Lesson 8: Raised Beds And Container Gardening
Vegetables And Herbs For Containers
Herbs and vegetables can be grown quite successfully in containers. There are specially bred varieties of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and melons that are ideal for this purpose. Certain herbs, like mint or yarrow, which can be hugely invasive in the ground, grow very well in pots.
What you may not realize is you can also grow “standard” varieties of some vegetables in containers. Indeterminate tomatoes, for instance, can be grown in 20-inch or bigger pots. Fitted with a staking system or cage, and properly watered and fed, you can have all the benefits and flavor of a large garden. Underplanting with basil can help shade roots and conserve water, helping to maximize space.
In late summer and early Spring, planter boxes and hanging baskets can be planted with spinach and lettuce. Peas and beans can be grown, supported by plant trellises and poles. I cluster pots together to create focal points. By placing my taller tomato plants and peas in the back, with the lower-growing herbs and flowers in the front, I create the illusion of an in-ground garden.
If you have the room, plant both bush and standard tomato varieties. Add a couple bush squash and cucumber, plus a couple of pepper plants, and you have a perfect summer garden.
Elevate your pots off the ground when seated on concrete. The ambient temperature may be 90, but the soil can reach 130 internally. By raising them off the ground with boards or pot feet, you allow some air to circulate beneath the plants. Using shade cloth over plant groupings like this can help shelter them from intense heat.
Feed them weekly with fish emulsion, and keep them well watered. Before long you will be tasting the fruits of summer. Don’t let where you live prevent you from enjoying the wonderful array of fruits and vegetables available in home gardens.
Topic of Discussion: Have you ever grown vegetables in containers?
