Container Gardening for Vegetables

They say that good things come in small packages. It is absolutely fine if you do not have a big, spacious garden where you can plant vegetables. Who said you cannot have a beautiful garden if that is the case? All you need is an avid interest in gardening and the readiness to take care of the garden. One way to fulfill your interest in gardening in spite of not having a big garden is to do container gardening. This means gardening done in a pot or a vessel. It does not take a lot of space and there are many vegetables which are well-suited to container gardening.

Vegetable Gardening in Containers

Things to do #1
Have a pail or a flower pot or wire baskets or buckets or wooden boxes or even large food cans? If yes, then it is perfect for container vegetable gardening! Grab whatever you have amongst these to start with. Make sure that the container you choose has a wide mouth and not a narrow one. The size of the container of course depends upon the vegetable you pick. However, preferably containers measuring around 24 - 30 inches are considered good for container gardening. If the pots are too small, the roots would not get space and they would dry out quickly. A 5 gallon container is good enough for larger vegetables like tomatoes and eggplants.

Things to do #2
Although a good number of vegetables can adapt to this kind of vegetable container gardening, it is better to have an idea of the vegetables that fit the bill. Carrots, radishes and lettuce, or crops that bear fruits, such as tomatoes and peppers are good options. This is a very important tip.

Things to do #3
Another significant aspect about vegetable gardening in containers is the color of the container. This matters in vegetable gardens particularly when there is a chance that the container might be exposed to extreme heat or cold. Dark-colored containers would naturally absorb more heat which may cause damage to the plant roots. If there is no option and you have to use dark-colored containers, consider coloring them to a lighter color. That can be done in case of ceramic and clay pots, mostly. If that is not possible, try and cover just the container.

Things to do #4
There has to be a proper drainage system for the plants to grow properly when planting a vegetable garden. For that, ensuring that there are small holes at the bottom of the container is important. Water is required for these plants but if there is excess water, it has to be drained out, irrespective of the type of container you are using with regards to container gardening, vegetables, to be specific. But, having said that, it has to be taken care that water does not dry off too quickly as against an excess. Clay pots are such that if a considerable amount of water is lost, there is a threat of the plant getting dry. From that perspective, plants which have been planted in clay pots should be taken care of to prevent moisture loss.

Things to do #5
As far as soil and fertilizer is concerned, synthetic mixes or the recent soil free potting mix work best for container gardening plants. The soil free mixture drains quickly, are lightweight and free from soil-borne diseases and weeds. Consider peat-based mixes when you are looking out for mixes. These have peat and vermiculite and are believed to be good for vegetable container gardening. An organic or slow release fertilizer is good for vegetable gardening in containers.

Container gardening for vegetables requires more care and watering than normal gardening. You may need to keep a daily watch on the plants and their growth. If you think the water needs to be drained well, you would have to do some adjustments to the pot or water the plants less. Eventually, all these will pay off because then you can flaunt your homemade veggies to your guests! What say? All the best!