Organic Container Gardening – Five Things to Remember

Do you crave a plateful of fresh salad comprising of vegetables grown in your own garden but resent the lack of space to cultivate them? If yes, then you have an option of growing them in containers. Being hard pressed for space a number of organic gardeners are now turning to organic container gardening, which is the next best option for growing healthy vegetables and plants, when you do not have enough land to raise a sprawling garden.

However, one has to bear in mind several important factors if the venture is to be successful.

1. Choosing your containers – However, just dumping some soil and seeds into any vessel in the name of container gardening would not work as this is a serious job and requires special urns for the purpose. While there a number of attractive pots and pans available in the market, be sure to buy only the ones that are hard-wearing.

Prospective gardeners should farm their plants in concrete pots, old barrels or wooden containers as these are durable. Remember, all your urns should have the facility to allow excess water to drain off and should be placed at least an inch above the ground.

2. Select your plants – Having selected your containers, decide which plants you want to grow. You can grow virtually everything, right from flowers to vegetables, anything that your heart desires. It is advisable to put bits of clay pot to facilitate drainage of water, before putting in a layer of soil. Place your plants and add another layer of moist earth (soil).

3. Fertilizer and Irrigation – Organic fertilizer can be added in summers, while it may be omitted in winters. Watering your plants is another important aspect that has to be taken care of. While plants may require irrigation quite often during warm months, they do not need much water during winters.

4. Sunshine – Your plants require a good dose of sunshine to thrive and blossom, hence the gardeners raising container gardens should ensure that their plants get plenty of sunlight. However, fully grown plants can even manage with little sunshine, which makes organic container gardening an easier job for those having gardens inside their rooms.

5. Protect your plants – Your plants need to be protected properly both against pests and inclement weather. Make sure that your plants are well protected from excessive heat and cold if you want them to lend beauty to your surroundings perennially.

Related Organic Container Gardening Articles

Container Vegetable Gardening ? Revealing a Special Container Gardening Technique for Generating Maximum Food

Container vegetable gardening is perfect for folks residing in a townhouse, apartment or condo complex. However, a lot of people do it the wrong way…

Look, I have a wonderful organic container vegetable garden, and folks have been asking me tips on how I set it up in such a way that it generates a prolific amount of food.

Yes, as a matter of fact, my special container vegetable gardening technique grows so much more organic vegetables than their traditional container gardens!

Now, here’s the good news. I’m going to let you in on this special gardening technique. Also, I’ll also let you know some of the key benefits of this technique, and how to set it up right in your condo or apartment complex…

Note: If you’re a visual person, then you may click on this link for video presentation of this technique.

And for easier reading, I’m going to tell you all these things in FAQ format.

Question 1: What exactly is this “special gardening technique”?

The technique is called ecosystem gardening. I’ve been applying the principles of this wonderful technique on my organic vegetable garden to great success.

The ecosystem gardening is very advanced, yet not as labor intensive compared to traditional gardening methods. It involves the usage of edible plants and some effective composting tactics.

The result is a formula of growing fresh and juicy organic food prolifically (within a given area), capable of self continuation and requires almost nil maintenance.

Question 2: What are other benefits of using the ecosystem way of doing container vegetable gardening?

An ecosystem organic garden is able to develop a natural form of pest management. This is possible due to the compact mixed up nature of the ecosystem garden which also prevents weeds from growing.

Yes…in a properly set up ecosystem garden, weeds can’t grow at all!

Question 3: How do you set up an ecosystem container vegetable garden?

First you have to obtain several containers with adequate drainage holes. Put some quality potting mix in each container. Next, arrange the containers in a very compact fashion.

Basically, you have to group the containers closely together and try to squeeze as many as possible onto your patio or verandah.

For composting, I suggest you purchase a worm farm and use the worm casts as soil fertilizer. An elaborate composting scheme is not necessary for ecosystem container garden.

Container vegetable gardening using the ecosystem methodology is very simple and fun to set up. Try downloading some step-by-step video tutorials and detailed printable guide, and you’ll see how easy and fun it is.

