Container gardens

[bokelley]

I am thinking of growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and some herbs on containers. Anyone ever done this before? I know I have to stake the tomatoes. Any other hints.

[ides]

If you do cucumbers try to use some sort of trellis so they can climb- otherwise they will spread a lot.

[Meenah]

If the containers are large, fill them half way with styrofoam packing peanuts then add soil. It will be so much easier to move the pots and depending on the plant you probably don't need a lot of depth. It will save you on soil and your back from moving the pots around. Can you tell I have LARGE planter pots??

[ladymoreta]

I did tomatoes in pots last year. Be sure and use the Miracle Grow tomato food on them - I missed it for a few weeks after we moved, and it made a big difference in both size and quantity. If they start getting black spots at the bottom, it's called end rot. There's a spray you can get for them that balances the calcium and helps prevent it, but you lose the tomatoes that already have rot.

ETA - we used the round trellises for them to climb, and get some of the gardening twine (not sure what it's called) to tie it up as it grows. Again, after the move, I quit tying it up for a few weeks, and it got a bit unruly.

[Ladybug]

I want to trying hanging baskets of cherry tomatoes. It looks like the tumbling tom seeds have the best reviews and produce a lot of tomatoes. I want to hang strawberry baskets out of our second floor windows. The crowded city housing and maple tree canopies don't leave a lot of sunny patches on the ground. I wish I could garden my roof.

[ides]

You can also get climbing varieties of tomatoes - indeterminate type - you would need a trellis but they stay up and have less chance of rot/mold. I'm putting a trellis at the end oft raised bed for tomatoes and cucumbers this year.

[ides]

There is a book I need to read called "vertical gardening". Great for small spaces.

[SuzySunshine]

Thanks for starting this since our garden was a disaster last year were going to do pots and planters this year. I had really good luck with the potted basil I bought at TJs and plan to do the same with other herbs plus tomatoes in pots.

[SoonerTexan]

I'm doing some in large whiskey barrels. Last year I put 4 herbs in one and the basil and mint went nuts and killed the other 2

[Ladybug]

My mom told me mint should always be in a separate container and never put into a bed. It's very invasive. I love it in iced tea!!

[BonBon]

My mom told me mint should always be in a separate container and never put into a bed. It's very invasive. I love it in iced tea!!

My mother's last house had mint in a bed. It took over everything!!!

[scrub-jay]

I love fresh mint in s'mores....mmmm

[MrsC]

The state agricultural college's site has lots of information and step by step guides on growing (including containers) in our area. They often do workshops too. Worth checking out the website for yours.

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[SuzySunshine]

Lots of mint means lots if mojitos, I need a lime tree

[Ladybug]

Lots of mint means lots if mojitos, I need a lime tree

I was thinking about mojitos after my post. I bet you could grow a lime tree there in a full sun spot. They might be small depending on your temp swings this crazy year, but my mom always had fresh limes and lemons in Lousiana. So good! She made fresh fig preserves each year too. It was to die for.