Outdoor Container Gardening

[LaniB]

My whole backyard is super shady and there's no where to grow a garden.

So last year we tried doing come container gardening in a sunny spot along the side of the house by the garage. We mostly did tomatoes in containers but they didn't turn out all that great. We spent a lot more money in soil and containers than we yielded in tomatoes - no doubt! Our jalapeno peppers did really good though.

Since we have the containers and soil, we'll give it another try but I wondered if you had any suggestions of things other than tomatoes that do well in containers? We'll definitely do some basil.

[Revvell]

It all depends on the size of your containers.

Found out at a class that tomatoes, other than cherry and Roma's need deep containers. According to them, potting soil should be used as well. Tomatoes need a couple of gallons of water a week, I think they said. (going to a class on tomato gardening on Saturday, maybe.)

Pots should not have trays under them.

This year, I'm going for some squash in one of our home-made "earth boxes" as well as herbs and the cherry tomatoes. One bell pepper is going in one of the deep containers; more squash, herbs, corn and cukes, in the ground.

[levamssg]

Last year wasn't a good tomato year for us ... neither the container tomatoes nor the garden tomatoes did well -- too much water, so they all split open.

But you can grow pretty much anything in a container ... a mixture of equal parts good blended compost, vermiculite, and peat moss is a great container or raised bed blend. I've grown plants in buckets with good success. I have several earth boxes I move around as needed -- they've worked well for pretty most everything I've tried. I've grown large tomato plants in only 6-8 inches of soil in raised beds (and earth boxes) -- they did fine. Just have to remember not to over water them. I keep moving the lettuce boxes around in hopes to confuse the local bunny population ... but they usually find them ... lol ... so I share that crop with them.

Last year I was given a habanero pepper plant in a sheetrock mud bucket ... it was wonderful -- tons of peppers. I brought it inside and got a whole second crop of peppers .. in fact, it is still putting out new leaves and such, and I intend to set it out as soon as we are done with this crazy cold weather, and see if it sets new fruit this next season. I'll top dress it with worm compost to give it some 'food' ... and see how it goes. Wouldn't that be cool to get two seasons out of one plant!

[LaniB]

This year, I'm going for some squash in one of our home-made "earth boxes" as well as herbs and the cherry tomatoes.

I read about the earth boxes last year - they seem great - how do you like them? I might try one this year and if they are good then spend a little more money on more next year.

Our containers we planted the tomatoes in are actually buckets from Lowes (5 gallon, I think) - we drilled holes in the bottom for drainage. A little trick a friends husband with a green thumb showed us - the Lowes buckets are about $3 versus a whole lot more for a planter at the gardening store.

[levamssg]

I have 6 actual earth boxes. They really work well if you use their system, with the soil, fertilizer strip, cover, etc.

I use a blend of soil, sometimes use the covers, sometimes not, and use earthworm castings for fertilizer, and have had really good results. I love the fact that I can move them around at will, so I can have a different garden arrangement every year. One year I edged my back cement patio area with them ... last year I edged my 'in ground' garden with them. This year I'm putting some out front with flowers, and not sure yet where they others are going.

I like the watering system they have, with the grid and the input spout ...
makes it easy to make sure they have enough water, and the excess goes out through the overflow opening, so you don't have to worry about them sitting in too much water.

Some of my earthboxes have casters so I can roll them around. They were a little more expensive, and I've found that I don't really need the casters. Once I decide where to put the things, I tend to leave them there for that season.

I've grown lots of different things in them ... cucumbers, green beans, kale, lettuce, tomatoes.

[Revvell]

I read about the earth boxes last year - they seem great - how do you like them? I might try one this year and if they are good then spend a little more money on more next year.

As I said, ours are home made. Got some $4 boxes from home depot, put a divider in it; stuck a tube in and, there ya go! We had gotten 3 of them for $99 many years ago. Now, they're around $80 for one at our local garden center. That's nuts!




Our containers we planted the tomatoes in are actually buckets from Lowes (5 gallon, I think) - we drilled holes in the bottom for drainage. A little trick a friends husband with a green thumb showed us - the Lowes buckets are about $3 versus a whole lot more for a planter at the gardening store.

