Many vegetables can be grown successfully in containers. People
who live in apartments or condominiums can grow vegetables in
containers on a balcony, windowsill, or doorstep. Those with a
poor site for a garden—one that is too shady or drains
poorly—would probably be more successful by switching to
container gardening. A container vegetable garden can provide
enjoyment as well as fresh vegetables. In order for the garden
to be productive, a well-drained growing medium, adequate water
and fertilizer, and plenty of sunlight are essential. Containers
- Select a container large enough to hold the plants and
accommodate their root systems. Plastic or clay pots, old pails,
bushel baskets, plastic buckets, wash tubs, wooden planters, or
hanging baskets will hold vegetable plants. Almost any type of
container can be used if it provides good drainage through holes
on the sides or bottom. If holes need to be made, drill four or
more 1/4-inch holes evenly spaced around the bottom of the
container. To further help drainage, put about 1/2-inch of
coarse gravel, small stones, or pieces of a broken clay pot in
the bottom of each container. These items are not a substitute
for drainage holes, however. The size and number of containers
needed depends on the space available and the vegetables you
intend to grow. Six to 10-inch diameter pots are satisfactory
for chives, parsley, herbs, or a miniature tomato plant such as
‘Pixie Hybrid.’ For most vegetable crops, such as tomatoes,
peppers, and eggplant, a 3- to 5-gallon container is preferred.
(See table 1.)
Wood containers will last longer if they are
constructed of the heartwood of naturally durable tree species,
such as western red cedar and redwood. Treated lumber is another
option. Lumber that is treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA)
is recommended for structures that come in contact with soil.
CCA wood preservative is forced into the wood under a pressure
treatment process where it fixes to the wood and remains
permanently. CCA will not leach out of well-dried treated wood
and is rarely toxic to plants. The life of CCA-treated wood in
soil contact is 40 years. CCA treated lumber is widely available
under such trade names as Wolmanized. It has a slight green hue
and is sold for use as landscape timbers, fencing, and decks.
Container gardens require a growing medium that drains well, yet
does not dry out too fast. Select a light-weight growing mix.
Pots, hanging baskets, and planter boxes can be heavy to move or
suspend and are much easier to handle if soil weight is kept to
a minimum. Soilless potting mixes are best for container
vegetable gardening. They have several advantages over soil.
Soilless mixes are free of plant disease organisms and weed
seeds, are less likely to compact, hold moisture and plant
nutrients well, and are lightweight—making the container more
portable. Soilless potting mixes can be purchased from garden
centers and retail outlets or they can be prepared using
horticultural grade vermiculite, peat moss, limestone, and
5-10-5 fertilizer (see table 3). Peat moss and vermiculite are
extremely light materials. Water molecules do not readily stick
to them when dry. Add water when mixing the materials. Store the
moistened soilless mix in plastic garbage bags. Wood
preservatives that you can buy and apply are copper or zinc
naphthenate.
They are nontoxic to plants and are available under
trade names such as Cuprinol at lumber and hardware stores.
Treat the inside and outside of Wood preservatives that you can
buy and apply are copper or zinc naphthenate. They are nontoxic
to plants and are available under trade names such as Cuprinol
at lumber and hardware stores. Treat the inside and outside of
wooden containers before painting. Do not use creosote or
pentachlorophenol as these can damage or kill plants. A garden
box that will hold a few vegetable plants can be easily made. A
manageable size is 18 in. x 24 in. x 8 in. Drainage holes must
be drilled in the bottom or around the sides near the bottom of
the box. A mesh screen can be cut to fit the bottom of the
container to allow water, but not soil, to drain. The depth of
the container is important, and the requirement varies with the
crop. Soil 6 to 8 inches deep is the minimum for most
vegetables. Root crops, such as carrots, and the larger plants
will do better in deeper soil. See table 2 for the amount of
soil needed to fill various sized containers. wooden containers
before painting. Do not use creosote or pentachlorophenol as
these can damage or kill plants.
Most vegetables that grow in a typical backyard garden will do
well as container-grown plants. Vegetables best suited for
containers include tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, green onions,
beans, lettuce, summer squash, radishes, parsley, and herbs.
