The Grass Doctor

How do I care for potted vegetables?

I'm an amateur gardener. Last year was my first attempt at growing vegetables in containers on my balcony. I did okay. I got a few handfuls of tomatoes which were delicious and some nice looking herbs. But my cucumbers weren't so great. This year, I'm going to change tactics. What kind of potting soil is the best for planting in containers? Should I add something to the soil? What kind of fertilizer should I use and how often should I be using it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Public Comments

1. Try these and good on yer. http://www.allotment.org.uk/garden-diary/29/growing-vegetables-in-pots-containers/ http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1645.html http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/container/container.html
2. growing vegetables need sunlight 8 hours a day, feed them once a week with a fertliser.
3. The link below will give you what kinds of vegetable grow well in containers and what problems can occur. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/container/container.html ..........Container Gardening/everything you need to know Plants suited for container culture West Virginia Extension http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/homegard/cntanegrd.htm Cooperative Extensions for each state Your Cooperative Extension is an excellent resource for information on gardening and growing in your area. Look below to find a link to your local extension service. Just pick your state and enter in search bar> container gardening vegetables http://www.greenhousecatalog.com/cooperative_extensions_for_each_state.php Use either a soilless mix or soil mix for your container. Soilless mixes are readily available commercially, and include Jiffy Mix®, Bacto®, Promix® and Jiffy Pro®. These mixes are made up of peat moss, vermiculite, and either coarse sand or wood products. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1647.html When putting planting a container garden, avoid real soil. Instead, choose a soil-less mix, a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite sold as patio or container mix. The potting mix should be fluffy and just moist for planting. Put a piece of broken pottery or small stone over drainage hole to prevent mix from leaking out. http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/container-garden.html The ideal mix: Generally, most container plants will thrive in a mix that contains about 40 percent peat moss, 20 percent pine bark, 20 percent vermiculite, and 20 percent perlite or sand. http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/choosing-the-right-soilless-mix.aspx?nterms=74874
4. Your answer is in this post: http://naturehills.com/gardening/blogs/helpful_gardening_tips/archive/2009/03/01/growing-edibles-in-containers.aspx Good luck!