The download details for those easy to follow video tutorials and printable guide can be found by following this link http://www.growingorganicfood.info

More Find Great Gardening Container Vegetable Gardening Articles

Organic Container Gardening – Growing Strawberries in Containers

Fresh, bright red and juicy strawberries are often used as dessert toppings and decorations because they make any food appear visually sweeter and mouth-watering. No wonder why many people love strawberries. But did you know that you can grow strawberries in your home? And for those interested in organic container gardening, strawberries are actually one of the easiest fruit-bearing plants to grow in pots. As long as all their growing requirements are met, strawberries can thrive well in any potted environment.

But before you rush to your local nursery to purchase a seedling, here are some points that you must consider to in order to successfully grow your own potted strawberries:

One: Choose the variety that suits your climate. There are two main types of strawberries – seasonal and ever-bearing. Seasonal variety bear fruits during May-June while Ever-bearing produce crops twice a year, one early in summer and another late in summer. If you live in colder regions, you’re more suitable to grow the seasonal variety because ever-bearing strawberries don’t thrive well in cold weather. But you can winter your plants by covering them with plastic sheets to keep the cold out. And since they are in containers, you can easily bring them in, especially during the night, to protect them from the cool evening draft.

Two: Pick pots or containers with enough drainage holes. Strawberries do not like to sit in soggy soil so good drainage is important. You containers must be at least 8-10 inches deep.

Three: Start with a good potting soil and enhance it by mixing organic matters in. You can also add fertilizers to the starting soil. When transplanting a young seedling, add enough soil such that the roots are covered and the bottom leaves are level with the top of the soil. But also, make sure that you leave at least 1 to 1 1/2 inch space between the rim of the pot and the top of the soil.

Four: Strawberries like it warm so give them daily doses of sunlight, making sure that you turn the plant around on a regular basis to expose all sides evenly.

Five: Avoid overwatering your strawberry plants. Water only when the top ½ inch of the soil feels dry to the touch.

Six: Feed your strawberries regularly with organic fertilizer to encourage them to bloom. Organic fertilizers that are high in phosphorus are your best bet because they aid plants in flowering and seeding.

Seven: Strawberry plants may produce fruits during the first year, but don’t expect too much. For the ever-bearing varieties, you can suppress flowering (by removing the buds) during the first season to ensure more fruits on the next year. They are sure to yield a good harvest during the second year. Wait until spring before your strawberries ripen.

Eight: When picking strawberries, pick only the ones that are already bright red in color with no green patched left.

Nine: Like you, some pests will not be able to resist the sweetness of your strawberry fruits. Slugs and ants are most likely to pester on plants that are placed at ground level. You can hang your potted plants to prevent these pests but make sure that the hooks are sprayed with ant-sprays. Birds, raccoons and other bigger animals can be attracted to the bright red berries too, so install a barrier or cover your plants with netting to stop them from enjoying your strawberries before you do.

Follow these organic container gardening tips and you’ll enjoy a sweet harvest of fresh, plump and red strawberries every year.

Ideas For Container Gardening

Container Gardening Ideas

So for my first official article, I would like to talk about the many reasons and ideas behind using container gardens. Some of these reasons are extremely straight forward, especially for those that rent their home and are not allowed to dig up a place in the yard. Or people living in big cities, dorms or other places where space is limited.

However the not quite so straight forward reasons are the ease in which a person can grow with containers. I use containers for my Peppers, my herbs and the more sensitive plants I grow. Herbs with many watering needs can be planted along side each other using container gardens. Not to mention you can bring anything you plant inside for the winter, extending your season year round if you desire.Now the key is you must use the correct containers with the correct soil.

I use container gardens to make an area more decorative, and to add scents to other spots. I keep one container garden on a counter in my kitchen so when I need fresh herbs I just have to turn around and pluck them, not to mention it looks and smells wonderful. Some containers are made with considerations for water foremost, while others are made to be decorative, and will stand on that merit alone.Most containers are made for practical reasons, such as strawberry towers.

I use container gardens because I love to touch the soil, and feel the leaves. I use container gardens to enjoy the sights and the smells, and even to take delight in the mud under my fingernails. And the rewards are many. Both in tangible harvests, and a difficultto define sense of well being.

