Reviewing Why Plant Labels Matter In The Garden

 

If you love gardening like I do, or are just starting out you probably like plants and want to grow seeds and young plants. You will be keen for each plant to thrive and grow well so you can admire it or grow crops for your table. 

Especially when you are starting out you may be wondering what are the essentials to buy. There are items that are more obvious and are fun to buy and then those which are important but less likely to attract attention. 

One item that is often overlooked is the humble plant label.

Often in the array of gardening products we can buy, plant labels may be an afterthought or we feel that of course we will remember what we planted where and which seeds are in which containers! Well I learned my lesson there a long time ago !! 

My Wooden Plant Labels Ready For Seed Sowing. 

So Why Do Plant Labels Matter?

Plant labels are an essential tool for gardeners. We spend time carefully sowing flowers  or vegetable seeds in a seed bed or container and cover with compost. If you are anything like me you think you will easily recall which seeds are in which area. 

However time passes and the beautiful tiny shoots come up and suddenly you are not sure whether these are flower or vegetable seeds, or even which flowers or vegetables!  They all look so similar and we have no idea. You have a bed or container full of tiny green seedlings, all looking very much the same! I have been there and it is no fun and can be very frustrating. 

Labels can also be very useful for plants that die down completely in the winter. It is very easy to forget that a plant was ever there and we can be inadvertently digging or trampling the beautiful plant. A label in the ground helps us to notice and remember.

At the famous Kew gardens in London where they really know what they are doing with regards to plants and gardening,  they also label just about everything. This is good for visitors who want to learn about the plants, trees and herbs but also helps the staff to care for the plants in the correct way.

 Plant labels are such an easy tool to help us know what we planted and where and you can even put the date on so you can recall how far along they are in growing. If you know what plants they are you can provide the correct conditions and care.

 

Plants and vegetables correctly labelled at Kew Gardens

How to Label Plants Effectively

From my own trials and errors I have found the following tips to be useful.

• As a basic write the plant or seeds name and the date planted or sown.
• If you have room you can include care information and date of expected flowers or harvest. 
• Use a Weatherproof Marker pen so that especially if its to be used outdoors it won't fade away before the end of the season.
• Ideally stick to the same format and information at least for your flowers and then for your vegetables and herbs. It just helps us to easily see the information and work the garden better.
• You can stick labels in the ground for seeds and young plants or tie them higher up a bigger plant.
• Use labels for your houseplants too. It is all too easy to forget the name and care required or when they bloom. 
• Check and clean labels at the beginning or end of the gardening year, especially for outdoor plants.
• Check each year to see what worked and what didn't and improve your systems. 

Honesty Seeds In My Garden Ready to be Collected and Sown

Types of Plant Label Materials

Plant labels are available in various materials, which have their different advantages and disadvantages.

Wooden/Bamboo Labels

 These are usually my labels of choice. It is easy to write  the plant name and date of sowing on. They are environmentally friendly and  biodegradable. Fairly inexpensive, they also look natural and fit in with a wide range of garden schemes, themes and trends.

However I find if exposed to the elements they do not last as long as I would like. They are best for indoor sowing seeds or sowing /planting under glass or in a greenhouse or for indoor plants. They will then be more protected from the elements and last longer. However I do use them outside and just accept that they will not last as long if used in this way. 

 Bamboo Plant Stakes, 50pcs, Extra Long Plant Labels (2.25 inches) Bamboo Garden Signs, Identification Plant MarkersCheck Price

Metal Labels 

These look attractive and elegant and are usually a quality product. As they are weather resistant they offer a more permanent label and can last many years. Some are also rust resistant and are worth looking out for. They can be available in beautiful metals like copper, stainless steel and aluminium which look really lovely in the garden. We can mix and match them or keep to one metal depending on the look you want. 

They are usually more expensive though and this can be an issue if you are sowing lots of seeds or gardening on a budget. If you can buy enough to meet your sowing and labelling needs they are a very lovely addition to a garden. 

Due to the price point, Metal labels are perhaps better suited to labelling more permanent larger plants like perennials or shrubs and trees, but if you can what a  lovely way to label your seedlings and vegetable patch. 

