Vegetable container gardens extend season
By Kathy Hatfield
Gardening Columnist
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As summer quickly approaches, thoughts of crisp lettuce, vine-ripened
tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers make a gardener's mouth water. If you've
abandoned the idea of a vegetable garden for lack of space, however, think
containers. Almost any vegetable can be grown in a clay pot, a window box
or a plastic grow bag, and they can be decorative as well as edible. As
a bonus, growing vegetables in containers allows us to stretch the season
by planting earlier than we might if plants were placed in the ground.
Most of the guidelines presented last month on flower container gardens
apply to vegetables. Though most vegetables need moist soil, they don't
like soggy roots, so drainage is important. One drainage hole is usually
sufficient for plants that require lots of moisture. Pot size is important,
and for vegetables, a container that is a little too large is better than
one that is too small. Some shallow-rooted vegetables, like lettuce, spinach,
peppers and bush beans will do well in a shallow container, but a minimum
of 10 inches is still necessary. Others, like tomatoes, squash, even potatoes,
require at least 14 to 16 inches or more, depending on variety.
Vegetables like at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Even cool
season vegetables and leafy crops like lettuce need four to five hours
a day. Lots of sun means the pots will dry more quickly. In our climate,
plants may need watering twice daily. Larger pots and light-colored ones
require less watering.
A good growing medium for containers is one that will drain well and contains
a complete fertilizer. You can use a soil-less mix if you blend compost
or fertilizer into it. Weekly applications of fish emulsion will ensure
plants have ample nutrients. A time-released fertilizer can be used, but
supplemental feedings of fish emulsion every two to three weeks will give
plants a boost. Water-retentive soil polymers are useful in keeping the
mix from drying out too quickly.
Varieties
Improved varieties of vegetables are constantly being added to the market,
many of which can be successfully grown in containers. You don't have to
stick to dwarf or patio plants and you can put more than one kind of vegetable
in each container. It might be fun to plant lettuce, spinach, scallions
and carrots together in a salad garden. Try a pizza garden with tomatoes,
peppers, onions and herbs. Here are some ideas for specific varieties of
vegetables to grow in containers.
- Carrots - Varieties like 'Short 'n Sweet' or 'Thumbelina' can be grown
in a shallower pot than longer types like 'Nantes.'
- Cucumbers - Bush types take less space than the trailing types. Good ones
to try are 'Bush Champion' or 'Salad Bush.'
- Eggplant - A variety called 'Bambino' produces miniature purple eggplants,
while 'Rosa Bianca' has lavender-rose fruit with white markings. Both are
attractive as ornamentals.
- Lettuce - Almost any variety will work well. There are many new ones with
different leaf shapes, wavy margins or red-colored leaves. For a real treat,
try one of the new mesclun or micro mixes, premixed salad greens in an
assortment of colors and textures.
- Onions - Scallions, or bunching onions, like 'White Spear' and 'Deep Purple'
are heat-resistant. Both are very hardy with a long harvest period.
- Peppers - A variety of shapes, a rainbow of colors and flavors ranging
from sweet to spicy make growing peppers an ornamental as well as an edible
endeavor. Some of my favorites are 'Sweet Chocolate,' named for its color,
rather than its flavor; 'Corona,' a brilliant orange bell-type; and 'Hungarian
Hot Wax,' a mildly hot, elongated fruit in sunset colors.
- Potatoes - These need plenty of room for the tubers to develop, so choose
a large container. Start with the tubers on a layer of soil in the bottom
of the container, adding soil as they grow. 'Yukon Gold' potatoes are some
of the tastiest of the smaller-sized potatoes.
- Squash - Summer squash is more productive and takes less space than winter
squash. Some good container varieties are 'Sunburst' and 'Spacemiser.'
- Tomatoes - Trailing tomatoes require larger supports than bush-type tomatoes,
so use an appropriate trellis or cage. 'Sungold' cherry tomatoes are indeterminate,
orange-red and exceptionally sweet, described by Johnny's Selected Seeds
as "intense tropical flavor."
Send your gardening questions to me at ocwildflowers@frii.com.
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