Would you like to grow your own vegetables, aromatic plants and herbs, but you only have a small apartment balcony, part of a roof terrace, or even just a paved area outside? No worries! You can be part of a growing trend: become an urban gardener and embrace container growing.
Read the latest magazine "Urban vegetable gardens"
Choosing the right container and planters
Conventional flower pots, hanging planters, standard planters, balcony boxes, wall units: walk around your local garden centre and you'll see just how much flower pots have evolved. There is something to suit every taste, from size, shape, colour, and style!
Containers should:
- Be sufficiently tall to accommodate the roots of the vegetable plants you want;
- 5 to 20 cm high: lettuce, radishes, herbs
- 20 to 40 cm high: beats, eggplant, zucchini, peas
- 40 to 50 cm high: tomatoes, cucumbers , climbing beans, carrots
- Include drainage holes so roots don't soak in excess water;
- Include a self-watering tray (optional but strongly recommended)
- Be washed and disinfected before planting.
Choose a rich soil
The benefit of container growing is that you don't have to compromise on soil quality.
- Fill your pots with humus-rich soil and add vermiculite to enhance water and nutrient retention.
- Don't use black earth, however, since it compacts too easily and inhibits drainage - vital to the health of plant roots.
- Opt for a mix that is specifically designed for container planting. These soils are light and contain all the nutrients necessary to maximise the growth of your plants.
Caring for your container vegetable garden
- watering: moderate quantities at regular intervals to avoid dryness
- weeding
- careful inspection since more intensive planting results in a higher incidence of disease
- remove wilted leaves at the same time and monitor your plants'growth and development
- adjust stakes and supports if necessary.
What do we plant?
Certain plants, simply because of their unusual shape and how they grow and develop, can be suitable for container growing, but with a few provisos.
- Conventional pots (small size): Mint, all other herbs, lettuce
- Conventional pots (large size): Cabbages (kale, broccoli, cauliflower, curly kale), squash, zucchinis and melons, climbing plants (peas, beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers), tomatoes, chili peppers, peppers, potatoes, carrots, radishes, beats, chard, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, rhubarb
- Balcony planters or hanging planters: Cherry tomatoes, strawberries, ground cherries, begonia, geraniums, impatiens
- Wall units: Herbs, lettuce, strawberries
- Raised bed planters (square foot design): Cabbages (broccoli, cauliflower, curly kale), climbing plants (peas, beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers), tomatoes, chili peppers, peppers, potatoes, carrots, radishes, beats, chard
Mint tends to dominate, taking over a container and smothering any other plants. You and your mint will be much happier if you designate a single pot for it and let it flourish on its own.
Zucchini plants will range, reaching a diameter from 5 to 7 feet, so choose a large individual container where they can thrive and become the star of your garden arrangement.
Other plants simply don't succeed in containers, such as asparagus, a perennial that only produces after three years in the ground.
Cilantro tends to go to seed more quickly when planted in a pot - it prefers to be planted directly in the ground.
Winning combinations
Take advantage of the space in large conventional containers to create arrangements that are as beautiful as they are delicious. For example, you could include a compact tomato plant, a chili pepper plant, some kale, purple basil and oregano for a gorgeous and appetizing combination. Or perhaps a geranium, orange cherry tomatoes, strawberries, rosemary and Swiss chard.
The possibilities and combinations are infinite, so have some fun! Simply be sure that the plants you choose will be good companions.Learn about companion-planting.