We took gallon (I think) pails, poked a hole in the bottom; added a plant in the bottom; filled with dirt; added another plant on top for what they call the "topsy turvey" type thingy. I think the pails cost about $2 each as opposed to $10 or so.

[Revvell]

I One year I edged my back cement patio area with them ...

That's what we're doing with our homemade ones this year. We're doing the tall, round guys in the back; then our homemade boxes in front.... Well, we are if this rain ever stops.

[levamssg]

That's what we're doing with our homemade ones this year. We're doing the tall, round guys in the back; then our homemade boxes in front.... Well, we are if this rain ever stops.

I hear you Revvell ... I'll get to moving the compost piles and filling the last of the raised beds if it would just Stop Snowing!!! :)

[LaniB]

As I said, ours are home made. Got some $4 boxes from home depot, put a divider in it; stuck a tube in and, there ya go! We had gotten 3 of them for $99 many years ago. Now, they're around $80 for one at our local garden center. That's nuts!

Would love to see a picture of your home made earth boxes if you are able to! Thanks for the idea. One of our problems last year I think with our containers was making sure we were not over or under watering - especially given how much rain we got parts of last summer and how dry it was other parts.

[Revvell]

This is close to ours ~ http://www.flickr.com/photos/37909860@N00/473339873/.

[LaniB]

Thank you Revell!! I understand it MUCH better now. Looks like a possible weekend project coming up in a few weeks. :)

[Revvell]

Thank you Revell!! I understand it MUCH better now. Looks like a possible weekend project coming up in a few weeks. :)

Let us know how it goes. We want pics!!!!

[Arky]

Is there any possibility of reflecting some sunlight into your garden?

Just a thought, and I know it wouldn't be easy to ensure even coverage regardless of varying trajectories of the sun across the heavens..





I realise you're not aiming to specifically grow wheatgrass but I'll just add the following, since vermiculite was mentioned above:


Regarding vermiculite, I refuse to use this for my wheatgrass etc. as I don't like the fact that it contains aluminium (I realise it's considered non-toxic due to being bound in a silicate structure but I'll pass on anything containing aluminium whenever I possibly can) - http://www.thegardensuperstore.co.uk/acatalog/Vermiculite_in_the_Garden.html

I don't think Perlite contains aluminium but I'm not absolutely sure about this. I know Frank Drelich refuses to use vermiculite in his wheatgrass-growing operation, although I'm not certain exactly why. I think he does use perlite, however:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXEfbniRTPA

http://www.ewheatgrass.com/wheatgrassjuice/growing-wheatgrass/66-special-soils.html

[LaniB]

Is there any possibility of reflecting some sunlight into your garden?


It is impossible - the backyard is a level lower than the front yard and the sun is blocked by the garage on one side, the house on the other and a huge old oak tree. It's a gorgeous unique space, with steps down from the driveway to get into the backyard, but very little light and definitely no direct sunlight. We are happy if we can get grass to grow (we only had to cut it twice last year). The previous owner had a lot of hostas and ferns back there but we removed them since both are highly toxic to dogs.

[Arky]

It is impossible - the backyard is a level lower than the front yard and the sun is blocked by the garage on one side, the house on the other and a huge old oak tree. It's a gorgeous unique space, with steps down from the driveway to get into the backyard, but very little light and definitely no direct sunlight. We are happy if we can get grass to grow (we only had to cut it twice last year). The previous owner had a lot of hostas and ferns back there but we removed them since both are highly toxic to dogs.


Oh, I see. OK, fair enough.

Regarding the ferns, I understand these are potentially carcinogenic to humans, too. (Ferns grow in massive abundance on the hills and mountains near where I live). Certainly you did the right thing to get rid of them from your garden! :)

...I hope, if you have a parrot, you don't use Teflon cookware ;)

[green goddess]

Quick thought - are you able to grow anything in the front yard? It might not be ideal due to greater car exhaust fumes around, but it might be better than nothing! Sometimes people have a notion that edible gardens belong in the backyard, when they could work out in the front yard, too! :)

[LaniB]

Thanks, Green Goddess. We do a small amount of herbs on the front patio, but for it's a very small front yard (as are many in Northern NJ). To given you an idea, I think we have a 38 foot front ... something like that. It's tiny. We've got some rose bushes and tulips in the beds in front of the house, but that's all we have room for.