Container Garden Tips - SeedSavers Exchange
A yard isn’t necessary to be a gardener. You can grow and harvest quite a lot of vegetables, herbs, and flowers by just using containers!
Here are three tips for setting up a container garden:
Location: Choose a location with plenty of sun, with close access to a water source. In the high heat of the summer, container gardens need to be watered at least once a day, if not twice.
Containers: Make sure your containers have good drainage! If possible, drill holes in your containers and avoid using rocks. A good drainage system is the key to protecting your plants’ roots from rot.
Distance: Keep in mind the spacing your crops will need to thrive. Overcrowding leads to low yields.
How to Choose Container Garden Crops
When it comes to container gardening, some crops do better than others. Some of the many crops well-suited for containers include:
Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplants
Herbs
Lettuce and other smaller greens
Carrots
Swiss chard
Radishes
Onions
Best Varieties for Container Gardening
When choosing varieties for your container garden, look for compact, dwarf, or bush types.
Keep in mind the size and shape of your containers. Crops with larger or deeper roots, such as tomatoes and beets, require deep containers such as large pots or buckets. Shallow-rooted crops such as lettuce can thrive in more shallow containers, like window boxes. Vining crops, such as cucumbers, can even grow in hanging baskets!
For more tips and the full container gardening guide, visit SeedSavers.org.
