For those that are renting gardening in containers will often be the only choice available. Luckily that choice is actually a great way to grow. Although many people who have more permanent tenure generally choose to grow in the ground, container gardening is a really useful way to make the most of the all the resources available.
Particularly through winter plants in containers often outshine those in the ground. If placed in a full sun position next to a brick wall or other source of warmth plants that simply don't over winter in your climate can often be coaxed through. Being a small fixed space they are so much easier to cover for frost protection or move if you know you are likely to get bad winds. Not only do they often get a little extra warmth, mostly they also receive a little extra attention.
We tend to place containers in areas that we naturally walk past multiple times a day. Even the plants that would survive out in the wild tend to do better when you walk past and compliment them on their growth :-) .. um well, weed and water them.
I personally find the major advantage of container placement is that you are a whole lot more likely to use the produce. Even on the wet and windy winter days if all you have to do is take 3 steps out the back door to collect everything my chances of actually harvesting probably goes up to about 70%.
How many of you also grow in containers? Why do you keep doing it?
7 comments:
Hi Belinda, I keep things like comfrey and horseradish in pots because they have a tendency to take over and lots of the herbs are in pots too so that they can be moved close to the kitchen in the winter and into the shade in the summer.
This year I even had a tomato in a polystyrene box in the sunniest place, fruit will be ready any day now.
Hi GreenFumb,
You just reminded me I have comfrey and spearmint in containers for exactly the same reason.
Container growing is a great way to get a jump on the season... Congratulations on your tomatoes.
Kind Regards
Belinda
Hi Belinda,
As I have run out of garden bed space, I have been using more and more pots and containers to grow veg in. I tend to use the darker ones in winter and they actually grow better than in the beds. The warmth of the pot must be a big bonus to the plants. And you are right, the closer to the kitchen, the more often you tend to harvest or water them.
Gav
Hi Gav,
I actually use a couple of very large dark ones over summer. Eggplant is so hit and miss up here as we really don't get quite hot enough that dark pots give them a fighting chance to fruit.
I also find for those of us that are occasionally bend challenged.. containers at waist hight can be worked on almost any time I can stand to be on my feet.
Kind Regards
Belinda
I don't do much container gardening at the moment but I have made use of many half wine barrels and had really great success with them. They're kind of expensive so I am waiting for free or cheap sources of them. I have a few right now- I have kiwis growing in two of them and a lemon tree in another (will have to be brought under protection for the winter).
I've grown potatoes, basil, fava beans, green beans, garlic, and salad greens really successfully in the half barrels. One thing I've never been able to grow well in them are tomatoes.
Oh- and by the way- I'm so sorry it's taken me forever, but I've finally added your blog to both my websites! You have a really nice blog here and I have meant to add you to my blogroll for quite a while.
Thanks Angelina,
I have to say tomatoes in containers have stymied me as well. I think it is because they are just such heavy feeders that it is almost impossible to keep up in a set volumn of soil.
Right now I am debating if I should put my citrus out in the big wide world or leave them in pots. I think in my climate I will just get away with planting them out but it is going to be a bit nerve wracking for the first 12 months.
Kind Regards
Belinda
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