For Kids Healthy Harvests from Small Spaces Kent Phillips kentaphillipsgmailcom 2 Container Vegetable Gardening Lets Start Growing Vegetables in Containers is Easy Fun Can be done anywhere ID: 669110
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Container Vegetable GardeningFor Kids
Healthy Harvests from Small SpacesKent Phillipskent.a.phillips@gmail.comSlide2
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Container Vegetable GardeningSlide4
Let’s Start
Growing Vegetables in Containers isEasyFunCan be done anywhereGreat way to start growing vegetablesVegetables taste great and are good for youSlide5
Why Containers?
No diggingWeed freeCheap to start upGrow vegetables from April until December Slide6
Getting Started What Do You Need?
Sunlight Container(s)Growing medium
WaterNutrientsTender loving careSlide7
Container Location
At least 8 hrs. sun for fruiting season crops (tomatoes, peppers, etc.)4-5 hrs. sun for leafy crops (lettuce, kale, etc.)
Level spaceSlide8
Container Types
PlasticWoodClayFree Recycled
Paint themSlide9
Bag ContainerSlide10
Swimming Pool ContainerSlide11
Self-Watering Containers
Self-watering containers conserve water and nutrientsYou can make your own from a 5 gallon bucket. See HGIC publication HG600
Or you can buy a commercial self-watering container but they can be expensiveSlide12
Self Watering 5 Gallon BucketSlide13
Homemade Salad Table™
The Salad Table™ HGIC pub 601 Great for growing shallow rooted plantsBuild it deeper for plants like beans, beets, kaleSlide14
What’s the “Dirt” on Growing Media?
Supports plant’s root systemHolds water and nutrients
Permits drainageNeed to be light and fluffySlide15
Growing Media
Commercial Soil-Less MixExcellent LightweightDrain well
Holds water and nutrientsProper pH ProMix
™, ReddiEarth™, Jiffy Mix™, and
Sunshine Mix™Slide16
Stay Away From
Garden Soil HeavyBrings in weed seeds and soil diseasesDoesn’t drain well in containersDon’t use bags of
Top soilPlanting soilPlanting mix
P
otting soilSlide17
Adding Compost to Media
Highly recommendedAdds additional slow release nutrients
Increases water and nutrient holding capacity of mediaMay have to add perlite to lighten mix
If you don’t have compost, LeafGro
™ is
the next best commercially available product.Slide18
Media Mixtures
Some good media mixtures for container vegetables are:•100% soil-less mix• 75% compost or LeafGro + 25% perlite
• 50% soil-less mix + 50% compostSlide19
Happy Roots
Watering needs vary depending oncontainer sizeambient temperature
windsunlighthumidity
t
ype of plant and its size
Media in container should be kept moist
at all
times but not soggy
Test growing media using your finger
Most containers will need to be watered daily in the summer
Use
a
water breaker or watering
can
for soft flowSlide20
Fertilizers
Containers require regular fertilizationWater soluble fertilizersEvery two weeks
Immediately available to plantsOrganic varieties are ready availableAlways follow label instructionsSlide21
What Can I Grow
Just about any vegetable or herb!LettucePeppers
EggplantTomatoesBeansCucumbers
Broccoli
Potatoes
Sweet
potatoes.
Look
for “bush” or “dwarf” varieties
, esp. tomatoes, cucumbers, squash.
Have funSlide22
Size Matters
Match container depth to plant size4-6 inches: greens, small herbs8-12 inches: beans, beets, large herbs
1-3 gallons: green onions, chard4-5 gallons: cucumber, eggplant, beans, broccoli, patio tomato, pepper
15 gallon full size tomatoSlide23
Planting Time
No pebbles, gravel, or rocks unless you need the weight to prevent tipping. Cover drainage holes with fiberglass screen or other material
Thoroughly work water into the growing mediumFill container to inch or so of top of container.
Don’t compact media
Follow
seed
packet directions
for planting, spacing, and care
.
Plant seedlings (except tomatoes) at same level as they were growing in pot or six-pack.
Tomatoes can be planted deeper, for stronger root growth.Slide24
Make Attractive Containers
Paint themMix herbs and annual flowers in with the vegetable plants.
Keep containers together to increase humidity and water retentionSlide25
Keep those plants growing!
Succession plant Spring - lettuce or spinach
Summer - pepper, beans or cucumbers, tomatoFall - kale, lettuce
or broccoli
Don’t
forget to
continue to fertilize each
crop!
Trellis tall or climbing plants
indeterminate tomatoes
pole beans
cucumbersSlide26
Plant Care
BUGS
Wilted leaves – not enough or too much water - How do you tell?
Yellow leaves/no growth – fertilize?
Inspect your plants daily
Go to
plantdiagnostics.umd.edu
for additional help in diagnosing vegetable problems.
Diagnosing Plant ProblemsSlide27
Season’s End
Discard the plant and soil from the pot. Do not reuse the same soil for a second seasonInfected soil or mix will spread disease into the second season unless it is properly compostedProperly composted planting media can be reused.Store pots to prevent freeze damageSlide28
This program was
developed Maryland Master Gardener Program University of Maryland Extension Baltimore Countyand modified for this presentation by
Kent PhillipsSlide29