Growing veggies in containers.

[Gina]

Every year I seem to grow more veggies in containers. I have a garden in the yard that still gets lots of action (tomatoes, corn, squash, chiles, etc), but some things seem to be easier and better in pots or other containers.

In my location there are lots of critters such as bunnies, ground squirrels, and worst of all, gophers. I've battled all of these over the years but am tired of it. Even if you lower the population, others just move into the void. So growing in containers and even protected containers seems to be less stressful.

My favorite to grow is lettuce protected on all sides by wire, and up on a bench. You can grow all sorts of other greens this way too. I've seen these referred to as salad tables. I don't have any pictures of mine right now. I have 3 and am in the process of constructing a 4th.

I also grow green beans and cukes in 5 gallon black plastic pots. Also beets, onions, and broccoli. I've tried carrots but IMO that wasnt worth the effort.

I've also played around with 'passive hydroponics' which is merely leaving the 'feet' of the pots in water in a saucer or like container.

I reuse my potting mix. I started buying it, but now make my own from compost and other stuff. I'll often screen it to remove roots and freshen it up. Sometimes I'll add something if I think it needs it. ...In other words, I basically wing it.

I was just looking at google images for more ideas and came across this ingenious method. It's not someting I can do, but I thought it was really neat for someone with limited space. Those are rain gutters.


(edit: This is a photo found on the internet, it's not my set up.)


http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/container-gardening-lettuce-vertical-wall-gutters-photo.jpg

[redfox]

I LOVE this! Thanks...

[earthshepherd]

I love it too! Must show DH!

[CathyA]

You'd sure have to water it alot though. (in the gutters)
I tried growing veggies in containers and it just didn't work out. I always used my own soil/compost, but it would get too compacted. I think its really important to have a physical connection with the ground soil, so earthworms can do their thing. I used 30-50 gallon Rubbermaid containers with some 1" holes drilled in the bottom for drainage. If I ever do it again, I think I'll take a large part of the bottoms out, so worms can better get in.
I would love to have a large raise bed.......large enough so I could pick things standing up.
Right now, I'm trying to grow vertically as much as possible.
I do have great luck growing herbs in big containers on my deck.
Gina, looks like you have a pretty good system.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I grow veggies in containers too. Hey I'm a renter and though I've put some chives, mint, and nasturtums in the dirt, I'm a bit hesitant about going gung ho on tilling the land to the degree I'd like to as it isn't mine. So container veggies are great. I am experimenting to find out what things are worth growing (worth growing = taste much better than the store etc.. Because I doubt it's even cheaper but good flavor makes it worth while :)). Lettuce definitely worth it, tomatoes fairly worth it, strawberries worth it in flavor although not high yielding.

[Gina]

From the looks of the lawn in the photo above (from the internet), I'd guess they get a lot of rain there. I'm surprised the walls are still so white. (I don't/can't 'do' white. :laff: ) I'd also be hesitant to attach something that gets watered regularly onto the side of my house. Rot and all.

Cathy, to be successful, the medium has to be definitely porous and drain well. Otherwise, as you say, it gets too compact. I will mix in compost, but never soil. I will also buy and mix in sponge rock (perlite) when I think the soil needs something extra.

As to physical connection to the soil, that works very well for certain things (in my larger garden area, I make use of that very often), but for what I'm doing, anything with larger holes would defeat the purpose of deterring the root-eating gophers. I also don't want the potting soil I use to get mixed with regular soil. I try as best as possible to keep it weed-free.

My 'salad tables' are raised off the ground. That's part of what I like about them. No stooping, but also fewer bugs/snails/slugs and weeds. I took some pictures this morning but need to size them before posting. I'll have time hopefully this afternoon.

Doing it on a small scale or of short duration might not save much money - one would have to buy (or find) seed, mix, pots etc. But after doing it for a few years and re-using everything, the $ evens out. Especially if you are able to save your own seed.

Things that work well for me in containers are bush beans, cukes, peas, lettuce, arugula, mache, oriental greens. I've not had that good luck with tomatoes or squash so those I grow traditionally in the ground.

[flowerseverywhere]

One of the tricks is to find plants that are suitable for containers. There are specific cucumbers, tomatoes etc that are recommended for containers. Containers can dry out quickly so if you need to be gone for a few days find someone to water them if your climate dictates. Also, be aware of the sun requirements of the specific veggie. If you don't get three quarters of a day of really good sun in my zone you can be still waiting for tomatoes to ripen at the end of August. In other zones too much sun, specific bugs or too hot could be problems for you.

My favorite tomatoes are chocolate cherry and I will try one in a pot this summer.


Earth boxes are becoming more popular and they might be worth the investment if you really need to avoid planting in the ground. you can actually make them, although I have not.

http://www.seattleoil.com/Flyers/Earthbox.pdf

this is the site of the commercial earthbox and there is a link to forums where every question is answered, even many you never thought of.

http://www.earthbox.com/

[iris lily]

I agree with Cathy, too much watering for me.

[Gina]

A couple years ago I investigated earth boxes. Too expensive for me, but there are homemade versions out there. I believe there are also some videos on Utube for making your own. Or maybe it was a couple websites. They were more than I was inclined to do but many people do seem to like them. I remember seeing a photo of an entire field covered with earth boxes.