Now for some container gardening ideas and tips.

Container Gardening Tips (from Container Gardening Zone) :
Want to keep the bugs off of your container gardens but don’t want to use harsh chemicals. Take a small containerin it, combine 1tsp. Combine thoroughly. Take a squirt bottle, mix 2tsp of the above mixture and 1C water. spray the above mix on any plants you may be seeing aphids or flies on.

Another wonderful thing to use as a Container Garden is an wooden barrel, cut the top off and put the soil in, the barrels give your yard an antique look and work great.

Container Gardening Ideas (from Container Gardening Zone):
Another fun thing to do is grow a “Tickle Me” plant also called a Sensitive Mimosa. If your not familiar with the Sensitive Mimosa , it is a plant that, well moves when you tickle it, I’m being serious it does. Best of all it is perfect for Container Gardens.

For more Container Gardening Ideas go to http://www.containergardeningzone.com

What is Container Gardening

If you are a garden lover, but have no space for your gardening appetite, don’t worry gardening is not necessarily out of your reach. In the available space of your house say balcony, patio, deck, or sunny window, you can create a container gardening, which will not only bring you joy but also vegetables. So, are you ready to start container gardening yourself…

In the past, gardening is an exclusive realm of the landowner. Nowadays even the flat dweller can grow his dream garden without having any fuss. One’s dream can be fulfilled by container gardening, which means the gardening in a special container. Container gardening gives delights of landscape without weekly mowing. In the container, you can raise some perennials, annuals, and even shrubs and small trees.

Don’t think container gardening can be achieved very easily. Container gardening also requires proper planning just like that of traditional gardening. Planning consists of finding your USDA zone (this will help to identify the suitable plant variety of your zone), amount of daylight you are receiving in your apartment, and finally choose your beloved plant variety.

It is always advisable to buy the plants from nearest nursery unless you have right conditions to go for indoor seedlings. You should not keep the tender plants of container gardening outside below 45° F temperature or in soaring winds. Moreover you should not leave the new plants through out the night in the outside to get frost it out.

There is a false notion that all the plants grow in the ground won’t grow in the container gardening. It’s not so. If you have any doubt, please do experiment on it. Moreover, any container with holes for drainage can be used for your container gardening. 

Container gardening requires little budget in the initial stage. But it is having low maintenance with good satisfaction. Container gardening requires little fertilizer and water according to the specific needs of the plants.  

There is numerous pot growing vegetable varieties as container gardening. In this type, the vegetable plant requires only sunlight and water. Providing these two things can easily help you get fresh vegetables for your ratatouille or salad. You can get more satisfaction by serving these varieties nurtured by your own hands to your beloved pals.

Don’t despair-if you’re not having balcony or deck? Get nod from your landlord for window boxes, a modern container gardening. It is highly possible to grow many bloomy annuals year-round and indoor vegetables in your sunny window. There is another type of garden called community gardens, which will satisfy the city dwellers.

There is no need to end your container gardening since you have entered autumn. But you can continue your container gardening by selecting the plants that are withholding the frost. The common plant varieties that stand up to the frost are Eulalia grasses, Mexican feather grass, Cornflowers, Lavender cottons, Jasmine, Million bells, Stonecrops, etc.,  In order to extend the life of your garden from early spring to fall, you can replant to match the conditions. Even you can contact some of the America’s best gardeners through online to get design for your container gardening. They offer suggestions such as caring and choosing for pots, how to grow tips for succulents, roses, and bulbs, in containers.

Picking the perfect containers for your container garden

One of the most enjoyable aspects of starting your own container garden is choosing the container. There are so many choices that it can be a little overwhelming. To help you with this most enjoyable part of the project I would like to give you a few ideas. First you will want to consider the surroundings for your container garden. If you want a natural outdoor blend, an earth tone container would be a great choice. These can be made from many natural or faux natural materials and can be found at any home and garden center. Maybe a beautiful wood or natural clay container would enhance a natural look.

Or you may want a lively colorful look to your container garden, something that says wow look at me!. The possibilities for this are endless. You could choose a variety of colored containers and make it a rainbow garden, this would certainly give your garden an eye catching appeal. Or you could choose a theme, such as southwestern or Moroccan to make it fun and colorful.

