Need help today please (starting a container garden)

[Kimmiepie]

Sorry for the urgency, but for many reasons we would really like to get started on this today and tomorrow.

We want to start a container garden on our back porch. We are renting and do not have a fenced in backyard (and they won't let us build one ) so I don't want to put them in the ground. We have a large porch and have plenty of space for lots of containers, although we don't want to spend a fortune either!

Our plan is to have organic sustainable foods...mostly veggies and fruits (beans, potatoes??). These are my questions.

1. Which ones are good for growing in containers?
2. What size containers would I need for the ones you recommend?
3. What kind of soil would I use?
4. What about fertilizer? Compost?
5. Any tips that you have would be great, as we really need this to work.

We really want to get started today, so please, any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:

[Aletheia]

Hi there! I know it can all be pretty overwhelming to get started... there are SOO many websites out there! I'm still sort of a newbie to food-growing myself, so I can relate.

I have never had a container garden, but this year have been reading a lot about "Square Foot Gardening" which is organic, small space gardening. The "containers" are actually beds, but I see no reason that you couldn't translate the information on the main site (and the many others that are out there as spin-offs!) to using actual containers. I liked the site because it emphasized that growing plants is easy, and had good step-by-step instructions.

Another resource that I've found really helpful is Master Gardener. I can't speak to the one for your area (you'll have to click on the map to find it), but mine was helpful in determining when to plant what.

And lastly, the best resource is probably a locally run nursery-- not Home Depot, but some smaller mom-pop place. We actually have a great one that has a blog with all kinds of information on it!

But start with SQG, and see if that doesn't make you feel a little less overwhelmed at first.

Good luck!

[mamabebe]

Tomatoes, peppers, and herbs grow really well in containers. You don't need huge containers for them, maybe small tree sized containers.. You can do a mini-herb garden in a whiskey barrel with a woody herb like rosemary, surrounded by smaller ones like basil and parsley.

[Kimmiepie]

Thanks!

I did find quite a bit of info on the internet (and who knew composting wasn't as easy as throwing a bunch of junk in a can to rot. heh) and I have my list ready to go to the store tomorrow.

I have a question though, about blueberries. Has anyone ever tried to grow them? Would it be difficult here in Texas?

Also, I've got the compost and fertilizer under control, I think, but what about pest control. Can you recommend any natural way to keep the pests at bay?

Thanks again. :

[Toolip]

I don't know about Texas in particular but blueberries can do great in containers as well as raspberries! I think that berries are the best place to start. They would want large containers (like an oak barrel) and they like lots of mulch. I use spruce needles to mulch mine, they like the acid.

As for pest control, different pests require different tactics. My favorite thing to do in a container garden is to put a copper strip around the container (with no gaps) and the slugs will not crawl over it. It works amazingly well, just make sure that there aren't any "paths" over the copper such as a stick or leaf.

[Kimmiepie]

Thanks!

This is what I wound up getting:

-Fig tree (Brown Turkey-already in a pot)
-Tomato seeds
-Squash seeds
-Okra seeds
-Eggplant seeds
-Bean seeds

I want to do strawberries..but they're not out yet.

I really wanted to do blueberries, blackberries and the like, but I read that they need another plant to pollinate each other and that they don't produce fruit the first year. The first year thing was my biggest issue. I'm impatient.

My hubby is building some wooden tables/crates to put everything in. I got some organic soil, and some organic peat. I also got peat seedling cups so that I can grow the seedlings inside at first. I'll start them when we get back form vacation next week.

The thing I'm worried about is the water. The water here is gross, no one drinks it. So should I not use it on my plants? I can't really afford to water them with bottled water..so I thought about collecting rain water...but it doesn't rain that often, especially in the summer.

I'm totally excited! Just hoping I don't kill them all.

[Toolip]

I've gotten blueberries with only one plant and lots of fruit the first year!! Just buy at least a one gallon size plant.

Blackberries do only get fruit on second year growth

.... but two gardening years will go faster than you think!!