 Cureder 30 Pack Metal Plant Labels for Outdoor Garden Waterproof Plant Markers, Labels Garden Markers for Seedlings Herbs Vegetable Greenhouse Gifts, with PenCheck Price

Plastic Labels

 These are good to use outdoors and can cope with the more inclement weather. Plastic is very durable and well suited to coping with rain. They are also often available in different colours which may be useful to differentiate flowers from vegetables or even different types or varieties and look cheerful. You are generally better using a permanent marker to write with which usually survives rain and snow. 

However they are not environmentally friendly to keep buying. I have plastic items in my garden I purchased years ago but I am trying to simply reuse rather than buy more plastic. So if that matters to you it could be a consideration. 

 Plant Labels Tags 200Pcs T-Type Plant Markers Plastic Plant Label Garden Labels for Outdoor Garden Waterproof Plant Label Identification Stakes with Permanent Marking Pen 5 ColorsCheck Price

Make Your own Labels

Getting creative with a project to make your own labels can be fun. Labels can be made from old lollipop sticks, stones with the names of plants written or painted on and even old cutlery like spoons or even wine corks! They will certainly be fun and unique to your garden. We can create or buy  magical and fun labels for a very individual look. 

Labels can be purely functional or they can be a creative addition to your garden and be an integral part of the garden style. You might want to introduce a certain colour or many bold colours, tie labels with fun facts or inspirational quotes around the garden or express your own garden theme or personality.

Buying creative labels can be more expensive, though they will without doubt add style and magic to your garden.

It is more time consuming to create your own labels than buy them and many gardeners are busy enough in the Spring. Perhaps something for a winter project !

 30 Pack Wooden Garden Plant Markers Garden Potted Plants Labels for Vegetable Flowers Funny Garden Stakes TagsCheck Price

Plant labels are a vital item for any gardener and especially if you sow seeds. While they can be an afterthought, they are important to keep your garden organised and so you can give the proper care to your seeds and plants. 

They can be basic and functional, beautiful, short or long lasting, expensive or affordable and even fun! So give some thought to the humble plant label and how they will work for you and influence your garden. 

Read More Gardening Reviews on ReviewThisGardening.com

Read Diary Of A Wild Country Garden Blog

Growing Vegetables In Outdoor Containers Reviewed.

Reviewing The Benefits Of Seed Storage Boxes

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Reviewing Why Plant Labels Matter In The Garden By Raintree Annie 

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Update - Indoor Hydroponics Garden Review - One Month Later

I have only just learned how rewarding indoor gardening can be with an indoor hydroponics growing system. While a frigid, windy winter swirls outside, I am am having home grown lettuces and kale for dinner. Indoor Hydroponics gardening systems are a great way to grow herbs or vegetables indoors, no matter the season, and my only regret with this purchase is that I didn't try this sooner. 

In the beginning of January I started my first indoor hydroponics garden. I started my 12 pod Mufga system with lettuce mixes and kale. The only pod that didn't grow was the pod with two, "expired" bunch onion seeds that I hadn't really expected to germinate anyway. 

I was very surprised at how quickly the seeds germinated and how quickly they grew. The Mufga system adjustable grow light are perfect. I have been able to move the light panel so that remains just above the plants as they grow.

Very quickly, I had enough lettuce to harvest. With a pair of scissors, I carefully cut the largest leaves when harvesting. That leaves that remain on the plant continue to grow. 

During my first harvest, I attempted to pinch off the leaves with my fingers and that tended to wiggle the grow pods around. I was worried that I'd move that pod out of the range of the watering system that I switched to scissors. For me, cutting works much better than pinching.

Soft Taco with Home-Grown Lettuce

In a very short period of time, I had grown lettuce leaves that were large enough to add to toppings on a hamburger. I didn't have ground beef at home, but I did have all of the ingredients for a delicious soft taco. Including, an impulse purchase of Mango Peach salsa! The soft tacos with my home-grown lettuce were delicious.

Small Salad with Salmon, Olives, Eggs, and Olive Oil

I have been craving smoked fish so I have tried various brands of tinned salmon and smoked salmon from the store for snacks. I have found that I like King Oscar Premium Salmon.      

The Mediterranean style of tinned salmon inspired me to try it on a bed of lettuce with eggs, olives, and olive oil. This lunch salad was a delicious change of pace from my very routine meal choices. This brand of salmon also comes lemon, if you don't care for the Mediterranean style.

