Growing vegetables (and fruits) in containers lets me transplant some plants into their permanent homes earlier, allows me to use sunny areas that would otherwise be unusable, and lets me bring plants inside at the end of summer for an extended season.
I got a good deal on these 17 gallon tubs about four years ago. They are cheaper than five gallon nursery pots, they are heavy and durable, and they are nice and wide for intercropping of companion plants. I've used them every year since I bought them and grew tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in them in the greenhouse last summer.
In order to provide adequate drainage, I drilled four 3/4 inch holes in the bottom and four around the bottom of the sides. To save myself a lot of grief and weed cutting, I laid down a double layer of cardboard for mulch.
Soil from my garden would compact very quickly if I used it in my containers and it would likely carry weed seeds and other undesirable materials. Potting mixes for outdoor use cost about half that of indoor soils, but 17 gallon pots hold a small fortune in soil. The roots of well fed and watered plants only use about half the depth of these tubs or five gallon buckets and the rest is just unused space. I've seen people fill the lower half with everything from inverted flower pots to firewood to concrete blocks. I used so-called garden soil, which is mostly coarse compost, to fill my containers the first year. Since then, I remove the upper six to eight inches of old soil every spring and replace it with a fresh soil mixture. I use the old stuff to fill low spots in the yard. I never put it in my compost, because it is full of salts and possible pathogens that would harm my garden.
I combine several different brands of soil, because they have different textures and different nutrient sources. In addition to an equal part of my own compost, I'm also adding mushroom compost this year. It is rich in nutrients and improves water-holding capacity in light soils. I add an all-purpose plant food to the soil when I'm transplanting seedlings and then I use a diluted liquid plant food every couple of weeks after that.
I've used a variety of containers. Five gallon buckets work great and have handles which are convenient when I need to move them. Friends have given me large pots left over from planting trees and I'll take all of those I can get. One friend of mine buys cat litter in plastic buckets and saves the buckets for his container garden.
A five gallon bucket is the ideal size for growing a tomato plant, but pots as small as two gallons will work. Self-watering pots and pots with attached saucers are terrible for outdoor use (I don't like them indoors, either). They hold stagnant water that encourages root rot and have little actual benefit to the plants.
Plants in containers must be kept well watered. It's important to always water until excess drains from the bottom. I occasionally lift the pots to test their weight. If they seem light, they probably haven't been getting thoroughly watered. Once the soil in a pot dries out, it is difficult to re-moisten. A crust will form on top that diverts the water down the sides of the pots. It then becomes important to poke numerous holes about halfway down in the pot to take in and hold water that can leach into the dry soil. A moisture meter is a good way to keep track of how much water is in the soil. Over watering won't be a problem in pots with good soil and plenty of drainage holes, especially during hot weather. Bottom watering is a good way to make sure soil is adequately moist, but that's not a serious option for large containers.
I got a good deal on these 17 gallon tubs about four years ago. They are cheaper than five gallon nursery pots, they are heavy and durable, and they are nice and wide for intercropping of companion plants. I've used them every year since I bought them and grew tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in them in the greenhouse last summer.
In order to provide adequate drainage, I drilled four 3/4 inch holes in the bottom and four around the bottom of the sides. To save myself a lot of grief and weed cutting, I laid down a double layer of cardboard for mulch.
Soil from my garden would compact very quickly if I used it in my containers and it would likely carry weed seeds and other undesirable materials. Potting mixes for outdoor use cost about half that of indoor soils, but 17 gallon pots hold a small fortune in soil. The roots of well fed and watered plants only use about half the depth of these tubs or five gallon buckets and the rest is just unused space. I've seen people fill the lower half with everything from inverted flower pots to firewood to concrete blocks. I used so-called garden soil, which is mostly coarse compost, to fill my containers the first year. Since then, I remove the upper six to eight inches of old soil every spring and replace it with a fresh soil mixture. I use the old stuff to fill low spots in the yard. I never put it in my compost, because it is full of salts and possible pathogens that would harm my garden.
I combine several different brands of soil, because they have different textures and different nutrient sources. In addition to an equal part of my own compost, I'm also adding mushroom compost this year. It is rich in nutrients and improves water-holding capacity in light soils. I add an all-purpose plant food to the soil when I'm transplanting seedlings and then I use a diluted liquid plant food every couple of weeks after that.
Here I've transplanted some tomato and pepper plants into the tubs. I left several inches of space around the top, so that I can cover them with plastic if we have a threat of frost.
A five gallon bucket is the ideal size for growing a tomato plant, but pots as small as two gallons will work. Self-watering pots and pots with attached saucers are terrible for outdoor use (I don't like them indoors, either). They hold stagnant water that encourages root rot and have little actual benefit to the plants.
Plants in containers must be kept well watered. It's important to always water until excess drains from the bottom. I occasionally lift the pots to test their weight. If they seem light, they probably haven't been getting thoroughly watered. Once the soil in a pot dries out, it is difficult to re-moisten. A crust will form on top that diverts the water down the sides of the pots. It then becomes important to poke numerous holes about halfway down in the pot to take in and hold water that can leach into the dry soil. A moisture meter is a good way to keep track of how much water is in the soil. Over watering won't be a problem in pots with good soil and plenty of drainage holes, especially during hot weather. Bottom watering is a good way to make sure soil is adequately moist, but that's not a serious option for large containers.
I'm anxious to transplant tomato and pepper plants into our garden, but we have several freezes in the forecast over the next couple of weeks. For now, my plants can stay in the greenhouse.
Stephen
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