Ideas for container gardening to help you further with this project. You can also refer to this article about container gardening.
Containers can grow various vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, and cucumbers. Herbs such as basil and parsley also do well in containers. Most container gardens will need to have some irrigation system in place because the soil dries out quickly due to the lack of evaporation from surrounding soils.
Container gardening is great for those living in apartments or condos with no outdoor space available for planting but still but still want fresh produce year-round! During colder months when outdoor growing isn’t possible, you can move your plants indoors near a sunny window or under artificial lighting, allowing them to continue producing food even during winter!
It’s important that you choose appropriate varieties suited for container growing (determinate vs. indeterminate). Some plants may not be suitable if they require too much room or take up too many nutrients from the small amount of soil found within containers.
Container Size
Additionally, ensure your containers are large enough, so roots aren’t restricted, and water frequently as needed – especially during hot weather periods where moisture evaporates more quickly than usual! Lastly, remember there’s no one size fits all approach to gardening – experiment with different techniques until you find what works best for YOU!”
Potting Mixes
It’s best to use one of the potting mixes in vegetable container gardening as they are light, disease-free, weed seed-free, and have good drainage. Some potting mixes have pre-mixed plant nutrients, so read the label about how long the pre-mix will feed your plants before applying fertilizers.
Indoor
Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix, Soil for Indoor Container Plants, 6 qt. (3-Pack)
Compressed Organic Potting-Soil for Garden & Plants – Expands up to 4 Times When Mixed with Water – Nutrient Rich Plant Food Derived from Natural Coconut Coir & Worm Castings Fertilizer
Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix, 2-pack 8 qt., For Use in Containers
DIY Potting Soil Mix
You can also make your own two bushels of potting mix using the following recipe: Shredded sphagnum peat moss (1 bushel), Vermiculite (1 bushel), Ground limestone (1¼ cup), Phosphate fertilizer 0-46-0 (¼ cup), Slow-release granular fertilizer such as 10-10-10 (1 cup).
Hoffman 15503 Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, 10 Quarts
8QT Professional Grade Plantation Products Vermiculite
Jobe’s 09365 Additive De-Acidifier, 6 lb, Lime Soil
Triple Super Phosphate Fertilizer 0-46-0 | Phosphorus Fertilizer for Gardens, lawns, Indoor and Outdoor Plants | Phosphate Plant Food Fertilizer for Orchids, Wisteria, Cactus and All Other Plants
Southern Ag All Purpose Granular Fertilizer 10-10-10
Container-grown plants require more frequent fertilization than field-grown plants because of the limited space within the container for drawing nutrients. Fertilizers can be mixed with the soil mix before filling the container and can also be applied as a nutrient solution.
Nutrient solutions can be made by dissolving soluble fertilizers such as 10-20-10, 12-24-12, or 8-16-8 in water following label directions. The nutrient solution is applied once a day when the plants are watered. How often you water may vary with vegetables, but once a day is adequate.
Watering Tips
Leach the unused fertilizer nutrients from the potting mix once a week by applying tap water only. It is also very important to water occasionally with a nutrient solution containing micronutrients such as copper, zinc, boron, manganese, and iron. It follows label directions to give plants the right amounts.
Plants grown in containers need frequent watering as the containers dry fast. Daily watering is necessary to provide adequate moisture for plant growth. Apply enough water to reach the bottom of the container. Allow the excess to drain out through drainage holes.
Avoid wetting the leaves when watering, as this will encourage foliar disease development. Do not allow the containers to dry out completely between watering as this will lead to flower and fruit drops. Do not overwater the plants as the container will be waterlogged, and the roots will lack oxygen leading to poor growth and, eventually, perhaps, the plant’s death.
The size of the containers needed will depend significantly on the vegetable or herbs you are planting. See picture above for reference. Most herbs can be planted in 1/2 – 1 gallon containers. Cabbages, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Leaf Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Cherry Tomatoes can be planted in 1-gallon containers. Beets, Carrots, Eggplants, Peppers, and Radishes need 2-gallon containers.
Your regular tomatoes will need 3-gallon containers. (great info from the University of Illinois Extension).