Extra Large Chef Salad; Eggs, Bacon, Cheese, Sunflower Seeds, and Dressing

Chef salads are my favorite. And it wasn't long until I had enough salad mix for a very large bowl of lettuce. I harvest lettuce in my livingroom and added the other ingredients in a matter of minutes. 

With very little effort, just adding water so the level doesn't become too low and adding plant food weekly so the plants have the proper nutrients, I have fresh greens through this frigid winter. I am planning on buy a second system for a supply of fresh herbs.

For more information:

My first review of my new Mufga Indoor Hydroponics Garden system in early January - here

This follow-up video includes a photo of the taco with my home-grown lettuce. Feel free to skip ahead in the video to 2:41 as the beginning of the video is a rambling thank you to Mike's Chaotic Gardening (YouTube) for helping me choose my grow system. The photo of the taco is near the end of this short video.

Many styles and sizes of indoor hydroponic growing systems can be found on Amazon.

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Book Review: The Earthwise Herbal Books by Matthew Wood

In my quest to move away from drinking soda and multiple-ingredient drink powders, I am trying to transition to a variety of teas. My goal is to learn about herbal teas and to be able to grow or forage my own plants for teas with confidence. This desire grew as I learned that I like chamomile tea and experienced the benefits that tea provided at night. And the desire multiplied when I had a really good experience drinking cleaver tea. Who knew that this annoying weed found on almost all of my hiking trips and taking over the edge of my yard is a tasty, organic, and helpful tea?! Now I know. 

Note: This is NOT a focus on purported medical benefits nor is this any sort of medical advice. Please see your doctor or trained expert for that sort of information. 

This review is about my desire find ways to accurately identify plants that I may enjoy for tea and ensuring that I do not use plants, or parts of plants, that might be contra-indicated for my body's needs. I definitely don't want to make myself ill by accidentally consuming toxic plants.

I had been watching videos on the internet about foraging and using beneficial plants when one day I saw a family misidentifying pokeweed as elderberry. While I know very little about herbs and plants, I was aware that they were showing pokeweed and were planning on processing it and consuming it as elderberry juice.  I asked them to pause and correctly identify the berries they had. I had always been taught that Pokeweed was toxic but I knew nothing in addition to that.  It was at that time that I became even more cautious about learning about plants on the internet. 

I learned that cleavers, this weed that annoys me with it's vines and fuzzy hitchhikers that are hard to remove from pets and clothing, is a plant that creates a tea with benefits. I began to research it's level of safety and how to identify it. After becoming more confident, I harvested some in the spring and drank the tea. I found that the tea really seems to agree with me and I experienced benefits that I won't go into here. BUT I still couldn't find more in-depth information about it.

For example, I didn't know when it could be harvested (only in the spring or through the entire year), which parts of the plant to harvest, how to best prepare it, how much to use for a glass of tea, and if it was possible to store it. Fortunately, I found many of the answers to these questions within the 592 pages of The Earthwise Herbal, volume 1.  

I found 4 pages of information about cleavers. That information included: plant family group, historical uses, taste (flavor), specific indications, cautions, and most importantly for my needs the preparation and dosage. I learned that there are no parts of this plant that is toxic and that it is best prepared in cold water. 

Volume 1 includes information for many other Old World plants such as dandelion, peppermint, clover, ginger, saffron, and the list goes on and on. The Earthwise Herbal, volume 2 provides detailed descriptions of 126 North American herbs. Now, I will admit, that I am confused a bit by this "New World/North American" versus "Old World" categorization of plants as I clearly have many of the "old world" plants growing in my yard and in my region. I have not yet read the section that discusses how those categories were decided. 

If you are at all interested in foraging or growing plants for teas, culinary, or herbal uses, I recommend that you add these books to your library. These volumes are packed full of information and are written in a way that is easy to understand.  Author Matthew Wood is a master's degreed graduate from the Scottish School of Medicine and is also a registered herbalist of the American Herbalists Guild. He is clearly trained, experienced, and is not mistakenly recommending toxic berries to others for consumption.

To read more reviews, get more information about the contents or author, and to check current prices, please click the links below (at the time of this writing, the books are 35% and 26% off respectively). 

