Container Vegetable Gardening
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Almost anyone, no matter where you live, can have a vegetable garden. Container vegetable gardening can range from a windowsill herb garden to a total landscape of containers, pots and beds of vegetables. Lack of space should not be an excuse for not gardening.

What is container vegetable gardening? It is simply growing fresh vegetables in containers or pots or beds, rather than in the traditional backyard garden plot. There are certainly benefits to container vegetable gardening. There are also some limitations, but with proper attention to the special needs of container vegetable gardening it can be equally rewarding. Containers such as the one on the left make container garden easier. This container is a self-watering container available from Gardener's Supply Company.

The first major task in container vegetable gardening is to assess the space you have or can expand, be it a deck, a patio, limited lawn space or all of these.  Once you have outlined the space you want to use for your container vegetable garden, you can start your planning. If the space you have available is in the sun, there are many vegetables that can be raised. If the space is in partial sun, other vegetables will do well. If your space is most often in the shade, it may be possible to move the containers to a sunny area for part of the day, Innovation and experimentation is the best way to make the most of your container vegetable garden.

The next step to consider in container vegetable gardening is the kind of containers you want to use. A commonly used container is the self-watering container shown to the left. It is a time and work saver and is available at Gardener Supply Company. This is partially dependent on the kinds of vegetables you plan to raise. Large plants or vegetables with deep roots will need larger and deeper containers. Some vegetables such as small root vegetables or greens need smaller containers.  The containers used in container vegetable gardening can be made of almost any material except treated wood, which may be toxic to plants.

Clay pots are not the best either, because they are porous and tend to dry out too quickly.  Plastic, untreated wood, barrels, baskets lined with plastic or even old metal containers are suitable. The most important consideration in container vegetable gardening is to provide adequate drainage so the plants do not sit in water or get waterlogged.  Raising the pot off the ground can help maintain good drainage. For large containers that must be moved a raised platform with wheels can serve a dual purpose, improved drainage and mobility.

While container vegetable gardening has certain advantages, it also requires special care. Besides suitable containers and adequate water, container vegetable gardening requires a special mixture of soil and fertilizers.  Purchased prepared soil is available as are non-soil alternatives. There are advantages and disadvantages to either. These soils are lighter weight and make containers easier to move. They also help prevent soil based diseases. With container vegetable gardening,  it is important to fertilize more often, because water tends to leech nutrients out of the pots more readily than happens in regular gardening.

Finally, keep a record of the containers, soil, fertilizers and plants used in your container vegetable gardening.  Good records will help you enhance your gardens next year.  For more help and area specific suggestions on container vegetable gardening, contact your state or local horticulture or agriculture extension service. They have a great deal of free literature available for the asking.
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