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Would you like to enjoy the harvest of fresh vegetables but just don't have enough yard for a garden? Or perhaps you have physical limitation that prevent you from doing the bending, weeding, and other chores required for maintaining a garden plot. Well, there's no reason that you should be denied the pleasure of growing your own vegetables. By gardening in containers, you can enjoy your own harvest with only a fraction of the work an in-ground garden requires. Most of you have probably grown annuals and houseplants in containers so you are already half way there in your knowledge of planting and caring for vegetables grown in this manner.

Adequate sunshine, water, fertilizer, a good growing medium and a well draining container are all you need to get started.

Let's start with the container, and just about anything that holds dirt will do. Tubs, crocks, barrels, baskets and bowls are just a few of the diverse choices for Container gardening. Just make sure it has adequate holes for good drainage. Clay pots are not recommended as they absorb moisture and the soil dries out much quicker. There are many varieties of self-watering containers readily available at your local garden center or large home improvement stores. Keep in mind that larger plants like tomatoes will need at least a 24" diameter pot and only one plant per pot. It’s always a good idea to add the tomato cage at the time you plant to prevent causing damage later on to newly developing fruits. A general rule for other plants would be a container that can hold 6-8" of potting mix and is the same height as diameter.12" is what is commonly recommended.

For soil, already bagged and prepared potting mixes are the easiest way to go. They are free of weeds and disease, are light weight, are well drained and hold moisture and nutrients well. In larger pots, completely filling with soil can make for one very heavy pot, so to lighten the load, fill the bottom third with non-biodegradable packing pea- nuts, pine cones, Styrofoam or other light materials that won't pack down. This will leave plenty of room for the soil needed for a good root system.

Most vegetables need to be grown in full sun. Tomatoes for instance like 8 hours of sun a day. But some things like lettuce, spinach and cabbage can be successfully grown in partial sun. Frequent watering is necessary for container gardening because the soil dries out quickly from sun and wind. You should water daily and in very dry hot weather, you may need to water twice a day. Never let the soil dry out completely between waterings as this may cause the plant to drop fruits. Water until enough water reaches the bottom of the pot. Be careful not to water too often because this could lead to root rot.

Container gardens should be fertilized weekly or bi-weekly with a diluted water-soluble fertilizer. Slow release fertilizers can also be used but closely follow the directions. Whenever you are watering or fertilizing, take a moment to closely examine the foliage for any signs of insect or disease. Be sure to look on the underside of the foliage as well as the top. If any evidence of either is found, treat with the appropriate product. Most insects can be control by hand picking. One of the best ways of preventing disease development is to provide good air circulation around the container.

So which vegetables work best in containers? Of course tomatoes do very well grown in pots and some recommended varieties are Yellow Pear, Celebrity, or any of the Patio or Cherry tomatoes. Jingle Bells Green Pepper is a nice compact plant that works well and Spacemaster Cucumber is an excellent plant for the container. Even squash can work in a container so try Gold Rush or Sunny Delite Scallop Squash. Of course herbs are a top choice and do very well but so do strawberries grown in attractive strawberry pots. Just make sure when you plant the strawberries the plant crown is just even with the soil surface so the plants don't rot. Whatever plant you choose, make sure it will mature in our growing season of 90-120 days.

Planting in containers is easy, enjoyable, timesaving and is also a great way to get kids introduced to vegetable gardening. Have fun and enjoy a beautiful and bountiful harvest.

Submitted by

Donna Tatting

Chisago County Extension Master Gardener

Donna will be presenting the last class in our Growing Edibles series, container vegetable gardening Tuesday, May 16, at the Senior Center at 6:30 p.m.

The following week we will bring back the always popular Chuck Levine to tell us about Using Annuals in Our Landscapes. Call the office to register.

VOICE MAIL: You can leave a question for a volunteer Master Gardener on their at 651-674-4417. Depending on the volume of calls, they try to respond within a couple of days. During office hours ask for the Master Gardener voicemail, after hours, select ext. 18. You could also bring a sample to any of the classes and a Master Gardener will be glad to help you. Please note that there is no longer staff at the North Branch Office who can answer gardening questions.

PLANT CLINICS: We will resume our weekly plant clinics May 15. Volunteer Master Gardeners will be available Mondays, from 4-7 p.m., at the Extension Office, in North Branch, at 38780 8th Avenue, to answer your questions. You can also call 651-674-4417 during these hours to speak with a Master Gardener.

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