Container Vegetable GardeningCynthia SandbergLove Apple Farms

www.LoveAppleFarms.com

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Class Introduction

Advantages of Container Gardening:Best Sunlight

Gopher-proof

Disease-resistance● Verticillium Wilt● Fusarium Wilt● Hard to get rid of diseases in soil

Bad soil● Lead● Salt● Boron

● Clay● Sand

Renters or Apartment Dwellers

What Is a Container?

● Anything with a bottom! ● Good volume for most veggies = 2 cubic

feet

UV Fabric Pots● GeoPots● Soft form, fabric container, but

holds shape● UV rated - durable● Lasts for years● Come in all sorts of sizes

Earthbox● Water reservoir in bottom of box ● Fill to top with soil● Black plastic "shower cap" keeps moisture in and weeds out● Don't follow instructions for number of plants - cut in half (1

tomato per box)● Make your own!

Wine Barrels

● 3 cubic feet● 2 tomato plants per half barrel ● Don't let dry out - shrinks● Use automatic irrigation

Half Drums

● Craigslist Farm+Garden● Non-toxic● Drainage holes● Paint designs

Neoprene tube to cover jagged edge

Big Plastic Pots ● Shade: June - September○ Shade cloth clipped to tomato cages○ White sheet

● Sources:○ Home Depot○ Good nurseries ○ Hydroponics Stores

Clay Pots

Hanging Baskets

Not recommended for tomato growing; only use for dwarf or cherry varieties.

Drainage Pipes

Vertical Gardens● Affix containers to sides of houses and fences● Grow up!

Galvanized Tubs

Recyclables: Get Creative!Kiddie pool

Broken chair

Old bathtubs

Broken wheelbarrow

Drainage Holes● For all homemade/recycled containers, drill enough holes in

bottom and sides for adequate drainage● Or elevate container so it can drain easily

○ Bricks or Boards

VEGETABLE 4 Quart or #1 pot

20 Quart or #5 pot 60 Quart or #15 pot

Bush Bean, Melon, and Winter Squash

X 1 3

Bean - Pole 1 3 6

Beet or Turnip 2 5 20

Carrot X 15 40

Cucumber X 2 6

Eggplant/Pepper X 1 3

Herbs (Basil/Parsley/Cilantro) 1 2 6

Lettuce or other greens 1 4 10

Radish 10 30 70

Summer Squash, Zucchini X X 1

Strawberry 1 2 6

Tomato X X 1

Number of Plants to Container Size

Siting Your Containers

North/South Orientation

Potting Soil

● Always use new, good quality potting soil

● Don't use "dirt" from your garden

● Don't recycle○ Diseases○ Low fertility

● We like G&B Potting Soil, Green All, Ocean’s Forest, Sunland, Happy Frog

● Don’t add compost or manures

Be Wary of Other Products that Look Like Potting Soil

You do not want these in your pots:

● Compost● Top Soil Blend● Whole Bagged Manures (like a bag of Steer Manure)● Soil Building “whatevers”

These are not suitable for growing veggies in containers. Just because something looks like soil does not make it soil, nor does it make it the right thing to use in a pot.

Recycle Old Potting Soil● Use as carbon source in compost

pile● Add to beds that have sunk/settled

when amending in between plantings

● Add to lawns to level out low spots● Or cover crop them in winter to

regenerate the old, spent soil

Add to pot:For 2 cubic feet (15 gallon pot): ● 2 cups G&B Tomato, Veg &

Herb Fert 4-6-3● 2 cups Worm Castings● 1 cup bone meal● Mykos on rootball● 6 T Soil Moist (if you have it)

Soil Moist Granules

● Cuts watering by 50%● Absorbs water, expands,

and releases it later when needed

● Safe, eco-friendly● Cost-effective● Can least 3 to 5 years● A little goes a long way● Other manufacturers, too

Disinfecting Pots● Disinfect when reusing

pots.● 1 part bleach to 10 parts

water.● Big tub.● Dip pot quickly.● Rinse with water.● Air dry

Watering

● Try to water in a.m. not p.m.● Frequency dependent on:

○ Weather○ Size of plant○ Size of pot

● Hand watering● Drip irrigation (need multiple

emitters!)

