Container Gardening

[Corey NC]

I've tried growing a veggie garden before but due to heat, lack of weed, and hungry deer they've never lasted long. I was wonding if anyone has tried growing vegetables in a container like the one pictured below. I would have to drill some holes in the bottom and I though I might section them off in either halves or thirds with wood or something. The veggies I am interested in grow are: carrots, cucumbers, potatos, romain, spinach, onionsand some herbs: garlic, rosemary, basil, oregano and thyme.

I've never been much of a gardner and I'm not really sure where to start.

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y201/chichirme/?action=view&current=Chicks2012.jpg

 

[jc12551]

Corey,

I wish my digital camera was working! I could show you some pictures of my container gardens. I have rubbermaid containers, buckets, traditional flowerpots, etc. with a variety of things in them, but I don't section mine off. This summer I am going to use one to have an all in one Herb garden.

I don't know about growing potatoes in a container, but I grow all the other things on your list. You could put 2 cukes or more in one of those (depending on the variety, look for bush cukes) and the size of the container. Drill lots of drainage holes and I put a thin layer of gravel down in mine for better drainage and I elevate mine on bricks.

Edit:

Expect to water A LOT! I watered twice a day, before dawn and after sunset, to keep my stuff moist. The roots cannot go down as far and it dries out quicker. I have a friend who 'semi-container' gardens. He cuts the bottoms out of barrels and sinks them down a few inches into the ground, loosens the soil, adds compost, plants plants, and has no weeding or rocks to worry about.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Hi CoreyNC, the link shows a pic of chicks in a tote.

I have never container gardened, but all i can say is make sure it is watered well. there are members here who container garden, so I'll bump this up for you

 

[beefy]

that "tub" should work fine for a container garden provided you make some drainage holes in it. you can grow pretty much any vegetable or herb in a container. i like to plant my cucumbers where they can grow up a chain link fence but you could put some sort of trellis in it. i dont like the cucumber to lay on the ground but thats a personal thing i have, lol. tomatoes do well, you can stake them or let them hang over, depending on variety. you can actually grow potatoes from the eyes of ones you get in a store and just cover them wtih pine straw. as they grow keep covering them and keep them most. build the straw higher as they grow ans when you are ready to harvest you dont have so much to wash off of them. I HIGHLY recommend you keep any herbs confined to a container garden though, lol. you ought to try some smell goods like lavender and rosemary, and i like to grow parsley b/c it stays green during the winter down here and the butterfly caterpillars eat it in the spring.

also plant a few marigolds in your garden to ward off insect pests...

 

[patandchickens]

One thing to consider is that soil (at least when damp enough for plants to grow) is HEAVY. I would be concerned about the strength of the sides of that container, esp. since it seems to be somewhat ripped. If you're going to use the ripped one - or even an intact one like it - I would really suggest constructing a wooden box that it sits snugly inside, with the box sides as high as the container's. This will also help keep the soil cooler as well, a good thing in a warm climate. If you do that, the container should work well!

In addition to drainage holes, put down a couple inches of something very freedraining -- not chicks though . Use 1" gravel, styrofoam packing peanuts, etc. Ideally then cover it with a layer of old fiberglas windowscreen (can be ripped or holey). Without a drainage layer across the whole container, roots can still waterlog even if you have a good # of holes.

I would not bither sectioning it off, that will reduce the root room available to each plant (plants *can* often 'share' )

carrots, cucumbers, potatos, romain, spinach, onionsand some herbs: garlic, rosemary, basil, oregano and thyme.

That is probably a bit much for just one container but if you do multiple containers, you're set. I'd probably put potatoes and spinach together, with lettuce as space permits; cucumbers in their own smaller tub with early lettuce around the edges (possibly onions too? I dunno about container-growing onions); and then the herbs in their own smaller container because they need drier faster-draining conditions and would also be in danger of being grown over by many of the other larger things.

Set up an auto watering system, even just a big jug you refill daily that bleeds water into the pot all day (in addition to daily watering)... containers go thru a LOT of the ole H2O and everything you name except the herbs will be adversely affected by letting go dry.

Have fun,


Pat

 

[Carri]

Hi Corey!
I did tomatoes, basil, cilantro and peppers in whiskey barrels last year. They did pretty well. The peppers could have done better, though.
I had DH drill extra holes on the bottom for better drainage, and I put a layer of rocks, too. The tomatoes actually did the best. I had two in one whiskey barrel and that wasn't enough space.
Pat is right, though- The container really can't be moved once the soil is in it.

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

A half whiskey barrel is about the smallest container you can use for a full sized tomato plant and even then if you aren't right on top of your watering it won't do as well as it could.
I do 2 to 4 every year in barrels and most times they do pretty well, and when they don't it's generally because I got busy elsewhere and they lacked water.
I have two whiskey barrels, one on each side of my shop door, that I put Sweet 100's in every year, It's really nice to grab a hand full of SWEET Lil' maters' when going in and out for a snack.
Last year I grew chives, carrots, and egg plant in some others, it was hard to keep them watered where they were, but they did okay anyway.

 

[jc12551]

I buy tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers in varieties specifically for containers. I have all of them in 5 gallon buckets and they do fine. But I water them 2x a day and they all have drip buckets.

 

[OCMG]

I started with this container and had very good results. I wish I had taken a picture of the end product.
They were squash, I was just playing aroudn, but I am doing it again this years in this container but a more reasonable crop. Be sure to put drain holes.

:rose

 

[peeps7]

Looks like it would work nicely, I've never grown veggies in a tub but it sounds like a good idea. Good luck!!! :watering