Container Gardening

Part 1Containers

Why Container Garden?Why Container Garden?

• Garden in almost any location

• Adaptive gardening• Low cost/low input• Easy to be successful• Better control of pests• Start sooner in spring

Veggie Container Garden

Aesthetic Container Garden

What Do You Need?What Do You Need?

• Plan

• Place

• Pots (Containers)

• Potting Media

• Plants or Seed

• Provide Water & Nutrients

Containers

Containers

Containers

ContainersContainers

ContainersContainers

Containers for Adaptive GardeningContainers for Adaptive Gardening

Choosing a ContainerChoosing a Container

• Size

• Drainage

• Never held toxic products

• Avoid cheap plastic pots

• Terra cotta pots dry out quickly

• Choose rot-resistant woods (no creosote-treated wood)

Choosing a ContainerChoosing a Container

• Large containers hold temperature and water better than small containers– 1-2 gallon: lettuce, spinach, chard, radish– 3-5 gallon: carrots, beets, broccoli, dwarf

tomatoes– 5-10 gallon: tomatoes, eggplant, peppers,

cucumbers, squash– 6-10” diameter pots: herbs, green onion, radish

DrainageDrainage

• Use mesh screen, newspaper, coffee filters, etc. to prevent soil loss

Preparing Your ContainerPreparing Your Container

• Sterilize old pots before re-using• Season new clay pots

Preparing Your ContainerPreparing Your Container

• Sand for large containers• Styrofoam packing peanuts to reduce

weight