If you desire a more uniformed or formal look to your container garden you could choose your pots all in the same color with maybe different shapes. Or you may want to use the same containers for each garden, so the look is very symmetrical.

One idea that will bring a very personal touch to your garden is to create your own. You can purchase plain clay pots and do mosaic designs by attaching small tiles or broken china. Add some grout and as easy as that you have your own unique personalized containers. Even painting the containers and adding floral or abstract designs will make it your very own. Personally I enjoy these containers, your imagination will go wild!

Whatever you choose to fit your own personal style, I’m sure that you will find the search for your perfect garden containers most enjoyable. Just by visiting a few garden centers or floral shops you will be astounded by the possibilities. In fact your imagination will take off and the excitement of starting your own container garden will make you want to get going right away.

Hopefully I have given you some ideas on how to choose your own unique containers. Beware, once you get started you will surely come home with more containers and end up with a larger garden than you had originally planned on! Container gardening can become quite addictive!

Growing a Great Container Garden

Nothing beats fresh vegetables out of your own garden. The taste of a freshly picked tomato is pure heaven and digging your own new, red potatoes is so rewarding. But what do you do if you don’t have a large yard or no yard at all? No problem! You can grow a vegetable garden in a container!

Many people think of container gardening as an easy way to grow beautiful flowers and accent patios and porches with color. But have you ever tried adding a few vegetables in with the flowers? Growing vegetables and herbs in containers is just as easy as growing flowers and you get delicious results! You can mix a cherry tomato plant in with a pot of marigolds and snapdragons. The bright red fruit is a beautiful addition to the colorful blooms. Put a couple of red potato starts in a large planter with a few flowers, the foliage of potato plants is very beautiful and you will also have a few tiny white flowers as well.
H
ow about dedicating a few planters to just produce? Strawberries often produce more fruit when planted in a container because they don’t have much room to spread. Strawberry plants spread by sending out runners that root down and start a new plant. Once the strawberries run out of room to send out shoots, they put all their energy into producing fruit.  How delicious to have fresh strawberries just outside your door!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning a container garden.  

Properly prepare your pot. Your pot will need good drainage so make sure it has drainage holes drilled in the bottom. If your pot does not have drainage holes, either drill holes or create a drainage area by adding a layer of gravel at the bottom. If you have a very large pot, you can create a drainage area and eliminate the need for large quantities of soil by adding a layer of styrofoam at the bottom.  This will also make the pot easier to move around. Just remember to add enough soil for the plants to have a good root system.

Don’t use garden soil. The soil in your yard is generally too heavy for container use. A container gardening needs light soil that is rich in organic material for proper drainage.  Mix regular potting soil with compost and peat moss to get a healthy soil that is perfect for containers.  It is a good idea to mix in time release fertilizer while you are mixing the soil. Most time release fertilizers last about three months so plan to add more at that time.

When you are transplanting new plants, dig the hole about twice as large as the plants root ball.  Then back fill the hole with some loose soil, this will give the tender roots soft soil to anchor in. Before you place the plant in the hole, massage the roots to break them up slightly. The plant roots have been confined to a small area while they are getting their start, however they need to break free and they need a little help from you to do that.

Give your plants a healthy start by using a root starting fertilizer as you are planting. Mix the liquid fertilizer with water and add it as you plant each new plant to your container.  Root starting fertilizers contain the proper nutrients that help to prevent transplant shock.  

Trim the plant after you plant it. This is a difficult thing for most gardeners to do. After all you just bought a beautiful, full plant at the store! You need to remember that the plant needs to put effort into building a strong root system. This is difficult if the plant is trying to maintain full blooms or large amounts of foliage as well.  A good rule of thumb is to cut off the plant by two thirds. Don’t worry, your plant will grow back fuller and healthier than before.

Combine plants with similar requirements. If a plant requires full sun, don’t pair it up with a plant that does best in partial shade. Careful planning will yield the best results in container gardening.  

Containers are a great way to have fresh produce all summer long. Growing your own fresh produce is rewarding and allows you to provide healthy food for your family. Give container gardening a try, you will love the results!

