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Showing posts with label vegetable gardening. Show all posts

Monday, July 24, 2023

A Review of Growing Vegetables in Pots

Can You Successfully Grow Vegetables in Pots?

I have grown plants in pots practically my whole life. It started out when I lived in apartments and I grew flowers on my balcony. I always loved having pots of pretty flowers around my table and chairs where I sat to drink coffee in the morning.

Things changed when I moved to a beautiful ground floor townhouse with a large sunny patio. I loved the patio and I was discussing it with my mom when she came over to see it and and she told me I should start a potted vegetable garden. I was surprised as I did not know that veggies could be successfully grown in pots. I was excited to try this and I picked her brain for all the gardening tips I could get! Remember, this was in the 80's, and we did not have all the information at our fingertips like we do today on the internet.

Thus began my hobby of vegetable gardening in containers. I have learned a lot over the years. I continued doing it even after I bought a house. I would have vegetables in both pots and in elevated garden beds. Here are a couple pictures of them:

My Tips for Growing Vegetables in Pots

1. Soil - Always buy premium potting soil. What comes out of a pot is only as good as what goes in. Never dig dirt out of the ground or buy top soil. Don't put rocks or gravel in the bottom of your pot, fill the whole thing with earth. The more soil you have to hold moisture and fertilizer, the better.

2. Pots - Pots made of clay, ceramic, plastic, concrete and wood are good. Never use a container that is metal or heat conductive, as it can literally cook the roots and kill your plants.

3. Drainage - It is imperative that your pot has a few good drainage holes. If there are no holes, the water will sit at the bottom of the pot and roots can rot and mold and slime will contaminate your soil.

4. Plant Tags - When buying plant sets they always come with a little plant stake with the name of the plant and instructions on how to plant, water, sun needed, etc. Make sure to save these tags and stick them in your pot for handy reference. Follow the directions, it is the best way to get great results.

5. Slow Release Fertilizer - Mix slow release fertilizer in with your soil before planting. Do not put it in the hole before dropping the plant in as direct contact can burn the roots.

6. Quick Release Fertilizer - When your plants start to flower, give them some fast acting fertilizer like Miracle Gro, and then give them a bit more in the middle of fruiting to help them produce more.

7. Sunlight - Make sure your plants have the required amount of sunlight needed on their tags. Not enough sunlight and they will not produce as much as they could. This is the great thing about pots.......you can move them in or out of the sun as needed!

8. Water - Potted plants dry out much quicker than plants in the ground. As such, they need to be watered every day in the heat of the summer. Try to water in the early morning or evening and not during the hottest part of the day because at that time much of the water evaporates.

9. Soil Maintenance - Put a teaspoon of fish emulsion liquid in your water once a week or so. This helps the soil to maintain the nutrients needed for healthy plants.

10. Trimming Your Plants - If you see leaves turning yellow or the edges turning brown and curling, don't be afraid to trim those leaves off. If a leaf is dying, the plant will use valuable resources to try to save it. Those resources could be better used making more fruit, or helping the stem grow. Don't be afraid to trim your plants, sometimes that's what it takes to save them if they are looking bad!

11. At the End of the Season - When your harvest is done, pull all the plants and throw them away. Dump the dirt and rinse out your pots and store them inside for the winter. (if you have winter) Leaving them outside full of dirt in freezing weather can make them crack.

12 At the Beginning of the Next Season - In the spring, put one part bleach to 9 parts water in a spray bottle and generously spray the inside of your pots to kill any bacteria, diseases or insects that may be inside. Rinse well to remove the bleach and set in the sun to dry. Now you are ready to begin your new potted garden!

Gardening is fun and relaxing

Don't expect things to perfect from the start. I have made a ton of mistakes over the years. Sometimes you are just unlucky, like the year my peppers were invaded by pests and I lost almost all my plants. Sometimes you can replant, if you have enough time, but sometimes you just have to shrug it off.

I will never forget the year that I somehow thought it would be smart to plant 6 pots of lettuce all at the same time. We had barely eaten two of the pots worth when the rest bolted and went bitter and I had to throw it away. A valuable lesson learned. Don't plant more than you can eat before it goes bad! This applies only to veggies that you cannot can or store to eat later....like lettuce!

