Growing Vegetables in Containers - Utah State University

1. 2/27/2009
Finding a Spot to Garden
Growing Vegetables
• You don’t need a lot of space to have a
in Containers vegetable garden!
• All you need is a:
– P ti
Patio
Annette Wszelaki – Deck
– Balcony
Commercial Vegetable Specialist
– Doorstep
– Windowsill
Benefits of Container
Gardening
Selecting Containers
• Accessibility • Be creative!
• Side-steps soil problems • Plan for drainage
– If adding holes, drill four or more ¼” spaced evenly
• Requires little or no land
– Put ~ ½” coarse gravel or small stones in bottom
½
• Convenient
• Small containers will
• Economical
dry out more quickly
• Efficiency
1

2. 2/27/2009
2

3. 2/27/2009
3

4. 2/27/2009
Recycling Containers
• Scrub them well
• Rinse in a mild bleach solution
– (9 parts water:1 part bleach)
4

5. 2/27/2009
The Container Dictates the
Preparing Containers Environment
• For porous containers (clay, wood, cement), • Plants will be more sensitive to temperature
soak well in water before filling extremes
• Overheating can be the end of your container
planting
• Thick wood insulates best
• Dark colored containers will absorb more
heat
• Light colored containers reflect heat
Choose the Right Container Choose the Right Container
•Medium-depth containers (12-18” deep)
• Shallow containers (9-12” deep) – 9 to 18 inches – 14 to 16 inches
– Beets • Carrots • Peas
– Leaf lettuce – 12 to 14 inches • Peppers
– Onions
• Broccoli • Cherry tomatoes
– Radishes
• Cabbage
– Spinach
– Swiss chard • Cauliflower
Choose the Right Container Choosing Your Soil
•Deep containers (16-18” deep) • Media should drain well, but not dry out too
– Beans fast
– Cucumbers • Soilless mixes are a good choice because:
–FFree of disease organisms
f di i
– Potatoes
and weed seed
– Summer Squash – Less likely to compact
– Tomatoes – Hold moisture and nutrients well
– Lightweight-
make containers portable
5

6. 2/27/2009
Potting Mix Recipe ‘Organic’ Potting Mix Recipe
• Shredded sphagnum peat moss 1 bushel • Shredded sphagnum peat moss 1 bushel
• Vermiculite 1 bushel • Vermiculite 1 bushel
• Ground limestone 1 ¼ cups • Ground limestone 1 ¼ cups
• Superphosphate (0-20-0)
(0 20 0) ½ cup • Bonemeal 10 lbs
lbs.
or (0-45-0) ¼ cup • Bloodmeal 5 lbs.
• Granular 5-10-5 fertilizer 1 cup
Moisten with water and store in plastic garbage
Moisten with water and store in plastic garbage
bags or trash (clean!) can. Makes 2 bushels.
bags or trash (clean!) can. Makes 2 bushels.
Caring for Your Containers Caring for Your Containers
• Location • Watering
– Most vegetables grow & produce – Required frequently! Daily?
best when grown in full sun – Water thoroughly and deeply
g y py
(at least 6 hours/day… 8 hours better!) – Never let soil dry out completely
– Fruit bearing plants require the most sun – Overwatering will slowly kill your plants
(cukes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc.)
– Avoid wetting leaves
– Leafy vegetables (greens, cabbage, herbs)
tolerate more shade than root crops – Water first thing in the morning
(radishes, beets, onions)
AquaSpikes and AquaRocks Caring for Your Containers
• Fertilization
– Container-grown plants require more
frequent fertilization than field-grown
• Less soil from which to obtain nutrients
– Apply a soluble fertilizer every week or two
6

