Urban Vegetable Gardening

Selecting a Container

As a general rule, select as large a container as possible. Small containers dry out more quickly and may need daily watering. Self-watering planters designed for urban balconies and patios extend the time between waterings. You'll want to think about weight — once the pot is filled with wet soil and plant material it's going to be very heavy. And you may want to think about appearance. What look "goes" with your house and other pots? Even fabric pots are good for growing vegetables. With colorful Grow Bags, you can add some whimsy to your vegetable garden.

Most importantly, you'll need to think about the depth of the container you'll be growing in. Plants with deep root systems will be stunted and unhealthy if they don't have adequate space. (See the list below.)

Remember that the deeper the pot, the larger the reservoir of moist soil and the less often you'll need to water. The exception is a self-watering planter. In this case, the depth of the planting area can be kept to a minimum because moisture is provided by a water reservoir below the planting area.

Where to Put Your Planter

Most vegetables require at least six hours of sunlight per day. Salad greens and herbs can usually get by with less. Tomatoes, peppers, beans and other sun-lovers will appreciate as much sun as they can get. If your yard is short on sun, consider putting your plants on caddies or adding casters. That way they can be moved during the day or even later in the season as the angle of the sun changes.

Wind is another factor to consider. Your plants will be happiest in a protected location where the wind doesn't batter and dry out their foliage. Use the shelter of a building, or erect a temporary windbreak made from portable fencing or fabric. Arrange your pots so larger plants shield smaller plants. Clustering potted plants also helps to raise humidity levels, keeping plants more productive.

If you are using a trellis or some other type of support in your container, wind is a special concern. Make sure you have a heavy pot and/or that the trellis is secured to a railing or some other fixed upright.

How to Choose Soil or Potting Mix for Your Planters

Do not fill your containers with soil from your garden or bagged topsoil. You should fill the containers with a "soilless" potting mix that will retain moisture and resist compaction. I usually mix in a liberal amount of granular organic fertilizer and a shovelful or so of compost.

Watering Your Container Vegetable Garden

Vegetables require a consistent supply of water to perform their best. Inconsistent moisture causes lots of problems, such as blossom drop, poor root development, leaf curling, insect problems, and rot. The best way to ensure your plants always have a consistent supply of water is to use a self-watering planter. Filling the reservoir every few days is all that's required. The plants absorb moisture as they need it.

Fertilizing Your Vegetable Planters

Fertilizer is especially important when you're growing vegetables in containers. In fact, you just won't succeed if you don't use some kind of fertilizer. I recommend mixing a granular organic fertilizer into the soil when planting, then weekly feeding with a water-soluble fertilizer, such as Plant Health Care.

There are several reasons why fertilizer is important. First is that the growing medium in the container has few, if any, nutrients. Your plants depend on you to provide the nutrients they need. Second is that containerized plants get watered a lot, and every time you water you wash some nutrients from the soil.

The third reason fertilizers are necessary is that in a container garden, you are packing lots of plants into a small space. One 2' x 2' self-watering planter might contain a tomato plant, two pepper plants, a basil plant and some parsley. That's a lot of foliage and fruit to feed from a few gallons of "soil".