If you are interested in growing vegetables in your backyard or in
the house without ruining your green grass then you should follow the
following tips as it will save you time, money and you can do it in your
home without having a gardener looking after them. It’s easy, simple
and works every time.
1- Grow Fruits and Vegetables in Containers
Containers are a great option for those with limited or no ground
space, and for newbie gardeners who don’t want to commit to digging just
yet. They’re also a beautiful addition to a larger garden or in a small
home. Growing in containers can be easy if you set it up the right way.
2- Finding the Right Soil
Just like with any type of gardening, successful container gardening
starts with the soil. Healthy soil leads to healthy plants. Find the
right soil for your container as regular gardening soil may not have a
better yielding result at the end.
3- Make Your Own Potting Mix
You can also make your own custom mix by combining peat moss (best
bought in bales at your local garden center) with compost (your own or
bagged) at about a 2:1 ratio. You can also throw in a little perlite, a
common ingredient in bagged mixes, to make your custom mix lighter and
more apt to retain water.
4- Choose the Right Container
There are about as many container types as there are plants suitable
for containers, including upcycled ones, so your imagination is the
limit. But it’s important to think about three things: size, materials
and drainage.
5- What Edibles Can You Grow in a Pot?
Almost any fruit or vegetable plant can be grown in a container or
pot, provided your container is large enough, but it helps to choose
varieties specifically bred for small spaces. You can easily grow herbs,
peppers, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, summer squash, and greens, as well
as broccoli, cabbage and other cool-season crops in spring and fall.
You can choose form variety of options
6- Go Deep With Root Crops
Root vegetables such as radishes, carrots and beets also grow well in
pots that are deep enough, at least 12 inches deep so it will be better
to choose large and deep containers for them.
7- Try Fruit Trees and Shrubs
Fruit trees, especially dwarf varieties, can also be grown in large
pots and make beautiful statement pieces for a patio garden. Depending
on the type and your climate, you need to be prepared to bring these
pots inside during the colder months, so plant caddies or pots with
casters are an especially good idea for these plants. You can also try
dwarf varieties of blueberries and raspberries in containers.
8- Design Thyme
Planting taller vegetables, like tomatoes, with lower-growing herbs
and flowers will encourage pollinators and create a balanced container
garden. Tall, spiky plant in back, a mounding plant in the center, and a
trailing plant in the front — works great for edible containers as
well.
9- Water Often
Plants grown in containers need to be watered more often than
in-ground gardens, because containers have less soil and dry out more
quickly. How often will depend on your climate, what you’re growing and
the type of container material you choose (clay more often, plastic less
often, as described previously). Distribute water well and gently using
a watering can or a watering wand on the end of your garden hose.
10- Don’t Forget Mulch
However you water, be sure to add mulch to retain soil moisture in
your container gardens just as you do in in-ground beds. Hardwood bark
mulch isn’t great for vegetable gardens, including containers, because
it takes too long to decompose and ties up nutrients in your soil.
Instead, choose cedar or cypress (from sustainably grown sources), which
have the added benefit of deterring some insects. Oat or wheat straw
can be great, just be sure you get seed-free straw, otherwise you’ll be
pulling grass out of your containers for months.
11- Fertilize
Because pots need frequent watering, fertilizers can get diluted more
quickly than with in-ground gardens. Use a liquid fertilizer that’s
meant to be mixed in water, such as organic fish fertilizer. You can
also mix in a time-released fertilizer or an organic fertilizer that
includes microorganisms to encourage soil health.