If you want more detailed information on how to grow lettuce, check out my blog Homemade by Jade and the post on How to Grow Lettuce in Containers

Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns as much from his failures as from his successes." - John Dewey

Seven years ago we moved to the country on five acres. Believe it or not, I still grow a lot of stuff in pots. It is just so easy. Less weeding and easy to water and pick. We also do it because it is just too dang hard to garden in the ground at our age. That is why we use elevated garden beds and tote and trellis systems for most of our gardening, in addition to pots. It is so much easier for us old folks!

vegetables growing in contained garden beds

Elevated Garden Beds Tote and Trellis

If you would like to know more about Elevated Garden Beds, check out my Review of Elevated Garden Beds, right here on Review This Reviews!

I guess this is not really a review, more like a recommendation. Container gardening is fun and easy, not to mention saves you a bit of money and gives you healthier food to eat. It helps to calm your mind and gives you a feeling of accomplishment. It's also a great way to spend time with your kids and teaches them how to be more self sufficient. Everyone should have a garden and growing in pots lets everyone try it out and learn, even if those who don't have any land.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Tuesday, April 4, 2023

A Review Of Geoff Hamiltons Cottage Gardens Book

Here is my review of Geoff Hamilton's book "Cottage Gardens". Geoff Hamilton was my inspiration and education where gardening was concerned and I have learned an incredible amount from his books, TV series and his gardens.

In this book at approximately 250 pages of text and photographs, he specifically concentrates on Cottage gardens. This happens to be my most loved style of gardening so I was always going to buy and treasure this book.

In fact, I am rapidly buying up every Geoff Hamilton book I can as I am concerned his books will start to get more difficult to find. He sadly died 4th August 1996 at the age of 59 and of course now there are many other good gardeners on the scene and many other books.

However, for me, Geoff's enthusiasm, knowledge and style of gardening will never go out of fashion. I feel in tune with his methods. His writing seems to speak directly to me as if he were teaching me and I need his ongoing guidance to improve my own gardening.

I have written about my admiration and joy when visiting Geoff Hamiltons Barnsdale Gardens near Oakham in UK in A Personal Review Of The Inspirational Gardener Geoff Hamilton

If you are looking for a down to earth, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and practical gardening guide to "Cottage Gardens" please take a look at this book.

The photos included here are all of my own photographs taken either at Barnsdale Gardens or in my own garden at home.

Section One History Of The Cottage Garden

Section one covers a fascinating history of the cottage garden and the people who tended them.

Cottage gardens have been in existence in some form since the Middle Ages in UK and the premise for all cottage gardens is that they are there to be used. These gardens were used primarily for food, herbs and some medicinal purposes, plus some flowers to lift the spirits.

Geoff takes us through the Cottage garden in the UK and how it its use changes and evolves through the Middle Ages ( 500- 1400) to the enlightened era of the Elizabethan age (1533- 1603) onto the Victorians and beyond and into the twentieth century.

It includes discussions of gardens and the role of people who were the labouring classes, the craftspeople and the wealthier people.

It discusses the role of medieval medicine and primitive gardening techniques and how over time improvement in living conditions meant more vegetables and fruits were consumed and how gardening developed.

He highlights certain influential gardeners over time such as Capability Brown, Humprey Repton and William Robinson.

The role of topiary and model villages is discussed along with the effect of social divisions, revolts, reforms and philanthropic movements. He covers the role of Allotments and the evolution of the Cottage Garden into the more modern age.

Section Two Creating A Cottage Garden

Section two instructs us on how to create a Cottage Garden and covers two different styles.

The first is very much a working garden to feed us and be as productive as possible.

This is the affordable Artisans garden, which is built specifically with low cost and reclaimed or second hand materials in mind. More is handmade and plants grown and raised from young.

This style of garden is much more like the original cottage gardens built and tended by working people, would have looked.

Entrance to Artisan Cottage Garden Barnsdale. Photo by Raintree Annie

The second garden is more stylized, an idea rather than the reality of the rustic garden, with far more comforts and romance.