For watering using regular pots, I find it works best to keep saucers or something that holds water beneath, and you don't have to water again until those dry out - usually several days to a week. Not bad. But of course that depends on where you live and the weather. I used to always shun doing something like that since I had always heard plants don't like to sit in water. I have not found that to be true esp if you let them dry out between waterings. And since we get no summer rain here, if you want a garden, everything needs regular watering. ;)

One thing I like about growing things in black plastic pots is that you can extend growing seasons for warm weather crops since the soil in pots warms quickly and earlier. I had green beans germinating in January, but then this is SoCal. Too bad some critter got them. :(. Oh well, I've planted more.

[Gina]

Here are some photos of my 'salad table' taken this morning between rains - a glorified way of growing lettuce in alternative containers.

These are my lettuce seedlings. I germinate them in sections of 3/4" plug flats. (purchased from Johnny's Seeds) Many of these have already been transplanted. Not the best germination this time, but that sometimes happens with lettuce if its warm during germination.

(To make any photo larger, click on it.)

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(forgive the camera strap). These are the containers in which I grow my lettuce - 2 stacked 16 inch generic black plastic nursery flats. Total depth of mix about 4-5 inches.

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This is my 'salad table' filled with growing lettuce. You could plant any greens. This is on old benches covered with plastic, and wire on top and sides to keep out all manner of gnawing critters. Bonus - no snails, slugs, and very few bugs or weeds. And not much bending. Rolling back the wire top can be a bother however. I have to keep heavy things on top to prevent the ground squirrels from nudging themselves under the top wire - they've taken out whole flats of plants in the past.


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[CathyA]

Gina,
I am hesitant to use perlite and vermiculite. I forget which one of those has been questioned for health reasons. I guess I could just focus on making my compost lighter though.
I'm with you..........I have so much iron in my water, my house would turn orange in no time, if I put anything that needed watered next to it.
I would love to grow more lettuces. I can grow kale and collards, but haven't had much luck with other greens. I can't even grow Swiss Chard. I just don't get it.

My seed arrived today........Kentucky blue string beans, super sugar snap peas, and county fair cucumbers. I ordered the pole Romanos from Burpee.
Before we moved out here to the country 29 years ago, we lived in a condo for a year. I grew cucs in a half whiskey barrel and up a trellis and they did great. I also grew beans up a teepee structure. It looked great. Lots of people complimented me on it, but then the condo "police" came and frowned at me. haha
Anyhow.......I'm still looking for ways of making gardening easier and closer to the house, as I'm no spring chicken any more.
Gina your greens look great!

[CathyA]

P.S. Gina.......Do you have 2 nursery flats stacked on top of each other for your greens? I'm trying to visualize that. Your set-up looks like our whole yard! ........We have several kinds of fencing around the back yard, chicken wire around all our trees (deer, beavers, rabbits). Its the only way we can grow anything! Whatever works, right?

[Gina]

Sorry, Cathy, I didn't see your question. Yes, I stack two common nursery flats on top of each other. I'll post a more clear photo when I can. And, yes, unless something is totally unpalitable for critters, it has to be covered with wire. I will trap gophers, but that's about it these days.

I've just about finished constructing and even filling the new salad table. Just planted 3 more flats w 16 seedlings each. The table will hold 10 double flats. Just had another really large tender green salad this evening.

[Jinger]

Thanks, Gina for starting this thread....I am a renter and had good luck with herbs last season in containers. I am trying to expand to veggies now. I had to move my pots from my south facing porch to the north facing porch as Texas summer heat is juts too intense coming in from the south. I'm excited to see what I can grow to eat this summer. I want to plant zucchini, small tomatoes, and small eggplant,

http://iliketomakethings.blogspot.com

[Zzz]

I plant a variety of veggies & herbs in containers. I also plant veggies in the ground.

My favorite container veggie is peppers. This is because I can easily move them indoors to extend the growing season. Since peppers are actually perennials, I could extend it all winter. IN reality, I usually kill them by Spring, but often get a few more peppers before they are done for the winter. Tomatoes are also good in containers. A key factor for both is having a large enough pot. The larger the pot the more slowly it dries out. I also like to be able to move them around some. This lets me roll them under the patio roof if (when!) there is a threat of hail or overly severe rain. I can also roll them right into the garage when frost threatens in the fall. I grow a variety of herbs in pots for the same reason.

[Spider In The Bath]

Great idea with the rain guttering. I also agree with growing carrots in containers I tried this too and it doesn't work. However, if you have large enough containers potatoes do quite well and not too much watering either.

[ljevtich]

I went to Lowe's to pick up some stuff for gardening yesterday. I was so happy to see they had a 2-cubic foot bag of Square Foot Gardening soil, for $14.91 not including tax. That way I do not have to find all the ingredients and mix it myself! :cool:

I will use it in my planters as we live in national parks and can not put anything in the ground. I hope I can fill four planters with the soil: Putting my herbs in one and then tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers in three others. That is the hope - and nasturtiums somewhere in the mix. We shall see.

I will be moving to Canyonlands NP this weekend. We will be going from the high of 70s in Lake Mead NRA, to the 50s in Canyonlands NP. So I got some extra warming tarps to put around my plants. What is nice about the planters is that I can move them inside if necessary.

[herbgeek]

I thought the issue with vermiculite was just getting the dust in your lungs when inhaling. To my knowledge, there's no issue with growing things in vermiculite. Just use a dust mask when you are working with it.