Related Container Gardening Soil Articles

Container Gardening for Vegetables

Many living spaces do not have ample room to plant vegetable gardens. One option is container gardening. Nutritious and fresh vegetables can be grown in containers on a balcony, patio or windowsill.

Crop Selection

Containers are ideal for almost any vegetable that would thrive in a backyard garden. Vegetables that are specifically suited for containers are peppers, green onions, tomatoes, beans, radishes squash, parsley, cucumber, eggplant and beans. Carrots also grow well in containers if the container is deep enough (eight inches).

Ideal Soil For Container Gardening

Container-grown vegetables do best in soil made of woodchips, sawdust, perlite, vermiculite or a variety of other materials. The four most important criteria regardless of the soil mixture are that it 1) be free of weed seeds and disease, 2) can retain nutrients and moisture, 3) can drain well and 4) is lightweight. Many products contain nutrients in the soil so fertilizing is unnecessary.

Containers

You can use just about any container to plant your vegetables including bushel baskets, wooden boxes or containers specifically designed for container gardening. Green onions, parsley and herbs thrive in pots from six to 10 inches in size. Peppers, tomatoes and eggplant are best suited in larger containers.

Adequate drainage is very important for container growing. Place about one inch of gravel in the bottom of the container before adding soil. This will help improve drainage. If your container doesn’t have drain holes, drill them yourself– about 1/4 to 1/2 inch on the bottom.

Seeding and Transplanting

You can purchase transplants from your local garden center or nursery to place in your container, but you can also grow the plants from seed at home. Use a baking pan to germinate your own seeds. Fill the pan with soil and plant the seeds to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Place the baking pan in an area that receives adequate warmth and sunlight about four to eight weeks before planting them in the final container. The general rule is to transplant the seeds once they show their first two or three real leaves. Be careful when transplanting so you don’t injure the root system.

Light

Full sunlight is ideal for almost all vegetables. However, some plants can do well in partial shade: lettuce, greens, cabbage and spinach. Root vegetables actually prefer more shade than those that bear fruit. An advantage to container growing is that you can move the containers as needed.

Related Container Gardening Shade Articles

Organic Container Gardening – Growing Strawberries in Containers

Fresh, bright red and juicy strawberries are often used as dessert toppings and decorations because they make any food appear visually sweeter and mouth-watering. No wonder why many people love strawberries. But did you know that you can grow strawberries in your home? And for those interested in organic container gardening, strawberries are actually one of the easiest fruit-bearing plants to grow in pots. As long as all their growing requirements are met, strawberries can thrive well in any potted environment.

But before you rush to your local nursery to purchase a seedling, here are some points that you must consider to in order to successfully grow your own potted strawberries:

One: Choose the variety that suits your climate. There are two main types of strawberries – seasonal and ever-bearing. Seasonal variety bear fruits during May-June while Ever-bearing produce crops twice a year, one early in summer and another late in summer. If you live in colder regions, you’re more suitable to grow the seasonal variety because ever-bearing strawberries don’t thrive well in cold weather. But you can winter your plants by covering them with plastic sheets to keep the cold out. And since they are in containers, you can easily bring them in, especially during the night, to protect them from the cool evening draft.

Two: Pick pots or containers with enough drainage holes. Strawberries do not like to sit in soggy soil so good drainage is important. You containers must be at least 8-10 inches deep.

Three: Start with a good potting soil and enhance it by mixing organic matters in. You can also add fertilizers to the starting soil. When transplanting a young seedling, add enough soil such that the roots are covered and the bottom leaves are level with the top of the soil. But also, make sure that you leave at least 1 to 1 1/2 inch space between the rim of the pot and the top of the soil.

Four: Strawberries like it warm so give them daily doses of sunlight, making sure that you turn the plant around on a regular basis to expose all sides evenly.

Five: Avoid overwatering your strawberry plants. Water only when the top ½ inch of the soil feels dry to the touch.

Six: Feed your strawberries regularly with organic fertilizer to encourage them to bloom. Organic fertilizers that are high in phosphorus are your best bet because they aid plants in flowering and seeding.