Select varieties that were developed for growing in small
areas—those with compact, bush, or dwarf growth habits. See
table 4 for suggested varieties for container gardens. If the
container garden is to be ornamental as well as food producing,
there are several vegetables that are both attractive and tasty.
Lettuce, for example, makes an attractive border in a planter
box. Annual flowers also can be planted among the vegetables.
Dwarf marigolds are a colorful addition.
Herbs also are
attractive as well as useful. Many herbs can be brought indoors
in the fall to provide a continuous supply of fresh herbs
throughout the winter. To prune a tomato, remove the small
shoots that form in the axils of the leaves and stems. If these
shoots are not pinched out, they will grow and make the plants
difficult to train. Tie the stems loosely to the stake. Tomato
cages should be made of fencing material of at least 4-inch mesh
so the fruit can be harvested easily. Cages should be at least
24 inches in diameter. Sunlight is important for producing
quality vegetables. Nearly all vegetables grow and produce best
when grown in full sunlight. Leafy vegetables (lettuce, cabbage,
greens, spinach, and parsley) tolerate more shade than root
crops (radishes, beets, and onions). Plants that bear fruit,
such as cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, require the
most sun. It is best to place a garden in a location that
receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. One advantage of
container gardening is mobility. A garden can be positioned
where it will benefit from the best possible growing conditions.
The garden may need to be rotated so that all plants receive
ample sunlight. Since the roots of container-grown plants do not
have much soil from which to obtain nutrients, they require
fertilization more frequently than field-grown vegetables. A
soluble fertilizer (15-30-15 or 20-20-20) applied once every
week or two is recommended. This can be applied while watering.
Plants grown in containers require frequent watering because
they dry out quickly from sun and wind. Some plants may require
daily watering. Apply enough water to reach the bottom of the
container and allow the excess to drain through the drainage
holes. Never allow the soil to dry out completely between
watering. This may cause the plants to drop their fruits and
flowers. On the other hand, do not overwater a container garden.
Overwatering will slowly kill plants because the roots will not
receive enough oxygen. When growing standard-sized tomato
varieties, use a stake or cage to keep the vines upright. If
staked, plants should be pruned to produce manageable one- to
two-stem plants. While watering, avoid wetting the leaves. If a
sprinkler can s used, do not water late in the day as the plant
foliage will stay wet all night. Wet leaves encourage the
development of plant diseases.
|
Table 1. Approximate size containers |
Table 2. Clay pot size and capacity |
Table 3. Soilless potting mix recipe |
|
needed for vegetables |
and capacity |
|
|
Crop |
Minimum size
container |
No. of plants per
container |
Diameter |
Approximate |
Materials To make 2 bushels |
|
Beets |
2 gallon |
Thinned to 2-3 inches apart |
inside |
soil content |
|
|
Cabbage |
1 gallon |
1 plant |
top (inches) |
Shredded peat moss |
1 bushel |
|
Carrots |
2 gallon |
Thinned to 2-3 inches apart |
3 |
1 cup |
Vermiculite |
1 bushel |
|
Cucumber |
1 gallon |
2 plants |
4 |
21⁄2 cups |
Ground limestone |
11⁄4 cups |
|
Eggplant |
2 gallon |
1 plant |
5 |
1 quart |
Superphosphate (0-20-0) |
1⁄2 cup |
|
Green beans |
1 gallon |
2-3 plants |
6 |
21⁄2 quarts |
or Superphosphate (0-45-0) |
1⁄4 cup |
|
Leaf lettuce |
1 gallon |
4-6 plants |
7 |
3 quarts |
5-10-5 fertilizer |
1 cup |
|
Parsley |
1⁄2 gallon |
1 plant |
8 |
1 gallon |
|
|
Pepper |
2 gallon |
2 plants |
9 |
11⁄2 gallons |
|
|
Radishes |
2 gallon |
Thinned to 1-2 inches apart |
10 |
21⁄4 gallons |
|
|
Spinach |
1 gallon |
Thinned to 3 inches apart |
12 |
31⁄2 gallons |
|
|
Swiss chard |
1 gallon |
1 plant |
14 |
6 gallons |
|
|
Tomatoes Cherry |
1 gallon |
1 plant |
|
|
|
Standard |
3 gallon |
1 plant |
|
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