Vegetables would be grown, but were not essential to the gardener for food for the family.

This is the more expensive Gentleman's garden, where cost is not really an issue. It is altogether more elaborate and uses more costly materials.

Gentlemans Cottage Garden Barnsdale UK. Photo by Raintree Annie

I had the pleasure of seeing both these gardens in Barnsdale gardens designed and built by Geoff Hamilton, they have stood the test of time and look fantastic.

Interesting Geoff said that he enjoyed making the more affordable Artisan garden more than the more expensive Gentleman's garden. When you understand more of the man and gardener he was this is not surprising.

He believed there is creative pleasure in making items, raising plants, developing a personal garden and saving money.

He understood that people can and do buy some ready-made items and grown plants for the garden, but his hope was that gardeners would take ideas from both types of gardens and using our creativity, make them our own.

So we learn about building these two gardens from principles to the layout. Which important aspects to include, how to consider designing it, what sort of boundaries to consider and what materials to use.

He includes information on arbours and benches, herb tables and love seats, paving, compost bins, containers and cold frames. He details what to consider, how to build and design and gives a very comprehensive overview of both gardens. The photographs and pictures are lovely and bring it all to life.

Artisan Cottage Garden Barnsdale. Photo By Raintree Annie

Plants In The Cottage Garden

Then the book goes into more detail about the plants to use at the back, middle and front of the border to provide those layers of use and interest in the garden.

This section includes propagation techniques so we can make more plants for free! This is always a very useful and easy skill to learn for anyone who has a large garden to a window box.

Geoff's love of plants and trees comes through and he details how to choose and look after trees, climbers, ramblers, border plants, shrubs, herbaceous plants, bulbs, annuals, biannuals and topiary. It details a wealth of plants that we can include according to our situation and needs.

Section Three A Cottage Economy

Section Three covers "A Cottage Economy" and teaches us how to grow and tend a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, tree fruit and soft fruit.

He includes cultivation methods and how to grow vegetables in borders. It is a very useful, practical and interesting guide to growing and tending these plants.

The way Geoff Hamilton approaches the information, it all seems totally achievable and straightforward to learn.

Cottage Garden Plants Through History.

Finally the book discusses Cottage Garden Plants Through History where he gives a snapshot of plants that would have been grown through the ages. Although a short section this is quite fascinating to learn what was grown in different eras in history.

I bought this book in the UK as a hardback copy but it is available via Amazon in hardback and paperback and I imagine it is the same book.

If you have the smallest interest in gardening or even garden history in terms of cottage gardens and the way people lived with them and how they evolved, this book is very interesting and a worthwhile read.

If you love gardening and want to learn more from a true master I do not hesitate to recommend Geoff Hamilton's Cottage Gardens Book either for yourself or as a beautiful gift.

Geoff Hamilton died many years ago now but even today, or perhaps more so today, many people grow vegetables and fruit in gardens or allotments to supplement the weekly shop.

With shortages and prices of vegetables, salad and herbs rocketing in the shops, growing food ourselves can make it more accessible and affordable to us.

I wonder if gardening may again become something we need to know how to do and an essential life skill to pass on to the next generation as it used to be. So maybe the story or history of the Cottage Garden is not yet over.

Sunday, March 21, 2021

Growing Vegetables In Outdoor Containers Reviewed.

Can You Grow Vegetables If You Only Have A Patio Or Balcony?

Many people would like to grow vegetables but either do not have a garden at all or just a small garden. I do not have a huge garden, it is not small but not really big enough for me to grow all the lovely decorative plants I like to grow and also everything I like to have for nature and grow vegetables. Really I need acres!

For the past few years, I have become increasingly interested in growing vegetables and so three years ago we started. As there is no space left in the garden, it had to all be in pots.

The first year we only decided to grow veg in March and so had to get on with it really quickly as many seeds need to be sown in March or April. So I did not have time to do research or much reading before I started planting.

In some ways, this was a good thing as I did not get a chance to be worried about it though I could have done with some basic advice. However, to my amazement, most of the crops were a success!

