New and Container Gardening?

[noahsmom]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum (found this website on Backyardchickens.com) and new to gardening, period.
We have land for a garden, but I first would like to start with container gardening because we aren't interested in readying the area as of yet, my large focus is on preparing things for our chickens.
Anyway, I have organic tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cucumbers already started and now trying to figure out exactly where to go from here. I have done some research but would love to be a part of a gardening forum to learn MORE.
Any tips or suggestions are welcome! I also have strawberries already started that I bought and need to plant, but right now trying to figure the best container. I don't really wish to do a hanging container, but wondering what else I could use. I have a larger underbed storage container, wondering if something like this would work okay?

Looking forward to meeting everyone and being apart of this forum.

 

[canesisters]

Hello and welcome to the garden!!!!

I'm also a 'new to chickens / new to gardens' person and this is the PERFECT place to gain info and advise. Are you also on the chicken forum - Backyard Chickens?

 

[lesa]

Welcome! Welcome! Let us know what your zone you are gardening in... that will help us make suggestions. Chickens and gardening go together like peanut butter and jelly. Their composted poop does wonders for any soil.

 

[sdavie]

Welcome! I'll be container gardening in a small space this summer, well... as best I can at least haha. Not new to gardening, just new to urban gardening.

 

[journey11]

Noahsmom!

A raised bed or pyramid would be a good "container" for your strawberries.

 

[noahsmom]

Thank you for the welcome! Also, to answer the question about zones, I am in Zone 6. I live in Northeastern KY and border VERY closely with southern OH and western WV.

Yes I am on BYC! Same username. I am new to chickens as well!

As far as containers go, I'm honestly looking for a cheap way out lol honestly most of our extra cash is going towards the chickens! We are working on the coop right now and have 33 eggs in the incubator that are due to hatch in 2weeks, then another 6-8ish weeks indoors with us so Its crunch time! lol

COMPOST is another thing I want to venture into, however I have no idea where to start. My dad just mixes in some dirt with leaves and his raw leftover fruits/veggies into a big hole in his backyard lol

 

[noahsmom]

For the strawberry container in question... I have a 41quart flat underbed storage container...It's measurements are: 34.75''L x 16.5''W x 6''H

I could set it up off the ground some to let the strawberry vines hang down or is this just not deep enough?
I read strawberries like more surface depth then actual depth itself, so I'm thinking this should be ok?

Tried posting a picture but guess because of spam it wont allow brand new members to do so.

 

[Nyboy]

weclome chickens are great for making compost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[digitS']

. . . My dad just mixes in some dirt with leaves and his raw leftover fruits/veggies into a big hole in his backyard lol

Nuthin' wrong with that! Welcome to TEG .

I have peppers & tomatoes just coming up in the house and the onions have been growing for quite awhile. I also have started cucumbers indoors the last few years but since they cannot stay too long in small containers and won't handle transplanting well if they are very old, I won't be starting them very soon. You may have to be moving your cucumbers out of small containers before long, if that is what they were started in.

Tomatoes will require large containers and I'd imagine that to be true with cucumbers also. I've only grown smaller-sized tomatoes in pots and 14" seemed only adequate. People who grow tomatoes in containers often say that 5 gallons is a minimum for most tomato plants.

I don't know what to say about the strawberries. As you can tell, I don't have very much experience with very many plants in containers but just wanted to share a few thoughts . . . and a welcome!

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

Welcome noahsmom! Living in a city lot with limited space, I do some gardening in large containers. I have used 15 gal. black nursery containers for tomatoes and they do fine. One plant per container. You can also put 2 plants in a wine barrel. I have blueberries planted in wine barrels. Again, just one plant in each. I have a lime tree planted in a huge ceramic pot that every couple of years I gently pull out and add some new soil. I also have hostas and other plants in smaller containers. Every year, I top them with my chicken poop compost, and a little organic fertilizer and mulch heavily. I discovered the trick for me is the mulching. Everything improved so much once I started doing that. Hope this helps.

Mary