Container gardening?

[HummusDip]

Anyone do this and have success? What did you find grew the best? I'm looking to grow some veggies and some berries. Also when is the time that I would need to start these? Do I keep them inside at first or put them directly outside?

I've never really gardened, besides flowers and an herb garden, so I need any advise you can give me! Thanks!

Oh and one more thing, before I forget. Do those little seed packets work? Or do I buy a plant from a nursery?

[cobluegirl]

I have done tomatoes and chili peppers. I even grew a pumpkin plant once..lol Herbs totally work on containers.

[LadybugSam]

i just started a container garden, so i can't tell you what has worked best, but i can try.

When you pick out plants, look at how much space they need to grow. Most plants will tell you. For example my tomatoes tell me that they need to be at least 36 inches apart from other tomato plants, which means i need a pot which is at least 36 inches wide at the top.

Berries do well in containers. Well strawberries do, i think with the bigger berries you have to worry about the pot being big enough.

This year i started some seeds. I bought a "starter kit" at the store for like $4 and got 2 seed packets. They come with directions. If you get a good one you shoudl be able to sprout them indoors in their own little hothouse and then move them outside. The instructions will tell you more.

I found that full sized plants cost twice as much as a whole seed packet, but i don't have to worry about babying them in the beggining. I didn't want a million tomatoes so i only bought 2 plants. but with my chives and green onions, i bought packets.

zuccini needs a big pot and SPREADS everywhere, its not too great for a small space. Tomatoes grow strait up so they're better.

I have tomatoes, bell peppers, an onion, cilantro, and a few flowers (mums and daisies) that prefer full sun. I planted marigolds in the pots to keep the buggies ;)

I've been having fun with it :)

[HummusDip]

Eek, full sun? I'm in the back of my apartments surrounded by woods so I get NO sun basically. That's why half of my 50 house plants died. :cry Maybe I should wait until I live somewhere with more sun?

So do I have to do this now? Like before Spring? Or can I do it once we move in Summer?

Where did you get a starter kit? A nursery or somewhere like Walmart?

[LadybugSam]

I got mine at walmart in the garden section.

the thing is tha most veggies love full sun they need it. Some flowers do great in partial shade or full shade. Look for more tropical plants. On the back of their labels they should tell you what kind of light they prefer. My favorie flower is actually next to my front door hiding behind a bush because it wilts when i put it in the sun with the rest of them.

Ifyou start from seed, you'll want to do it now. If you buy plants, it doesn't really matter so much when you plant them :)

[Novella]

zuccini needs a big pot and SPREADS everywhere, its not too great for a small space. Tomatoes grow strait up so they're better.

You can grow traditionally vine veggies by training them to grow up :) I am growing some vine veggies in containers and training their vines to grow up by weaving them through a lattice made from bamboo and hemp rope. Works really well :)

[canadiyank]

Oh, shade is fine, you'll just have to find ones that tolerate shade. I live in the desert, but have some shady spots, and things have done tolerably well even in shade, although my broc got pretty leggy, so I'm putting it in full sun. For containers I'd probably buy starts, and don't buy too many...they'll fill in more quickly than you think. One broc plant is huge. What kinds of things were you thinking? If I were going to do container veggies I'd probably do a roma tomato plant surrounded by basil and cilantro, some herbs in another, not sure what else. :think

[jrsmama]

Is it OK to grow veggies in a large regular plastic flowerpot? Or will it leach gunk into our food?

[canadiyank]

:think I would give it a try, but then I'm not toooooo concerned about that typed of thing, so I don't know if I'm the best to answer it. I'd put in organic potting soil and give it a whirl, myself.

[cobluegirl]

that is what I do... :shifty

[FaithfilledGranolaChick]

that is what I do... :shifty


me too, I just planted some tomatoes, cucumbers and cilantro yesterday.... *fingers crossed*

[jrsmama]

I'm not usually too cautious about thsoe things, either, but I've been hearing a lot about lead poisoning issues (from my SIL and a health fair at my work the other day) as I was starting to plant. So I think I just freaked a little bit :giggle