7. 2/27/2009
Caring for Your Containers Diagnosing Common
• Trellising or Caging Problems in
–Some tomatoes, cukes, beans and Container Gardens
greens will require
–Be sure not to ‘shade out’ other
containers
The Container Doctor The Container Doctor
• Symptoms: • Symptoms:
– Plants tall, spindly and unproductive – Plants yellowing from bottom,
lack vigor, poor color
• Cause:
• Cause:
– I ff
Insufficient light
l h
– Excessive water
– Excessive nitrogen – Low fertility
• The Cure: • The Cure:
– Move container to receive more sun – Reduce watering interval; check drainage
– Reduce feeding intervals – Increase fertility level
The Container Doctor The Container Doctor
• Symptoms: • Symptoms:
– Plants wilt with sufficient moisture present – Marginal burning or firing of the leaves
• Cause: • Cause:
–P
Poor d
drainage and aeration
d – H h salts
High l
• The Cure: • The Cure:
– Use mix containing higher – Leach container with tap
% organic matter water at regular intervals
– Increase # of drainage holes
7

8. 2/27/2009
The Container Doctor The Container Doctor
• Symptoms: • Symptoms:
– Plants stunted in growth; sickly, purplish color – Holes in leaves, leaves distorted in shape
• The Cause: • Cause:
– Insects
– L temperature
Low
– Low phosphate • The Cure:
– Scout your containers!
• Cure:
– Squash them!
– Relocate container to warmer area – Dilute soap solution
– Increase phosphate level – Use a recommended insecticide
The Container Doctor
• Symptoms:
– Plants leaves with spots; dead dried areas, or
powdery or rusty areas
• Cause: The Crops
p
– Plant diseases
• The Cure:
– Remove infected parts
– Be careful what time/how you’re watering
– Give your plants more space next year!
Eggplant Tomatoes
• Varieties to try:
Minimum container size: • Minimum container size:
– Florida Market
– 5 gallons – 5 gallons (large)
• DistanceBeauty
– Black
between plants: – 1 gallon (cherry)
– Long Tom
– 18-24” • Distance between plants:
– Fai Tale
Fairy
• Days from seed to harvest:
– Bambino – 18-24”
75-100
– Slim Jim • Days from seed to harvest:
• – Ichiban
Requires fertile soil – 55-100
– Mohican
• Full sun • Helps to stake and prune
– Turkish Orange
• Full sun
8

9. 2/27/2009
Tomatoes Hanging Tomatoes
• Slicers • Cherry
– Bush Early Girl – Golden Nugget • Upside Down Tomatoes
– BushSteak Hybrid (Shepherd’s) – Sweet 100 Patio
– Tiny Tim – www.upsidedowntomatoplant.com/
– Spring Giant
– Better Boy – Tommy Toe
– Jetstar – Patio
– Bush Celebrity – Pixie
– Super Bush (Shepherd’s) – Small Fry
– Totem – Supersweet 100
• Roma – Sun Gold
– Saladette – Patio Princess (large)
• Hanging Baskets • Grape
– Tumbling Tom – Golden Sunshine
– Tumbler Hybrid
Peppers Peppers
• Bell
– Tequila • Sweet Specialty
• Minimum container size: – Redskin – Yummy
– Mohawk – Pizza My Heart (sweet)
– 2 gallons – Lady Bell – Gypsy
Bell Boy
• Distance between plants: –
Yolo Wonder
– Baby Belle
– – Sweet Banana
– 12-18”
12 18 – Keystone Resistant Giant – Balloon (sweet wings, HOT
wings
– New Ace seeds!)
• Days from seed to harvest: • Hot
– Apache Chile
– 60-90
– Cherry Bomb (Johnny’s)
• Require hot weather – Long Red Cayenne
– Super Chile (Johnny’s, AAS)
• Full sun – Prairie Fire (Johnny’s)
– (Hot) Red Cherry
– Hot Lemon
– Red Chili (hot)
– Numex Twilight
Squash Squash
• Zucchini • Yellow Squash
• Minimum container size: – Eight Ball – Papaya Pear
– 5 gallons – One Ball – Pic-N-Pic
– Cue Ball – Early Prolific Straightneck
• Distance between plants: – Gold Rush (yellow) • Winter Squash
– 24-36”
24 36 – Diplomat
p – Bush Delicata
– Senator • Patty Pan
• Days from seed to harvest: – (Green) Zucco – Scallopini
– 50-60 (summer) – Dixie
– 90-105 (winter)
• Bush types work best
• Full sun
9

