Vegetable Garden Planning

In today’s economy, one solution to the budget is to engage in container vegetable gardening. Even the smallest apartment or home on a small piece of land has enough space for container vegetables. If you have a patio or window sill or any place to hold a small container, then you have enough room to grow some vegetables.

You can use any kind of container deep enough to hold potting soil in which to plant your vegetables. With a bit of creativity, your container garden can also be a work of art. Use found containers or junkyard treasures as planters for your vegetables.  Lighter colored containers absorb less heat and often work better than darker ones for growing vegetables. Make sure that you put holes in the bottom of your container to allow for drainage and set it up on blocks or breaks to allow the water to flow freely.

Almost all of the vegetables that you can grow in your garden can be grown in a container garden as well. Tomatoes, peppers, and many herbs grow very well in containers. A 5 gallon container is just the right size for a tomato plant. Check with your local garden center or county extension office to get some good ideas of the varieties of plants that work well in your area.

Other vegetables that you may want to consider for your container vegetable garden include beans and cucumbers. You may also try hot peppers such as those of the cayenne variety.

Choose a potting mix that is loose and light weight. You want a mixture that drains easily. You’ll need to water often and fertilize regularly. Choose your favorite vegetables, plan your container vegetable garden, and enjoy the fruits of your labor all summer long!
 

A colorful introduction to outdoor container vegetable gardening, as well as other container gardening, Pots in the Garden offers helpful advice and creative suggestions that encompass an exploration of fundamental principles of good garden design, including how to use color, form and mass, texture, line and repetition, spacing and siting, focal points, water features, and a range of containers in a landscape.