Beautiful Home Grown Beans

Is It Possible To Grow Vegetables In Outdoor Containers?

Last year I grew the same vegetables and improved upon my skill after reading some good books which helped me to understand vegetable growing in containers and what I was doing.

This year I have just started growing my container vegetable garden again and even branched out to some other seeds to try.

I think you just have to give it a go and see what happens. After all, plants always want to grow. If we give them the right conditions they will do their best to grow as big and strong as they can.

This book "Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet" is one I used to get me going with vegetable growing. It covers how to grow a range of vegetables in a limited space in pots, windowboxes, various containers and how to organise raised beds. I found it easy to navigate and I liked the pictures to give me inspiration. A decent book especially if you are new to vegetable container gardening.

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Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet: Inventive Ideas for Growing Food in a Small Space

You may have a small garden, or it might already be filled with your decorative plants and flowers and you do not wish to turn over a section to vegetable growing. Or maybe you do not have a garden but perhaps you have a balcony or a courtyard or even space outside your door. Even people who have large gardens may not have soil conditions suitable for all vegetable growing. So yes I would say it is possible to grow veg in pots with just a few conditions.

Below are a few tips and suggestions from my own experience for starting to grow vegetables and salads in a container garden.

Tips For Growing Vegetables In Containers Outdoors

1. It is advisable to use good quality compost to fill your containers. I try to always get a high-quality peat-free garden compost that is a good all-rounder. If you can't get compost each year you can use garden soil but this depends on your garden soil, of course, if you have a garden. Ours is heavy claggy clay and while strong plants do very well in it, seeds always suffer and rarely germinate well.

So I have to buy good vegetable growing compost and this year I have also bought specific seed compost for starting off the seeds that I will then transplant into bigger pots. You will need to feed your veg throughout the year as well. I find a tomato feed or vegetable feed liquid is good.

2. For vegetables that are remaining where they are sown choose the largest containers you can. This makes sowing easier and you will not have to water quite so much. Soil always dries out quicker in a container.

I do start off many of my bigger vegetables in small pots first then transplant them to the large pots. However, the smaller the pot the more watering you will need to do.

Containers of metal while they look great will heat up too much and your veg will suffer. If possible try not to have black containers which will also heat up more quickly.

However, I do have black plastic containers which are Ok if I shade them with other plants or keep them in semi-shade. Choose containers of clay or plastic and if terracotta do line with a plastic bag or old compost bag and make drainage holes, to help prevent it drying out so fast.

You can theoretically use any container for veg growing and I have been known to use large yogurt pots and even old washing up bowls with drainage holes punched through!

There are containers to avoid though and that is any that have ever held any poison or chemicals and avoid old tyres which may leach chemicals to your veg. You do not want to be eating any form of chemical!

Vegetables And Flowers Started Off In Small Pots

3. Get a watering can with a rose attachment or a hosepipe with a gentle spray or mist setting for watering the young plants and seeds. You do not want to wash away seeds or destroy young seedlings with a harsh blast of water.

4. Always water the compost first then sow the seeds. This means for the initial stages you will not wash away the seeds into a clump while watering. Then read the instructions carefully, some seeds require a light covering of compost or vermiculite, others need light to germinate and should not be covered.

5. Try to place your pots in the best position for the specific seeds - for most vegetables they need a sunny spot but for some they will cope well or need semi-shade. The huge advantage of pots is that they can be moved if needed.

6. When you have sown your seeds do label the containers with the name of the seeds and the date! I forgot to do this with many of the pots in the first year and I thought I would remember what I had sown in each pot, but how wrong I was!

Owevvin 100 Pcs Bamboo Plant Labels with Bonus 3 Pcs 3 Color Marker Pen, Wooden Plant Sign Tags T-Type Markers for Vegetable Flowers Garden Potted Plants(6 x 10 cm)

7. Put a few sticks in the compost to dissuade the neighbourhood cats, local foxes, or other wildlife from using your nice soft compost as a toilet until the plants grow up.

