Gardening Advice Guide » Growing vegetables

Growing Vegetables and Herbs in Containers

Larry Hammond — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:54:07 +0000

Any vegetables can be grown in containers, though deep-rooted ones such as parsnips, those with a long growing season, like Brussels sprouts, or those needing plenty of space, such as pumpkins, are more challenging. The best for pots are fast-growing summer crops such as French beans, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, stallions, beet, carrots, turnips, lettuces, and “cut and come again” or seedling crops. Most of these are raised in pots, trays, and modules and transplanted later.

Vegetables that are sown in containers under glass will crop much earlier than those sown outdoors. French beans can be sown in heat in late winter for an early crop in kite spring and early summer, lettuces in late autumn for winter cropping. Ornamental vegetables look fantastic in containers. Why not he adventurous and plant them up for summer? You’ll be surprised how attractive they are. A great combination is lettuce foliage, carrot leaves, and upright stallions, with cherry tomatoes and beet, and Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights.’

Try combining vegetables with flowers and herbs for even greater impact. ‘Pickwick,’ a red-flowered, bushy runner bean that doesn’t need supporting, is worth growing in a pot as a specimen plant, so are the small peas ‘Half-pint,’ as well as radishes and lettuces. Vegetables like eggplants and French beans have obvious ornamental value, particularly the mottled lavender eggplant ‘Listade de Gandia’ and the dark purple pods of the bush French bean ‘Purple Teepee.” Vegetables in containers need watering regularly and feeding twice a week with a diluted general fertilizer until established, changing to high-potash fertilizer once a week for those producing pods or fruits. Ensure they are in a sunny position and turn the pot regularly for balanced growth. When selecting containers for growing vegetables, make sure there is sufficient space for root growth. Many of the vegetables mentioned here will grow equally well in a window box, bin avoid planting them too densely as rooting space is restricted. If growing vegetables from seed, harden off as necessary before planting out once the danger of frost has passed.

Small crops of potatoes can be grown in 12??18-inch pots filled with multipurpose compost, which helps protect them from slugs. Early potatoes, such as ‘White Cobbler,’ are ideal for growing in this way. Some seed companies offer potatoes in kite summer for growing in containers so you can enjoy new potatoes with your Christmas dinner, provided they are positioned in a frost-free place or greenhouse.

Herbs such as thyme and marjoram that thrive in sunny Mediterranean climates can be grown individually in small pots and need lirrle watering. Most herbs dislike windy locations and enjoy some sunshine, so they should be kept away from frost pockets and wind tunnels. Fast-growing plants like parsley are happiest in deep containers and will struggle in cramped conditions. Rosemary and dwarf marjoram both grow well in hanging baskets. Mint can be controlled by growing it in containers, but most other large perennial herbs such as lovage or angelica are easier to manage in the open ground.

Protect permanent plantings of herbs such as bay over winter by wrapping them with horticultural fleece and putting them in a sheltered corner of the garden or under cover. Mulching the surface with a layer of gravel or stone chippings reduces evaporation.

Growing Your Own Vegetables and Fruits

Gardening — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:09:32 +0000

Have you considered growing your own vegetables and fruits? It is never to late to learn how to grow delicious vegetables and fruits which are incomparable with those you can buy at the grocery. Unfortunately, success does not come overnight and before you will be able to pick your own vegetables and fruits from your garden you will have to learn few things about successful gardening and about the plants you intend to grow.

If you were thinking about starting a garden you have most likely already chosen the site for your garden. Before you start preparing the soil you are highly recommended to make sure the garden site gets at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. The required amount of sunlight greatly varies from plant to plant but the vast majority of plants grow better in the sunny areas. Once you make sure your garden site receives enough direct sunlight you can start preparing the soil. All plants including the ones you plan to grow depend from nutrients they obtain through their roots from the soil which means the soil must be adequately fertilized before planting any plants.

You can start planting your favorite vegetables and fruits after creating optimal conditions for their growth. Besides providing your plants adequate amount of sunlight and nutrient rich soil with fertilization you also need to learn about plant care as well as about pest control for each plant separately. You are also highly recommended to inform yourself whether the vegetables and fruits you intend to grow are suitable for your region.

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Growing Vegetables and Fruits Without using Artificial Agents

Gardening — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:08:57 +0000

Organic products are becoming increasingly popular, while organic food is by far the most sought after of all products. It is commonly known that healthy food plays a crucial role in human health and overall well-being, while consumption of foods grown with use of inorganic fertilizers composed of synthetic chemicals, growth hormones, chemical pesticides and who knows with what else to increase crop productivity might seriously jeopardize human health because many food crops including your favorite fruits and vegetables contain pesticide residues even if after being throughly washed or peeled.

The majority of people grow their own vegetables and fruits to reduce the expenses for food but the number of those who do not grow their own food for financial reasons is rapidly rising. Plants were grown for thousands of years without the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers and other chemical agents which means you do not need any of the mentioned products to harvest delicious and healthy vegetables and fruits.

You might face certain difficulties with pest control at the beginning but once you figure out which natural pesticides work the best for particular pests and plant diseases you will be able to produce as much as if gardening in conventional way but harvesting truly healthy vegetables and fruits. There are many natural agents mostly plant sprays such as the stinging nettle spray which are equally if not even more effective than the chemical ones but they do not harm your health nor the environment. Besides with natural pesticides, organic gardeners also successful control pests with companion planting.

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Growing Own Vegetables and Fruits During the Winter

Gardening — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:07:34 +0000

The vast majority of vegetables and fruits do not survive the cold winter temperatures or become dormant when the snow covers the ground. The ones available at the grocery are not as healthy as widely believed due to pesticide and preservative residues and are also poor in vitamins and other essential nutrients. If you want to pick your own vegetables and fruits all year round you should perhaps consider winter gardening.

Which vegetables and fruits can you grow during the winter greatly depends on the climate of your specific area, while some plants have greater difficulties with insufficient daylight than with low temperatures. Some vegetables such as carrot, radish, some breeds of broccoli and cabbage, and some other plants grow well even in low temperatures although leafy crops commonly need to be protected from frost either with cloches or to be covered with agricultural cloth.

Root-crops are less sensitive to frost but you might face great difficulties with picking for example carrot or parsnip from frozen soil. If living in an area with continental climate you should pick some root-crops before the first frost to make a supply for a week or two and to take advantage of the days above 32 °F (0 °C) during the winter for harvesting.

A winter garden in which you can control both temperature and light is the easiest and the most convenient way to grow vegetables and fruits during the winter, while some plants especially herbs and spices such as parsley can be easily grown in a pot in your apartment.

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