Container gardening?
Yes. Container gardening. That is…growing your vegetables in containers. Why?
Well, container gardening is a great option for people living in condominiums and apartments – those with limited space. This is also a good option for the disabled or elderly – those with limited mobility. Container gardening allows you to control soil quality and water use, garden through the winter, have tasty cooking herbs close to the kitchen, and be able to move your garden around as needed.
You can use anything from ceramic or clay pots to wood boxes, hanging baskets, crocks, washtubs, baby bath tubs (that’s what I used last year!) or plastic buckets. There is really no limit here but you will want your container to have the ability to drain off excess water. Be sure to get some good quality soil (probably from the gardening center) that drains well and put a layer of gravel at the bottom of the container to aid with drainage.
Next, be sure that the plants you choose are appropriate for the container AND the place you will put the container. Tomatoes like a lot of sunlight. You’ll need to have about 7 hours of sunlight a day for success with anything you try to grow. They also need a lot of soil. So, a big pot in a warm sunny place would be perfect for them.
Carrots on the other hand take very little space and are not terribly picky about temperature. Onions, too! It has been a few years since I’ve done it, but I’ve had great success with container carrots and onions in the past.
I’ve never tried herbs. But, I hear from friends that they are easiest to grow in containers!