Organic Container Gardening - When Space Is At A Premium
by John Yazo
Wanting to grow a garden when space is at a premium can easily be done by container gardening. Even though container gardening does have limits, it has benefits too. This method of gardening can be done indoors or outside on a patio, or as a part of your landscape. For whatever the reason is that you choose container gardening, it is a great way to grow the same crops you would of grown if you had the space for a traditional organic garden.
Choosing containers for a garden can be a fun experience. There really isn't any limit in what you can grow plants in, with the exception of one thing that would be of a concern is that the container is made of a food grade material, otherwise your imagination is the limit.
It is important that you be sure that the containers you choose have adequate drainage or your plants will suffer if the roots are permanently sitting in water, and may not survive. There are a couple ways that you can provide drainage holes in your containers, holes on the bottom are the normal choice, but if the pots or containers or sitting directly on the ground water may have trouble draining out. To solve this problem, holes can also be drilled on the lower side of the container.
Soil used in container gardening needs to be of a premium quality. It needs to retain moisture and at the same time drain well. Do not use garden soil, it compacts to easily and will not drain well. There is a large variety of mixes readily available at most garden centers that are specifically for container gardening, or you can design your own mix for the specific needs of the plants you are growing.
Plant nutrition is another concern with this method of gardening. Potting mix for container gardening isn't the same as what you would find in a traditional organic garden, the soil biology that naturally creates a healthy nutrient rich soil is missing. You will need to provide your plants the nutrients they need to thrive. There is a large variety of organic fertilizers available on the market designed specifically for container gardening. Make sure you read and follow the directions on the packaging, just remember that more is not necessarily better when it comes to fertilizers.
When growing plants in containers, watering needs to be monitored, especially at the beginning. Containers being planted above the grounds surface dry out easier from the sun and wind, especially during the hot summer months. monitoring the soil moisture is very important so the pots wont dry out.
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