Healthy Harvests from Small Spaces Adapted from Balto Co Presentation Kent Phillips Howard County MG Kentaphillipsgmailcom 2 Resources Grow it Eat it wwwextensionumdedugrowit ID: 671471
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Container Vegetable Gardening
Healthy Harvests from Small SpacesAdapted from Balto. Co. PresentationKent Phillips, Howard County MGKent.a.phillips@gmail.comSlide2
2Slide3
Resources
Grow it! Eat it!- www.extension.umd.edu/growitSearch for classes and eventsLinks to Youtube video presentationsBlogFacebook and TwitterHome and Garden Information Center-www.extension.umd.edu/hgicLinks to great fact sheets and publications
Can answer your personal gardening questions…Call the “hotline” Mon-Fri, 8am-1pm. 1.800.342.2507Send an e-mail question 24/7 through the web site. Slide4
Container Vegetable GardeningSlide5
Introduction
Why Container Gardening?No landHOA hasslesEasy to get started Close to the kitchenDeer are not a problemSlide6
Growing Advantages
Perfect for everybodyNo digging or tillingWeed freeInexpensive to start upOvercomes some common garden complaintsContainer locationPlant protectionSeason extension Slide7
Getting Started
A little bit of roomSunlight ContainersGrowing mediumWater
NutrientsTender loving careSlide8
Container Location
8-10 hrs. sun for fruiting crops6 hrs. sun for cool season cropsAccess to water - smaller containers will need water
every dayPlaced on any level space
Be careful of microclimates
The water that drains from containers can stain concrete and wood decking
Large containers are heavy
20-inch
container
= 100 poundsSlide9
Container Types
PlasticWoodClayFree RecycledPracticalExpensiveCommercially producedSlide10
Self-Watering Containers
“Self-watering” containers are a relatively new gardening concept. Instead of drainage holes in the bottom, these containers have an overflow hole on one side. The growing medium sits on a perforated platform directly above a water reservoir. In most cases, water is wicked up from the reservoir into the medium.
Self-watering containers conserve water and nutrientsCommercial self-watering containers can be expensive
You
can make your
own. Search GIEI website for containersSlide11
Self-Watering ContainersSlide12
Self-Watering 5 Gallon BucketSlide13
Homemade Salad Table™
The Salad Table™ HGIC pub 601 Great for growing shallow rooted plantsLegs of any length, set it on saw horses or put wheels on it for mobility Comfortable waist level gardeningThree compartments for succession gardeningBuild it deeper for plants like beans, beets, kaleSlide14
What’s the “Dirt” on Growing
Media?Supports plant’s root systemSupplies nutrientsPermits drainageNeeds to be light and fluffySlide15
Growing Media
Garden Soil HeavyBring in weed seeds and soil diseasesDoesn’t drain well in containersCommercial Soil-Less MixesExcellent LightweightDrains well
Holds water and nutrientsProper pH Examples of
soil-less mixes
are: ProMix
™, ReddiEarth™, Jiffy Mix™, and
Sunshine Mix™Slide16
Stay Away From
Top soilPlanting soilPlanting mixPotting soilMixescontaining sedge peat, wood mulch or bark fines
that are heavy or grittyhave very fine particlesSlide17
Adding Compost to Media
Highly recommendedAdds additional slow release nutrientsIncreases 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
Compost
Compost contains all the major and minor nutrients that plants need for good growth. This makes it an excellent substitute for sphagnum peat moss, which has very few nutrients (although it does hold water better than compost). Composting effectively recycles the nutrients from gardens, landscapes, and farms, thereby reducing nutrient pollution
of waterways. However, fertilizing is still necessary because the nutrients in compost are released slowly and are usually not sufficient for an entire season.
Vegetables
, herbs and flower plants can
be successfully
grown in 100% compost or
leaf mold
.
