Planting a container vegetable garden is not much different than planting your in-ground vegetable or kitchen garden. The same seasonal requirements apply--plant cool-season crops in early spring or late summer; plant warm-season crops in spring and summer.
Because your container garden space is limited in size--including the depth of the soil for root growth--first, select a container that is big enough for the crop you want to grow, next choose crop varieties or cultivars that will grow well in containers. You will have success with vegetables that are described as "compact," "bush," or "dwarf."
The advantages to container gardening are many:
• All you need to start is a trowel, premixed soil, and container.
• Care is easier: container gardens rarely get weeds; diseased soil is easily tossed; water is almost always close by since most container gardens are on patios, porches, or balconies
• Containers are mobile: you can take advantage of sun and seasonal changes; plants are more easily sheltered from cold.
• Harvest is quick: place your containers near the kitchen.
• Almost every plant that grows in your in-ground garden will grow in your container garden provided the container is large enough.
Because container gardens offer so much freedom, add to the adventure by growing gourmet varieties that you do not commonly find at the farm market or produce store. Here are a few suggestions: snap peas (round, fat, and crunchy), Mizuna (frilly salad leaves), winter purslane (small succulent leaves); salad burnet (salad green tastes like cucumber), spice basil (tastes like its name), garlic chives (on potatoes or in salsa), fava beans (try them fresh), beets (how about red-swirled), purple tomatillos (enough said), miniature sweet peppers (try Jingle Bells).
This is Part II of a three part series on Container Gardening. Part II: Growing Vegetables and Herbs in Containers. Part Three of this series is called Dwarf and Miniature Vegetables for Containers.
For a full list of vegetables and herbs for container growing, click to the next page.
Planting a container vegetable garden is not much different than planting your in-ground vegetable or kitchen garden. The same seasonal requirements apply--plant cool-season crops in early spring or late summer; plant warm-season crops in spring and summer.
Because your container garden space is limited in size--including the depth of the soil for root growth--first, select a container that is big enough for the crop you want to grow, next choose crop varieties or cultivars that will grow well in containers. You will have success with vegetables that are described as "compact," "bush," or "dwarf."
The advantages to container gardening are many:
• All you need to start is a trowel, premixed soil, and container.
• Care is easier: container gardens rarely get weeds; diseased soil is easily tossed; water is almost always close by since most container gardens are on patios, porches, or balconies
• Containers are mobile: you can take advantage of sun and seasonal changes; plants are more easily sheltered from cold.
• Harvest is quick: place your containers near the kitchen.
• Almost every plant that grows in your in-ground garden will grow in your container garden provided the container is large enough.
Because container gardens offer so much freedom, add to the adventure by growing gourmet varieties that you do not commonly find at the farm market or produce store. Here are a few suggestions: snap peas (round, fat, and crunchy), Mizuna (frilly salad leaves), winter purslane (small succulent leaves); salad burnet (salad green tastes like cucumber), spice basil (tastes like its name), garlic chives (on potatoes or in salsa), fava beans (try them fresh), beets (how about red-swirled), purple tomatillos (enough said), miniature sweet peppers (try Jingle Bells).
This is Part II of a three part series on Container Gardening. Part II: Growing Vegetables and Herbs in Containers. Part Three of this series is called Dwarf and Miniature Vegetables for Containers.
For a full list of vegetables and herbs for container growing, click to the next page.