Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 13, 1993 TAG: 9305120187
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV9 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Joe Hunnings
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Plant breeders and seed companies offer a wide variety of vegetables suitable for containers. Even apartment dwellers with only a balcony can enjoy fresh vegetables grown by their own hands.
Any space with ample light and access for watering and fertilizing is appropriate for container gardening, including a window sill, patio, doorstep or rooftop.
One advantage of gardening in containers is freedom from soil-borne diseases, insects, nematodes and poor soil, all of which threaten plants in a traditional garden.
When given the proper care, a container garden can be every bit as satisfying and enjoyable as a traditional one. There are three important considerations when choosing containers. They must:
Be large enough to support fully grown plants.
Have adequate drainage.
Never have held products that are toxic to plants or people.
A wide variety of containers can be used, including hanging baskets, clay or plastic pots, barrels, trash cans, milk containers and bushel baskets or wooden crates lined with plastic punched with drainage holes. Even drain pipes and cement blocks have been used to grow vegetables!
When using wooden products, it is important to avoid those treated with creosote or pentachlorophenol (Penta). These treatments are toxic to plants.
Containers that drain poorly can mean the failure of a container garden. Always be sure there are plenty of drainage holes in the bottom or along the sides of the container. It is a good idea to raise containers off the ground with slats or bricks to allow excess water to drain freely.
As for container size, there are no hard-and-fast rules to follow. Here are some general guides:
Small containers (about 1 or 2 gallons) for lettuce, spinach, mustard, peppers, radishes, green onions, carrots, beets, broccoli, beans and dwarf tomatoes.
Medium containers (about 3 to 10 gallons) for egg plants and for larger crops of any of the vegetables listed above.
Large containers (more than 10 gallons) for cabbage, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes.
For most vegetables, starting with transplants will be faster and easier than seed.
It is possible to give a plant maximum sunlight or to avoid damage from rough weather by moving it to a different location when necessary. Remember: larger pots will be quite heavy, especially after watering. Use dollies or platforms with wheels to move them.
Soil used in containers must be porous to ensure air and water movement around the roots for good plant health and productivity. Regular garden soil does not drain well in containers and should not be used.
Potting soil appropriate for containers can be purchased at local garden centers, or you can mix your own with one part compost, one part garden loam and one part clean, coarse builder's sand or perlite. A slow-release fertilizer also may be added to this mix.
Watering is very important. Containers dry out quickly, especially in full sun and wind. Clay pots, due to their porous nature, allow additional evaporation from the sides. Pots should be watered thoroughly until water runs out the bottom. However, the pot should not be left standing in water.
Soil should be checked for moisture at least once a day; in hot, dry weather, twice a day. Plants should be watered if the soil is dry an inch below the surface. Excessive watering can be as fatal as too little because there will not be sufficient oxygen in the soil for the roots to absorb.
Often, premixed, packaged soil includes fertilizer. If this is the case, plants will not need additional nutrients for eight to 10 weeks. After this, use a water soluble fertilizer every two to three weeks. Always follow the recommended rates to prevent fertilizer burn or possible death of the plants.
Vegetables grown for their roots (beets, carrots and radishes) will tolerate partial shade, as will leafy vegetables. Don't overlook the tops of beets as a delicious green. Most other vegetables bearing fruit require at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.
For something unusual on your patio or deck, there are several vegetable varieties suited to containers.
For example, "Sweet Chocolate" peppers ripen to a rich, chocolate brown and are sweet tasting. Their unusual color and high productivity make them an excellent choice for the container garden.
Often, prize-winning vegetables can be grown in containers. The "Thumbelina" carrot, a 1992 All-American Selections winner, has an unusual, round root. This sweet-tasting carrot can be used for canning, freezing or eating fresh.
Almost any beet can be grown in a container, and with the many varieties available you will have your choice of colors and root shapes.
For a list of vegetable varieties worth trying in your garden this spring and summer, contact the Montgomery County Cooperative Extension Service office at 382-5790 or write to P.O. Box 90, Christiansburg, Va. 24073-0090.
\ AUTHOR Joe Hunnings is the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service agent for agriculture in Christiansburg. If you have questions call the Montgomery County extension office at 382-5790.
by CNB