They have particles of various sizes which causes them to drain well.Slide19
Media Mixtures
Some good media mixtures for container vegetables are:• 90% compost or LeafGro + 10% perlite• 100% soil-less mix• 50% soil-less mix + 50% compostSlide20
Happy Roots
Watering needs vary depending oncontainer sizeambient temperaturewindsunlighthumidity
type of plant and its sizeMedia in container should be kept moist at all times but not soggy
Most containers will need to be watered daily in the summer
Use
a
water breaker or watering
can
for soft flowSlide21
Fertilizers
Containers require regular fertilizationWater soluble fertilizersGood rule of thumb is every two weeks for water soluble fertilizersImmediately available to plantsOrganic varieties are ready availableHow much and how often dependsSlow-release fertilizer
Inorganic such as OsmocoteOrganic – blood meal, worm castings, etc.Always follow label instructionsExcess fertilizer can harm and stunt plantsSlide22
What Can I Grow
Just about any vegetable or herb!Popular, easy container crops: salad greens, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, beans, chard, beets, radish, squash and cucumbers.More challenging crops include melons, corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
Look for “bush” or “dwarf” varieties , esp. tomatoes, cucumbers, squash.The key is to experiment.Slide23
Container Depth Matters
Match container depth to plant size4-6 inches: greens, small herbs8-12 inches: beans, beets, large herbs1-3 gallons: green onions, chard4-5 gallons: cucumber, eggplant,
beans, broccoli, patio tomato, pepper15 gallon full size tomatoSlide24
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 mediaFollow 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.Slide25
Make Attractive Containers
Mix herbs and annual flowers in with the vegetable plants.Herbs such as lavender, thyme, oregano, marjoram, and chives require a loose growing medium, and dry conditions.Keep containers together to increase humidity and water retentionSlide26
Keep those plants
growing!Succession plant – spring - lettuce or spinach, summer - pepper , beans or cucumbers fall -kale, lettuce or broccoli raab to finish out the season. Don’t forget to continue to fertilize each crop!Trellis tall or climbing plants
indeterminate tomatoespole beanscucumbers
Move
plants around if containers are portable
to maximize
sunlight (for heat-loving crops)
and shade
(for summer-grown salad greens).Slide27
Planting & Care
Container grown plants are subject to the same insect and disease problems as garden grown plants, but container gardeners tend
to have fewer soil related problems. The biggest causes of plant problems are lack of water and nutrients, and overcrowding. Plants can also suffer root rot from too much water, especially if the growing mix does not drain well.
Go to
plantdiagnostics.umd.edu
for additional help in diagnosing vegetable problems.
Diagnosing Plant ProblemsSlide28
Season’s End
Compost 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 damageSlide29
Container Gardening Resources
Related MCE Fact Sheetswww.extension.umd.edu/hgic - Click on “Information Library” tab, click on “Publications” tab and click on “Vegetables, Fruit and Herb Gardening”HG #16- Planting Dates for Vegetable Crops in MarylandHG #70- Recommended Vegetable Cultivars for Maryland Home GardensHG #42- Soil Amendments and Fertilizers BooksHG#600- Container Vegetable GardeningHG#601- Grow Your Own Greens with Salad Tables™ & Salad Boxes™
Books“The Edible Container Garden”- Michael Guerra; 2000; Fireside; 159 pp.“The Bountiful
Container”-
Rose Marie Nichols McGee
and Maggie
Stuckey; 2002; Workman Publishing Co., Inc.;
432 pp.
“Container
Gardening for
Dummies”-
Bill Marken; 1998;
IDG Books
;
334 pp.
“The
Contained
Garden”-
Kenneth Beckett, David Carr,
and David
Stevens; 1992; Penguin Books; 168 pp
.
“Movable Harvests”-
Chuck Crandall & Barbara
Crandall; 1995
; Chapters Publishing; 128 pp
.
“Incredible
Vegetables from Self-Watering
Containers”,
2006
; Edwin
C. Smith; Storey Pub.; 254 pp.Slide30
Container Gardening Resources
WebsitesContainer Gardens: The City Dwellers Guide to Fresh and Healthy Home Grown Food – www.arts4all.com/elca (interesting plans for wading pool gardens)The Growing Connection - www.thegrowingconnection.orgA world youth gardening program run by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN that uses the EarthBox.SuppliesHome Harvest Garden Supply Inc. - www.homeharvest.comWindowbox.com - www.windowbox.comGardener’s Supply
Company - www.gardeners.comEarthBox™ - www.earthbox.comSeeds for container gardening- www.containerseeds.comDripWorks - www.dripworksusa.comSlide31
Resources
Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC)800-342-2507www.extension.umd.edu/hgic Grow It Eat It websitewww.extension.umd.edu/growit Master Gardener state websitewww.extension.umd.edu/mg Slide32
This program was
developed Maryland Master Gardener Program University of Maryland Extension Baltimore Countyand modified for this presentation by Kent PhillipsSlide33