Seven: Strawberry plants may produce fruits during the first year, but don’t expect too much. For the ever-bearing varieties, you can suppress flowering (by removing the buds) during the first season to ensure more fruits on the next year. They are sure to yield a good harvest during the second year. Wait until spring before your strawberries ripen.

Eight: When picking strawberries, pick only the ones that are already bright red in color with no green patched left.

Nine: Like you, some pests will not be able to resist the sweetness of your strawberry fruits. Slugs and ants are most likely to pester on plants that are placed at ground level. You can hang your potted plants to prevent these pests but make sure that the hooks are sprayed with ant-sprays. Birds, raccoons and other bigger animals can be attracted to the bright red berries too, so install a barrier or cover your plants with netting to stop them from enjoying your strawberries before you do.

Follow these organic container gardening tips and you’ll enjoy a sweet harvest of fresh, plump and red strawberries every year.

Related Winter Container Gardening Articles

Growing a Great Container Garden

Nothing beats fresh vegetables out of your own garden. The taste of a freshly picked tomato is pure heaven and digging your own new, red potatoes is so rewarding. But what do you do if you don’t have a large yard or no yard at all? No problem! You can grow a vegetable garden in a container!

Many people think of container gardening as an easy way to grow beautiful flowers and accent patios and porches with color. But have you ever tried adding a few vegetables in with the flowers? Growing vegetables and herbs in containers is just as easy as growing flowers and you get delicious results! You can mix a cherry tomato plant in with a pot of marigolds and snapdragons. The bright red fruit is a beautiful addition to the colorful blooms. Put a couple of red potato starts in a large planter with a few flowers, the foliage of potato plants is very beautiful and you will also have a few tiny white flowers as well.
H
ow about dedicating a few planters to just produce? Strawberries often produce more fruit when planted in a container because they don’t have much room to spread. Strawberry plants spread by sending out runners that root down and start a new plant. Once the strawberries run out of room to send out shoots, they put all their energy into producing fruit.  How delicious to have fresh strawberries just outside your door!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning a container garden.  

Properly prepare your pot. Your pot will need good drainage so make sure it has drainage holes drilled in the bottom. If your pot does not have drainage holes, either drill holes or create a drainage area by adding a layer of gravel at the bottom. If you have a very large pot, you can create a drainage area and eliminate the need for large quantities of soil by adding a layer of styrofoam at the bottom.  This will also make the pot easier to move around. Just remember to add enough soil for the plants to have a good root system.

Don’t use garden soil. The soil in your yard is generally too heavy for container use. A container gardening needs light soil that is rich in organic material for proper drainage.  Mix regular potting soil with compost and peat moss to get a healthy soil that is perfect for containers.  It is a good idea to mix in time release fertilizer while you are mixing the soil. Most time release fertilizers last about three months so plan to add more at that time.

When you are transplanting new plants, dig the hole about twice as large as the plants root ball.  Then back fill the hole with some loose soil, this will give the tender roots soft soil to anchor in. Before you place the plant in the hole, massage the roots to break them up slightly. The plant roots have been confined to a small area while they are getting their start, however they need to break free and they need a little help from you to do that.

Give your plants a healthy start by using a root starting fertilizer as you are planting. Mix the liquid fertilizer with water and add it as you plant each new plant to your container.  Root starting fertilizers contain the proper nutrients that help to prevent transplant shock.  

Trim the plant after you plant it. This is a difficult thing for most gardeners to do. After all you just bought a beautiful, full plant at the store! You need to remember that the plant needs to put effort into building a strong root system. This is difficult if the plant is trying to maintain full blooms or large amounts of foliage as well.  A good rule of thumb is to cut off the plant by two thirds. Don’t worry, your plant will grow back fuller and healthier than before.

Combine plants with similar requirements. If a plant requires full sun, don’t pair it up with a plant that does best in partial shade. Careful planning will yield the best results in container gardening.  

Containers are a great way to have fresh produce all summer long. Growing your own fresh produce is rewarding and allows you to provide healthy food for your family. Give container gardening a try, you will love the results!

More Container Gardening Soil Articles