Container-Friendly Varieties● There are cultivars of some veg that stay small● Acquire small varieties

○ Small pumpkins○ Small butternut squash○ Determinate tomatoes (bush)

"Summer Ball" Small Pumpkin

In 2 cubic feet:● 2-3 pepper plants● 2 eggplant plants

Tomato Container Recipe (in 15/20 gallon pot)● 1 cup G&B fish meal (unless you have naughty dogs)● 1 cups G&B Tomato,Vegetable, & Herb (4-6-3) fertilizer● 1 cup G&B bone meal● ⅓ pkg Mykos● 2 handfuls worm castings● 3 - 4 crushed egg shells● 2 aspirin tablets● Only 1 tomato in pot!

Place Tomato Cages over Pots

NOW LET’S GO OUTSIDE FOROUR PLANTING DEMO

Growing Potatoes In Pots

● Buy certified organic seed potatoes

● Ronniger's Catalog○ www.potatogarden.com

● "Chitting" seed potatoes: Lay out seed potatoes by sunny window for a month until the sprouts are 1" long

● Cut seed potatoes into smaller pieces with at least 1 or 2 "eyes" each

● Let cuts callous over for a day or two

Growing Potatoes In Pots● Sterilize old 15 gallon pots with bleach solution (no need to

sterilize new pots)● Use sterile potting soil ● Fill pots with 2" soil, add 4 - 5 potatoes, cover with 2" soil ● No added fertility needed

Growing Potatoes in Pots● Once shoots reach 8 - 10",

cover up to top leaves with soil● Continue until they grow out

of the pot● Once potato flowers and dies,

potatoes are ready to harvest● Potatoes require full sun

Bean Tepee● Eight 15-gallon pots● Eight 8' tall bamboo● Wrap trellis netting around

bamboo ● Sow 8 bean seeds, cull to 4

(or transplants) per pot● Cucumbers, melons, vining

summer squash (2 per pot)

Corn - Don't Do It!● Many plants required to pollinate successfully● Containers not a viable option for corn

Leafy Veg● Lettuce, chard, kale ● Good for growing in pots all year long● Don't require as much direct sunlight as summer veg● Demand shading in summer

Supplemental Fertilizing● Plants will need fertilizing EVERY WEEK starting 4th of July● Best fertilizer: Worm Casting Tea● Recipe: Big handful of castings in a 5 gallon bucket● Let sit for two days● Strain through cheesecloth or FRC or strainer and apply to plants

with a watering can or garden sprayer● WCT foliar spray has been shown to: increase fertility, reduce

incidence of disease and reduce bug stress● Available at Love Apple’s Tomato Plant Sale

Aphids

● Green, Black, Red, Grey● Watch for curling leaves ● Organic pesticide: Pyrethrins, Safer Soap● Organic preventative: Garlic spray ● Beneficial bugs: Lacewing, Ladybug● Give infested leaves to your chickens

Cucumber Beetle● Striped or spotted● Carry diseases ● Pyrethrins● Hand pick ● Attracted to yellow flowers● Floating row cover before

flowering

Slugs, Snails, Earwigs, Pillbugs

● Sluggo● Diatomaceous Earth● Hand pick late at night with

flashlight

Beneficial Bugs Lacewing Soldier Beetle

Lacewing larva and aphid Soldier beetle larva

Beneficial Bugs

Ladybug

Honeybee & Bumblebee

Ladybug Larva

To Review:

●Size of container matters! ●Soil is key

●Fertilizing is a must●Don't crowd them

●Watering is extra important

Available for Sale Today● Worm Castings ● G&B Potting Soil in 2 cu ft bags● G&B Fertilizer, Bone Meal & Fish Meal● 20 gallon Geopot● Organic Pesticides (Pyrethrin, Spinosad)● Mykos● Trellis Netting● Vegetable Starts● Liquid All Purpose Fertilizer