The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants (vol 1)

The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to New World Medicinal Plants (vol 2)

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Reviewing Ten Tips For A Beautiful Garden On A Budget

Gardening is an amazing, absorbing hobby and one that I love. However, especially these days, it can get very expensive. 

There are now so many things you can buy for the garden and plants have become more expensive to buy. We may not all always have lots of cash to spend on the garden and this should not deplete our enjoyment of this wonderful hobby and enjoyment of any outdoor space we have.  

Gardening on a small budget doesn’t have to mean sacrificing a lovely garden or a creative approach to gardening, in fact sometimes quite the opposite. Here are some inexpensive or free garden ideas we can implement to save money where we can so that your garden does not need to suffer if you are on a tight budget.

If you do have more to spend you can spend on really lovely items. Many gardeners do these garden tricks without being on a tight budget to save money !  

1. Grow From Seed And Take Cuttings.

Growing your own salads, vegetables, annuals, and perennials from seeds is cost-effective and truly rewarding. We can use egg boxes to grow your seeds in rather than buying seed trays. 

Rather than buying them part grown from the garden centre or buying salad from the shop  start growing from seed. You can use old margarine or yoghurt pots and really any clean washed container really to start the seeds. 

If you grow Bamboo you can harvest the canes and use them to make your own plant supports and tripods which saves money on buying them. 

 Take cuttings of plants you love in your own garden and ask friends, family and neighbours if you can take cuttings of plants you admire in their gardens. You can use these to increase your supply of plants for free. I love taking cuttings and seeing them grow. Do take more cuttings than you need as some may not take. 

 If you are very successful and do not need all the cuttings you can see if any friends, family or neighbours would consider a swap with you.  

 You could also try to sell the cuttings at a car boot sale or use an honesty box outside  your home to sell the excess cuttings. 

 

2. Repurpose.

 Get thinking creatively about materials you already have around the house and garden. Think before you throw anything away if it can be used in the garden in a creative or useful way. 

Reuse old equipment as planters, for example old sinks can be reused in the garden as a planter, an old plastic dog bed can become a small pond. You are only limited by your imagination!

3. Buy Second Hand Tools And Share Equipment

 Look for second-hand gardening tools or discuss tool sharing with your friends, family or neighbours. Some of our best spades and forks have been found at car boot sales and even at an Antique shop.

You may only need some expensive tools a couple of times a year, so makes sense if you can club together to buy together and share or alternatively see if you can rent any tools. 

Get a sharpening stone to keep tools in good order and last longer. Also oil tools that require it to make them last longer. 

 

4.Look for Free And Discounted Plants

Keep an eye out for free or discounted plants.

I am always searching for the section in garden centres where they put the old last season plants that did not sell or ones that look shabby. I call them my  "rescue" plant section and usually with a little care and watering you can being them back to life and have paid a fraction of the cost.  

 Sometimes neighbours or local gardening groups share excess plants.

5. Paint Your Fence

 We have just done this to give the garden a different look. Painting protects it from the weather which is always good and smartens up an old fence. 

You can either go for black or brown or a dark green to blend or make your fence a bold feature by painting it a bright colour.

All it takes is a pot of paint and a little work.

We went for black Cuprinol fence paint this time as we have found it to be durable and gives a good coverage and colour.  

The plants really stand out against it and the black colour helps to make the garden feel bigger as the dark colour recedes. 

6. Mulch Pots And Containers. 

Highlight your containers and pots by adding a decorative mulch. It is surprising what a difference this can make to a container. As it is a small space you can look to buy decorative mulches like pebbles, slate, shells or black river rocks. 

Mulch helps conserve moisture in the soil and suppresses weeds, while also giving your display a beautiful finish. As you will not use much in a container you can use a good quality decorative mulch which will give a dramatic impact.

7. Make Your Own Bird Bath

I advocate for every garden to have a bird bath as it is one of the single most important things for garden birds for water and bathing. If you can afford one of the beautiful iron or decorative ones then that is great. 

However if money is tight you can make your own bird bath. You will need a terracotta or stone pot, a saucer, and glue suitable for outside work. Simply turn the pot upside down, glue the saucer to the bottom of the pot, wait until the glue has dried and then fill it with fresh clean water. The birds will love you for it. 