10. 2/27/2009
Cucumbers Melons
• Minimum container size: • Varieties to try: • Minimum container size: • Varieties to try:
– Liberty
– 5 gallons – Early Pick – 5 gallons – Minnesota Midget
• Distance between plants: – Crispy • Distance between plants: – Snow Leopard
– Salty
– 14-18” – Bush Champion (Burpee) – 18-24” – Savor
• Days from seed to harvest: – Bush Slicer (Shepherd’s)
• Days from seed to harvest: – Charentais
– Patio Pik
– 45-60 – 70-80 – Sugar Nut
– Patio Pickles
– Alibi
• Vining types will – Spacemaster
• Personal-sized melons
need support – Pot Luck • Full sun
– Salad Bush
• Full sun – Mexican Sour Gherkin
Lettuce Leaf Lettuce
• Minimum container size: • Buttercrunch • Green Ice
• Salad Bowl • Red Sails
– 1/2 gallon
• Romaine
• Distance between plants: • Dark Green Boston • Black Seeded Simpson
– 4-6” • Ruby • Buttercrunch
• Bibb • Oakleaf
• Days from seed to harvest: • Garden Babies • Gourmet Lettuce Blends
– 21-35 • Heatwave Loose Leaf • Mesclun Mixes
• Multiple cuttings on leaves
• Partial shade
Swiss Chard Spinach
• Minimum container size:
• Minimum container size: • Varieties to try: – 1 gallon • Varieties to try:
– 2 gallons – Bright Lights – Baby Spinach
• Distance between plants:
• Distance between plants: – Dark Green
– Fordhook Giant – 1-2”
Bloomsdale
– 18-24” (white ribbed) • Days from seed to harvest
harvest: – American Viking
• Days from seed to harvest: – Lucullus – 40-60 – Melody
– About 30 for baby (green ribbed) • Partial shade/
– About 60 for bunching
– Bionda di Lyon full sun – Malabar
• Partial shade/ – New Zealand Spinach
full sun
10

11. 2/27/2009
Kale Other Greens
• Minimum container size: • Varieties to try:
• Arugula
– 5 gallons – Starbor
• Distance between plants: – Redbor • Pak Choy
– 10-15” – Winterbor • Watercress
• Days from seed to harvest: – Kale-Dwarf Bl C l d
K l D f Blue Curled
Scotch
• Radicchio
– 55-65
– Dinosaur (Lacinato) • Komatsuna
• Excellent in fall & winter
• Mizuna
• Partial shade/full sun
Broccoli and Cauliflower Brussel Sprouts
• Minimum container size: • Varieties to try: • Minimum container size: • Varieties to try:
– 3 gallons – Green Comet – 5 gallons
– Jade Cross
• Distance between plants: – DeCicco • Distance between plants: – Long Island
– 8” – Munchkin – 18”
• Days from seed to harvest: – Happy Rich
H Ri h • Days from seed to harvest:
– 50-70 – 90-110
– Graffiti
• Fall or spring • Can be harvested after
– Cheddar
• Full sun frost
• Full sun
Cabbage Onions
• Minimum container size: • Minimum container size: • Varieties to try:
• Varieties to try:
– 5 gallons – 1/2 gallon (green) – Green
– Dwarf Morden
– 3 gallons (bulb) • Beltsville Bunching
• Distance between plants: – Red Ace • Crystal Wax
– 12-18” – Early Jersey • Distance between plants: • Evergreen Bunching
• Days from seed to harvest: Wakefield – 2-5” – White
– 65-105 – Caraflex • Days from seed to harvest: • White Sweet Spanish
• Heavy feeder – Chinese – 65-100 – Yellow
• Michihili • Yellow Sweet Spanish
• Full sun/partial shade • Need lots of moisture
– Mini
• Full sun/partial shade • Purplette
• Gold Coin
11

