Sandy
Newly Registered
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:38 pm
Location: Northern CA

Need suggestions/advice for container growing 101

Hi all!

I'm trying my hand at container growing outside. I have lots of sun but horrible ivy roots where the sun shines enough plus, we rent and don't want to disturb the ground even tho it needs it, lol, fussy landlord. So far I have an old whiskey barrel and some large plastic pots.

I need some advice on the following:

1) What type of dirt/mulch/compost should I use?

2) Any special drainage system?

3) Recommend an organic/pet & child friendly/chemical-free pesticide?

4) Do I need to fill the x-lg pots full of dirt or can I put something less expensive in the bottom? silly question but what can I say, I'm new at this.

5) Anything veg or herbs that I shouldn't place together?

6) Any other advise?

:D Thanks so much, glad I found this place!

opabinia51
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

Soungs to me like you are loooking to only use container gardening.

1) Just potting soil and some manure, both available at local nurseries. Some people like to use perlite and vermiculite but, I personally don't. Personal choice.

Buying a bag of compost and adding that to the mix doesn't hurt either.

2) For drainage, just place some large rocks over the hole at the bottom of the container.

3) There is no such thing as an organic, pet/child safe pesticide and at the HG we recommend against using anything that ends with -cide.

These chemical cause more harm to plants, the environment and even us than the help anything. The best thing to to is to provide a healthy ecosystem of flora and fauna to grow on your plants and in the soil that your plants grow in.

For this reason, don't buy sterilized soil or compost. And if you can find it, spray the leaves of the plants with an aerated compost tea. If you can't find that, spray the leaves with a 50:50 mixture of milk and water

4) Rocks at the bottom will work fine with the extra large pots but, it depends on what you plant in them. You should always have one or more rocks over the hole to promote drainage. For large plants, it's best to fill the pot with soil.

5) Aha! Look up companion planting on google, some of the sites that you will come across list both comanions and enemies.

6) Other advice? Not really, just have fun with your gardening and try doing some tomatoe plants, use a cedar stake rather than a cage and try some heirloom varieties.

Sandy
Newly Registered
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:38 pm
Location: Northern CA

Thanks for all the tips! Note taken on the "cide" thing. We are an eco & animal friendly home...I'll use the words "bug deturant" from now on :P .

So, I'm figuring that veggie-container planting isn't much different than flower. Cool! I can do it.

opabinia51
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

Even though, I personally don't choose to use it, one product that we have been recommending as a so called alternative to insecticides is NEEM OIL.

This product is not benign by any means and does have some effects on flying insects if over used. North Americas bee populations is going through an extremely hard time right now so, if you do choose to use Neem Oil, please only use once or twice a week at the very most.

Also, read the thread in the "What doesn't fit elsewhere" Forum at the bottom of the Forum List.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=925

garden girl
Cool Member
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:10 pm
Location: Humboldt County, CA

You mentioned you had a large barrel, I fill my large containers(if they are more than 1 1/2ft. deep) with packing peanuts, empty water bottles, anything light that could get another use before being recycled.
Some easy and fun things to grow with kids- snap peas, strawberries and small tomatoes, kids love to pick right off the plants! Cosmos and zinnias are a great choice for flowers, very easy.

Sandy
Newly Registered
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:38 pm
Location: Northern CA

Thanks again for all the tips, I appreciate it. I've been growing since I was a child (just a few years ago, hahaha) but have never grown in barrels. It's also been a while since I've grown at all, at least 4 yrs. I'm so excited!
We planted peppers, strawberries and a couple toms today. My son told me, "Mommy, I'm really working hard today, I'm sweaty like Daddy" LOL...too cute.



Return to “Container Gardening Forum”