Alternatively simply use old  plastic or terracotta saucers, or even an upturned bin lid and fill with water. Place them in a safe area for birds and watch them enjoy a place to drink and bathe.

8. Make Your Own Plant Labels. 

Reuse ice cream or lollipop sticks or any similar product to label your plants in containers, seeds or in the garden. They may not last as long as more expensive or beautiful bought plant labels,  but they are useful as a temporary measure for seeds and you can replace them when they wear out. 

Personally I strike a balance using free or cheap plant labels for seeds and more expensive but durable metal plant labels for more permanent plants

9.Lighting In The Garden

Sorting  our gardens with  lighting makes them a useable and lovely space to be in the evenings.

However employing an electrician to fix up outdoor electrical lighting can be very expensive. An alternative is to use Solar-powered lights which are more cost-effective, portable and require no installation costs.

10. Protect Your Pots.

Instead of buying expensive terracotta feet to raise pots off the ground to improve drainage, prevent waterlogging and frost damage,  try using old bricks you may have and placing pots on those. 

 

Even though gardening is one of my main hobbies and interests, I employ most of these money saving tips. It means that I then have money to spend on other things for the garden that I may need or want!

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Growing Vegetables in Outdoor Containers Reviewed

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Reviewing My Love of Polish Pottery and Where I Shop

Polish Pottery is a type of folk art stoneware that originated in the early 1800s and was believed to be inspired by a peacock feather. It is made of the clay that is unique to that region in Boleslawiec and hand-painted using brushes and sponges. The firing temperatures result in a stoneware that is durable and resistant to chipping, cracking, and fading. I absolutely love Polish Pottery.

my new soup bowl #C38

My desire to collect Polish Pottery began decades ago.  I first saw the stoneware at a festival; I believe at the National Apple Harvest Festival in Pennsylvania. I fell in love with the bright colors instantly. The pieces are pricey (especially related to my budget back then) but I was able to purchase a small blue, white, and yellow bowl that I thought I would use for trinkets on my dresser top.  I treated that little ceramic bowl with care as I did not yet understand how incredibly durable polish pottery is. Over the years that bowl has stored trinkets, served dipping sauces, and has been a water bowl for my little quail in the winter time when it is so cold that their regular water bottles have frozen and they need a drink while I'm defrosting their bottles. The shine and paint on this first bowl is as bright and beautiful as the day I purchased it all those years ago.

two of my small ice cream bowls

Previously, I thought the only way that I could buy my annual piece of Polish Pottery was to either attend festivals that included handcrafted items booths and Polish Pottery vendors. This past year at the National Apple Harvest Festival I sought out that booth, Gettysburg Polish Pottery, and was thrilled to be able to buy a large bowl. I believe it is listed as a cereal bowl but I feel that it is larger than what I usually think of as cereal bowls. To me, it is a large pasta bowl. Or a bowl for a large serving of chili on a cold winter day.

I was planning to buy another bowl of that size soon. So I reached out to Gettysburg Polish Pottery on their social media sites. I did not know how to determine the correct number or name of my bowl. I received an immediate answer and help finding the item number of my bowl. My bowl is a "C38". I was equipped to order another bowl that is the same size. 

The wonderful thing about Polish Pottery is that you can order all of your items in the same paint style. You can build an entire serving set that matches. OR you can do as I do, and order single pieces in the colors and prints that appeal to you in any given moment. 

I believe that Gettysburg Polish Pottery does mail orders. But I had planned to drive up to their store or mail order my next piece. Then one day, while randomly browsing Amazon, I found a Polish Pottery C38 bowl in the same design as that very first bowl I purchased. 

Honestly, I was a bit concerned with ordering a popular, handcrafted item from Amazon. I once thought I was ordering two boxes of authentic Mason Jars and instead received two single jars, of thin glass, from China. But even with that adventure in the back of my mind, I ordered a Polish Pottery bowl from the Polish Pottery Gallery Amazon Store. 

I am THRILLED with my purchase. The bowl was packed (stuffed with paper to pad it - not styrofoam) and boxed in a way that prevented breaking. It is (as far as I can tell) an authentic Polish Pottery item.  They advertise their pieces as "certified Quality 1". And best of all, it is hand-painted in that design that I first fell in love with. 