12. 2/27/2009
Green Beans Lima Beans
Minimum container size:
• Varieties to try: • Minimum container size: • Varieties to try:
Topcrop
– 2 gallons – 3 gallons – Henderson Bush
– Greencrop – Jackson
• Distance between plants: • Distance between plants:
– Contender – Wonder Bush
– 2-3” Blue Lake
– (Pole) – 3-4” (baby)
• – Kentucky Wonder
Days from seed to harvest: – 6” (bush)
– Bush Romano
– 45-60 • Days from seed to harvest:
– Tender Crop
• Succession planting
– Derby – 65-80
• Full sun ‘N Narrow
– Straight • Full sun
– Royal Burgundy
Edamame Beets
• Minimum container size: • Varieties to try: • Minimum container size: • Varieties to try:
– 3 gallons – 1/2 gallon – Little Egypt
– Black Jet
• Distance between plants: – Envy • Distance between plants: – Early Red Ball
– 15-30” – Sayamusume – 2-3” – Chioggia
• Days from seed to harvest: • Days from seed to harvest: – Ruby Queen
– 75-104 – 50-60 – Golden
• Harvest immature • Thin plants when 6-8” tall – Detroit White
– Bull’s Blood (tops,
• Full sun • Full sun/partial shade beets)
Carrots Radishes
• Minimum container size: • Varieties to try: • Minimum container size: • Varieties to try:
– 1 quart – Short & Sweet – 1 pint (A shoe?) – Cherry Belle
• Distance between plants: – Danvers Half Long • Distance between plants: – Scarlet Globe
– 2-3” – Tiny Sweet – 1” – (White) Icicle
• Days from seed to harvest: – Little Finger • Days from seed to harvest: – Champion
– 65-80 – Nantes Half Long – 25-35 – Comet
– Thumbelina – Sparkler
• Several plantings • Several plantings
– Easter Egg Blend
• Full sun/partial shade • Full sun/partial shade
12

13. 2/27/2009
Turnips Herbs
• Minimum container size: • Basil • Nasturtiums
• Varieties to try:
– 3 gallons • Thyme • Parsley ‘Evergreen,’
– Hakurai ‘Moss Curled’
• Distance between plants: • Cilantro
– Toyko Cross • Catmint ‘Walkers Low’ • Rosemary
– 2-3” – Golden Ball (prostate or creeping)
• Dill ‘Compatto’
Compatto
• Days from seed to harvest: • Horehound • Tarragon
– 30-60 • Lavender • Sage
Lemon Balm • Savory (summer or winter)
• Harvest leaves and roots •
• Marjoram • Scented geraniums
• Full sun/partial shade
• Mint
(always contain!)
Potential Benefits
Companion Planting • Attract beneficial insects
• Increased pollination
• Planting species together that
• Fertilizer
provide one or more plants a • Shade
cultural benefit • Weed control
• Trellis system
• Increased yields
How does it work? Scientific Basis
• Trap cropping
• Employed for centuries
• Symbiotic nitrogen fixation
• Mechanisms behind interactions not
well understood • Biochemical pest suppression
• Planting combinations based on • Plant spatial interactions
observations, science & • Nurse cropping
unconventional sources • Beneficial habitat
• Diversity
13

14. 2/27/2009
The Italian Container The Fiesta Container
• Basil • Cilantro
• Oregano • Your favorite hot pepper
• A patio tomato • Chives
• A sweet pepper • A patio tomato
• Tomatillo plant
From www.motherearthsgarden.com From www.motherearthsgarden.com
The Summer Tea Container Container Gardening Resources
• Lemon balm (plant in its own pot) – Container Vegetable Gardening
• http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8105.html
• Echinacea • http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM870B.pdf
• Bee Balm (Oswego tea) – Grow Vegetables in Containers
• http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/garden/articles/pdf/container-growing-vegetables.pdf
• Chamomile
– Container Gardening
• Lavender • http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/homegard/cntanegrd.htm
• Mint – Vegetable Gardening in Containers
• http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/container/container.html
• http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/envirohort/426-336/426-336.pdf
From www.motherearthsgarden.com
Seed Sources
– Johnny’s Selected Seed
• www.johnnyseeds.com/
Thank you!
– Burpee
• www.burpee.com/ Questions?
– Sh h d’ Seed or Renee’s Garden
Shepherd’s S d R ’ G d
• www.reneesgarden.com/hm-gardnr/resource/shepherd.htm
Email annettew@utk.edu
– Seeds of Change http://organics.tennessee.edu
• www.seedsofchange.com/
– Totally Tomatoes
• www.totallytomato.com/
14