There is something wonderful about plants and containers. Put the plants in and watch them quickly grow and expand to fill up all the nooks and crannies. Since you should always use good soil in containers as long as you remember to water you get a sense that the entire thing is a win win for all... Vegetables and fruit trees in containers will provide the same easy satisfying result...
 |
| Containers help your plants grow try them for veggies.... |
Our Tips on what will grow best (and look the best) in containers.
Fruit trees, especially citrus, avocados and certain dwarf fruits do really well in pots. Always choose a nice pot that looks good in your yard and it will grow in place for years and years Meyer lemons are always a favorite. Use the dirt around the tree as additional garden space and let a cantaloupe trail down the side or perennial strawberries go wild. Feel free to plant flowers also. Certain fruit trees benefit from perennial herbs which make herbs a good underplanting choice
Potager gardens and raised beds are a perfect opportunity to add an additional container here and there. Any container will work including old buckets, sinks or beautiful clay pots. Pick whatever suits your taste and when you are ready to harvest just pluck it out. The odd veggie or salad mix. You can have a pot of salad mix on your window sill or anywhere in your garden. We plunk down herbs, lettuce and cilantro pots all around the yard. If you want to experiment with ONE untried veggie... start it in a container and keep track of and learn its growing habits before you commit garden space to it.
Don't forget to...
1. Make great soil. We use a mix of organic potting soil, perlite, worm castings and beneficial bacteria culture. The beneficial cultures come in little packages or cubes you sprinkle or break up into your soil mix. A little bit goes a long way and they will take over and grow in their new home giving your plants exactly what they need. This is a perfect alternative to fertilizers and greatly reduces the need for adding organic fertilizer as a top dressing as the plants mature.
2. Set up some Drip for Water. With water the best thing is to set it and forget it... so run some drip, put it on a timer and calculate 2 gallon of water per cubic foot a week. If it is a little dry... add more... too wet... cut it back. Trees need a minimum of 5 gallons a week or more if the climate is very dry.
3. Pick your location. Make sure you have at least 5 hours of sun a day, more is even better for veggies.
Last....
You can eat well from 4 (four) big 3X 3 pots or containers. If you develop a little pest problem.. find a beneficial herb or flower and plant it right next to it. Containers will protect your crop from most underground pests so enjoy more of the fruits of your efforts through the growing season... and heck.. if you have a porch you can wheel them in and keep on growing through the winter.
-------------------
Follow the Castle Gardener. Perfecting permaculture and organic practices that are NO WORK and can be done by a farm girl with painted nails..