Searching the Polish Pottery Gallery on Amazon

If you know the number of the piece you are looking for, you can search for that on the Polish Pottery Gallery Amazon store. When I searched for my bowl, using just it's number "C38", this is the variety of  my bowls they currently have available. 

insert included with my order

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Celebrate Halloweens Links To Nature Reviewed.

 

 

Happy Halloween!! Wishing everyone a fun and happy time! Halloween can be a fun celebration for those who participate.

On the very cusp of saying goodbye to summer and hello to winter time it is an important time in the calendar. 

Today we find many ways to celebrate this season and the Halloween festival. We decorate our homes with orange and black, spiders and ghosts and ghouls, or a display of gorgeous squashes outside the front door.  We might go trick or treating with young children dressed in amazing inventive fancy dress or go to parties dressed in Halloween costumes. 

Some of us buy decorations for our homes, others craft their own and some even become family traditions. Even if you don't decorate or do anything yourself it can be fun driving or walking around the neighbourhood looking at all the inventive decoration. It is a festival that everyone can be involved in if they wish.

  

Nature Relating to Halloween, Festival Of Samhain

With all this going on I was reflecting on the origins of Halloween and how it relates and links to nature. Halloween has a strong connection to nature through its ancient origins and the season of this celebration. 

Halloween developed from the ancient Celtic pagan festival of Samhain pronounced sow win. This festival has deep roots in nature and marks the point of transition between summer and winter or from the new life, growth, light and warmth of the summer time to the lower light levels , slowing down of plants and leaf loss, darkness and colder days throughout the winter months. So this festival marked the change of seasons as seen in nature and the constant rhythm of life and death.

During Samhain, and as the nights drew in and became much colder, people would naturally gather around warm bonfires. These fires symbolised the warmth and light of the sun and of course provided physical warmth so crucial in the cold nights. In addition they were a spiritual beacon, with the belief that they were guiding the spirits of the departed back to the Otherworld. 

People believed at this time of year that the barriers between this world and the other world were broken down and that meant the living could interact with the other world more easily. 

To disguise themselves they dressed as monsters and various animals so that the fairies would ignore them and thus avoid being kidnapped to the other world.

The costumes worn by people during Samhain often included elements of nature such as leaves, animal skins, or masks made from a range of already harvested crops from the fields. In this history, we can see the origins of where our current costumes enjoyed at Halloween may have originated. 

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Gathering Crops And The Pumpkin

The close connection between the time of Halloween and the harvest season reflects the importance of nature and its crucial link to our lives.

This time of year is traditionally associated with the gathering of crops in from the fields. This is undertaken in order to have food to sustain us and stave off hunger during the long cold winter time, with a good crop ensuring our wellbeing in the worst harsh winter months. 

It is also important to prepare our homes and gardens for the cold sometimes harsh winter months and for us to adjust from the long easier summer days and warmth to the often harsher, colder and darker winter.

 Pumpkins are a prominent symbol of Halloween frequently used as decoration inside and outside our homes, with talented artistic carvings, fun lighted carvings and sometimes competitions. In addition delicious Pumpkin recipes abound at this time of year.

Pumpkins and squashes represent the bountiful harvest and the abundance provided by nature. I love to see the pumpkins and squashes growing in the fields and they are satisfying and wonderful to eat. Originally turnips were used filled with coal for displays but this later switched to pumpkins.

 I really enjoy seeing all the amazing carvings and abundant displays in homes and gardens at this time of year. It certainly brightens up the often dull, low light afternoons and evenings.

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Overall, Halloween's origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain and its association with the changing seasons and harvest demonstrate its innate connection to nature and the natural rhythms of life. 

This is just a brief look at the ancient festival and its relation to nature and how we celebrate today. There is certainly much more to its fascinating history, but here is just a glimpse of how it relates to nature.  

 So enjoy and celebrate Halloween and this change of the seasons and spare a thought for our ancestors with their beliefs and connections to the natural world. 

Here are amazing and fascinating articles about Halloween from recipes to decor and more written by the talented contributors on Review This Reviews 

Halloween Articles By Contributors On Review This Reviews

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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!

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.

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