8. Do not have a monoculture of vegetables. Either place your containers amongst other plants that are in the ground or pot up some flowering plants, wildflowers and herbs and place them in amongst the vegetables. That way not only will you attract more beneficial pollinators to help but will also attract predators to deal with any pests that will lay eggs or eat your vegetables.

The carrot fly for example is attracted by the scent of the carrot so if we plant other strong scents nearby like mint or chives, it confuses the carrot fly who cannot find the carrots! I do not use any pesticides or chemicals at all in our garden and that goes for the vegetables as well. So it is important to me to work with nature on this and attract all the wildlife I possibly can into our garden. Yes, I do lose some vegetables to pests but I gain so much more in terms of healthy food and beneficial wildlife.

Flowers Planted Near Container Vegetable Garden

Which Vegetables Can We Grow In Outdoor Containers?

It is always best if you simply grow what you love to eat! You can try anything given a big enough pot. However, some crops like asparagus take a long time to reach maturity and are not so suitable for growing in pots.

Crops like squashes generally take up a lot of space and need more than most containers, though it might be possible with a small variety if you really wanted to try. Especially if you are starting out it is advisable to stick with easier growing varieties. Success breeds success and as we get more confident we can try more difficult veg.

You can try anything you like. Here are just a few suggestions from my own experience. Probably the easiest crops to grow in containers outside are the Salad Varieties then vegetables like Beetroot, Rocket, Radish, Broad beans, Baby Carrots, Potatoes and Runner Beans. You can easily buy a wide variety of seeds online.

Mesclun Mix Lettuce Seeds - Mixed Greens - 100 Count Seed Pack - Non-GMO - A Tasty Mix of Greens to Bring Flair and Flavor to a Variety of Dishes. - Country Creek LLC

1. Rocket is very quick and easy to grow and I have had success growing it in a wide variety of containers. Sow a little every week for a good supply.

2. Onions-I buy setting onions rather than seeds as they are so much easier. I simply place them in the container at the required distance and depth.

3.Potatoes in a bag. This is my most successful way of growing potatoes. I choose potatoes that say they do well in containers. It is important to exclude light from the developing tubers so I simply use 2 compost bags turned inside out and punch drainage holes in the bottom and sides with scissors/ Then a layer of compost and put 2 maybe 3 potatoes in then cover deeply with more compost as they grow. Simply empty the bag out for harvesting. So much easier than digging in heavy soil!

4.Radish is very easy to grow and does well in pretty much any container. Sow a few, then do succession sowing every couple of weeks for a crop all summer.

Beautiful Home Grown Radish

5. Carrots but I would advise you to use a tall container and also try a baby carrot variety so they do not need the depth that a garden soil can provide.

I do find carrots take up a container for a long time and are small so sometimes wonder if they are worth it but they are my fave vegetable so deserve a place here.

They are a vegetable I would always struggle to grow in my heavy soil anyway as soon as they hit a block they will fork and grow distorted so a container or raised bed will always be the way I will grow carrots. Do be aware that carrots must not dry out as again they will grow distorted. One big advantage of growing in a container is that you can easily protect it from carrot fly by placing it high up or by covering it with a light layer of fleece.

6.Leafy salads from lettuce to oriental mixes and mustards I grow in shallow containers as they are generally a quick-growing crop. I also sow them in between other vegetables like the slower-growing onions.

7.Runner Beans usually require a really big deep pot and supporting canes. I make the canes out of our Cornus or thinner tree branch cuttings.

8.Broad beans are easy to grow and need well-drained soil and if a taller variety, will need staking. Smaller varieties may not need much support.

Our Container Vegetable Garden!

So if you do not have a garden and need or want to grow vegetables do gather together some containers and give it a go! You may have some failures, but you will have many successes.

There is nothing like eating vegetables and salads you have grown from seed and nurtured. You have just picked it and minutes later it is on your plate. You know absolutely what is in it and that it is free from chemicals and has not traveled miles to reach you.

In my opinion, homegrown vegetables always taste better than anything you buy, they are fun to grow and you will feel so proud of yourself. So garden or no garden, in my experience you certainly can grow your own vegetables as a container garden.