mix to the barrel only to cover the plant thoroughly. Keep doing this until the soil is heaped above the top of the barrel. Once the plant has bloomed and the blooms die back you can harvest a “pot of potatoes”.
I suggest that you try some of my container gardening suggestions for growing vegetables as I think you will be really pleased with the results but have fun doing it as well. It is a fun way to garden with children, test out your green thumb or grow vegetables without having to commit to a large in ground garden.