I used to be quite the gardener when I was younger. My father has been a lifelong backyard gardener, and now that he is retired he spends quite a bit of his free time gardening, starting around January or so when he plants his seeds inside to germinate for spring planting, through the late fall when he harvests the last batch of crops for the year. I guess I got my green thumb from him, and I actually dug and planted my own garden, about 3 ft by 10ft, right next to my father’s larger garden, so I would have a garden that was all my own.
As I grew a little older towards my teenage years, I let it go for other pursuits-you know, useful stuff, like hanging out with friends, playing video games, and listening to music.
Since I have been out on my own I have experimented off an on with container gardening and small garden projects, some similar to a square foot garden. I grow one for a year or two in a row, and then get side tracked and don’t have one for a few years.
I have been planning on expanding my on again-off again gardening this year, both as a way to grow some of my own herbs and vegetables, but also as a way to spend some quality time with my kids. Both of them have “helped” their grandfather in his garden over the last couple of years and have taken a keen interest in helping him plant things and harvest. (And what kid under the age of 5 doesn’t like to play in the dirt?)
My plan for this year, which I plan to start in the next week or two, is to take advantage of all of the planters and pots I have accumulated over the years, and plant quite a few vegetables and herbs in them. I am going the container route not because I don’t have the space, but I already have a dozen or so nice-sized pots that I can use without much effort, as opposed to digging up a large sized garden plot in the backyard.
What is Container Gardening?
Container gardening is a great way to enjoy homegrown vegetables and herbs, especially when you live in an apartment, have limited back yard space, or don’t even have a yard. Even if you have a yard, container gardening is a simple way to grow the types of herbs and vegetables that don’t need a large area to grow in. Vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, green onions, lettuce, and squash do well in containers, as well as all kinds of herbs, such as cilantro, rosemary, dill, basil, mint, thyme and many others. Even cucumbers and beans can be grown in containers, but you may need some sort of trellis or fence for them to climb on.
Container Gardening Tips
A “lighter” soil mix (containing vermiculite or peat moss, for example) works best for gardening in containers, and watering is important, as the small amount of soil can dry out easily. It is good to add a layer of drainage material (such as gravel) to the bottom of containers as well. Small containers can be used for herbs, while larger containers will work best for plants such as tomatoes or bell peppers. Sunlight requirements depend on the plant or vegetable you are planting.
Looking for container gardening resources ?
Here are a few articles with some good, basic information:
Vegetable Gardening in Containers from the Texas A&M AG Extension
Container Vegetable Gardening-(pdf file) – Iowa State University
Container Gardening- WVU Extension Service
Container Vegetable Gardening- NC State University
Books on Container Gardening:
photo by thomaspix
Similar Posts:
- 10 Money and Life Lessons I Learned from My Father
- Weekly Personal Finance Links- Hurricane Season Begins Edition
- 30 Ways To Save on Your Grocery Shopping and Food Bill
- Great Leftover Turkey Recipe- Turkey Bone Gumbo
If you have enjoyed this article, please consider subscribing to Think Your Way To Wealth updates
using
an RSS reader or
by email to get all of the latest posts and updates delivered for free!
{ 4 trackbacks }
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Bravo! I love when smart people talk about growing their own food. Getting the kids involved makes it the perfect opportunity to talk about nutrition, choices, environment and just about anything that needs discussing. I found that digging in the ground next to me was sort of like drivers ed. when they got older. They were listening and talking to me, without really knowing it.
I would love to look at an organic gardening site so I am hoping some of those you listed talk about organic.
Thanks
@girlsgoneveggie- Thanks! You bring up some really good points about gardening with kids. I don’t think there was too much info. on organic gardening, I will have to find some resources and info. to share.
Good intro! I also wanted to add that veggies in containers, esp. the bigger plants will also require a fertilizer. Whether organic or not they will need nutrients that potting mix can’t provide.