Container Gardening is a delightful way to grow healthy and delicious vegetables for individuals and families who have a limited amount of space. Growing vegetables in a pot or a container is not only fun, but it’s an easy way to introduce children to gardening as well as beginners. Even better, nearly anything that grows in a backyard can typically be grown in a container. Vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, green beans, spinach, carrots and radish, to simply name a few, can all be grown in containers with relative ease.
To begin your container garden, (Step 1) you will first need to familiarize yourself with the type of plants that you would like to grow. Select varieties that grow well in containers such as Little Finger and Baby Spike carrots. Pickling cucumber varieties also tend to grow well in containers and can be trellised to grow upwards. Next, (Step 2 and 3) select an appropriate size container and purchase your potting soil. Typically, a five-gallon pot is a good selection for most containers. Remember, all plants require sunshine so try to place your pots in a sunny location (Step 4) and add your soil once the pot is in place (Step 5) as it can become fairly heavy. Often, fungus, disease, and extreme water evaporation can be avoided if you water your plants in the early morning and try to water the soil as opposed to the leaves. Keep soil moist not dry (Step 6) and try not to saturate your plants by overwatering them. Now that you have these six easy steps remember to be patient. Sit back, relax, and enjoy watching your garden grow.
Submitted by Kimberly Perry, AGNR Harris County Extension Agent