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Container Vegetable Gardening

Adequate sunshine, water, and fertilizer plus a welldrained growing medium are essential for successful container gardens.

Containers

Almost any type of container can be used if it provides good drainage through holes in the bottom or around the sides near the bottom. If adding holes, drill four or more 0.5 cm holes evenly spaced around the container bottom. To further help drainage, put about 1 cm of coarse gravel, small stones, or pieces of a broken clay pot in the bottom. These items are not a substitute for drainage holes.

Most vegetables require containers that hold at least 30 cm of potting mix. Root crops, such as carrots, and tomatoes and other larger plants require deeper containers. See Table 1 for the amount of potting mix needed to fill various sized containers. See Table 2 for the approximate size containers recommended for various vegetables.

Growing media

Container gardens require a growing medium that drains well, yet does not dry out too fast. Soilless potting mixes have several advantages over soil. They are free of plant disease organisms and weed seeds, are less likely to compact, hold moisture and plant nutrients well, and are lightweight—making the container more portable.

Crop selection

Most vegetables that grow in a backyard garden will do well as container-grown plants. Those with compact growth habits will do best.

Summer care of container gardens

Location
Nearly all vegetables grow and produce best when grown in full sunlight. Plants that bear fruit, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, require the most sun. Leafy vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, greens, spinach, and parsley) tolerate more shade than root crops (radishes, beets, and onions). Containers should be placed where they will receive at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.

Watering
Plants grown in containers require frequent watering because they dry out quickly from sun and wind. Some plants may require daily watering. Apply enough water to reach the bottom of the container and allow the excess to drain through the drainage holes. Never allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings; this may cause the plants to drop their fruits and fl owers. However, overwatering also will slowly kill plants because the roots will not receive enough oxygen. When watering, avoid wetting the leaves, especially if watering late in the day. Wet leaves encourage the development of plant diseases.

Fertilization
Container-grown plants require fertilization more frequently than field-grown vegetables because they have less soil from which to obtain nutrients. A soluble fertilizer (15-30-15 or 20-20-20) applied once every week or two is recommended. This can be applied while watering.

Tomato tips
When growing standard-sized tomato varieties, use a stake or cage to keep the vines upright. If staked, plants should be pruned to produce manageable one- or two-stem plants. To prune a tomato, remove the small shoots that form in the axils of the leaves and stems. If these shoots are not pinched out, they will grow and make the plants diffi cult to train. Tie the stems loosely to the stake. Tomato cages should be made of fencing material of at least 12 cm mesh so the fruit can be harvested easily. Cages should be at least 75 cm in diameter.

Terrace containers


Collection of pots with plants


Container with plants


Vegetable patch in backyard


Grow your own cucumbers


Vegetable garden on a rooftop


Tomatoes planted in a pot