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CulinaryAlchemist

OK, I decided to start a thread for those of us that have no access to actual Terra Firma and must resort to containers for our vegetable growing needs.

So far I have been able to gather nothing more than conflicting information regarding pot size.

Tomatoes seem to range anywhere from 12 inch -18 inch pots, some say plant a pepper plant others say ONLY the tomato.

Squash is pretty much the same way, other than the fact that 2 different types of summer squash should not be grown as them will cross pollinate.

One site says only plant pole beans, another says only plant bush beans...

Water from the bottom only, water from the top with full strength fertilizer every time... Add Gel for water retention purposes... Don't add gel beads because is suffocates the roots..... Use Wooden boxes, don't use wooden boxes... Use A partial garden soil mix, only use Soil-less mixes, Don't use unglazed Terra Cotta, Use plastic, Use Metal... It needs to be dark colored, use only light colors...
Mulch to protect water loss, no mulch because it acidifies the soil... ARGH!!!

I have reached a state of confusion now... So I figured if anyone else was getting confused, we could all swap notes on what seems to work and what doesn't.. Laughing

Spryte... Lend us your wisdom... Very Happy

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ddpie · Elite BakeSpacer Joined: 18 Jul 2007 Posts: 8618

You're feeling my pain Shane! Everytime I've tried to research it, I end up getting frustrated and confused

I agree, I say we all just rely on our own area experts.

The only thing I can offer is to share my disapointments....One being my "salad in a bowl" last year. I had seen Martha Stewart do one where she said to plant several lettuce, kale etc in a pot. I get the bright idea to do tomatoes with spinach all around the outside. Looked real cute, uhm, except I had never grown spinach and didn't realize that you harvest it early. If you wait...it bolts (yeah, I had to look that up) Then my tomatoes lived, but didn't produce much fruit. Rolling Eyes

I've been able to grow several herbs in pots on my deck, tons of different flowers, a mini "palm" tree, and even an evergreen (which I shaped into a spiral).....but no veggies Sad

what up wit dat????

CulinaryAlchemist · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I remember my dad planting the spinach REALLY early like March end, cause it blots WAY quick once the days start getting over 12 hours long again..
I remember a couple years he lost it cause we ended up with a late frost...

I wonder if the the spinach sucked all the iron out of the soil hmmm

OK, No spinach in the tomato pots.. Smile

Thanks DD
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Martha · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject:

Attached are pictures of my garden last year:

The leafy plant on the far left is the cucumber and the one in the center is green beans

Both of them did fairly well. I got about 10-15 cucumbers and maybe a quart size zip lock bag full of beans. Wouldn't exactly feed an army, but it was fun. My tomato plants only had 5-6 cherry tomatoes... they were a big disappointment. But you can see the size containers I used. I bought Miracle Grow potting soil that was special "moisture control" or something like that.

The only trouble with anyone giving you pointers is that every geographic area is totally different... so you're better off talking to a reliable guy at your local nursery. And it's mostly by trial and error that you'll find out what works.

What's ironic is that I have plenty of land around my house to put in a full size garden.... but because of the deer and rabbits I had to build a deck and use containers, otherwise they cut everything down like a lawnmower! And we're not allowed to put up fences in my area.

coldhitz · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:50 pm Post subject:

Why can't you put up fences around your backyards ? before I moved to Los Angelas , I had never seen fences around a front yard .
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DajaD · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 11:10 pm Post subject:

So far I've had positive experience only with herbs growing in pots.
Two years ago I tried planting strawberries and cherry tomatoes in pots on my balcony. The plants did grow well, but I had 5-6 strawberries out of three plants. And tomato plant developed well too, but the tomatoes weren't meaty, and they had hard skin.
Last year my father brought me 3 tomato plants and 3 yellow bellpeppers. I did get two peppers on each plant, but they never got to be thick and juicy, same thing about tomatoes. Then I saw my father's garden with the same plants, and I wanted to cry.
So this year I managed to get back my vegetable patch (my neighbours - living in the appartment above mine- were working it before I moved here, and they were reluctunt about giving it back to me, but that is included in the rent I pay, so I insisted and got it back). It's really tiny, and so far things that started growing from seeds are two zucchini plants and maybe 1 cucumber (not sure yet if that's what's started coming out from the ground). They however left a big rosemary bush and a sage plant on my patch, so I was wondering if they could be disturbing my plants. Any ideas?
I'll plant my San Marzano tomatoes today, finally.
My herbs are doing well this year, too. But my basil was attacked by a couple of kids yesterday who wanted to cook sth (hahaha Evil or Very Mad

). I had to forgive them, they were only 18 months old.
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ddpie · Elite BakeSpacer Joined: 18 Jul 2007 Posts: 8618

A lot of herbs (especially lavendar, thyme, tarragon, sage and rosemary), like drier conditions w/ well drained soil, while tomatoes and cucumbers like richer moist soil. So that could be part of the problem. I've grown basil, parsely and cilantro in next to my tomatoes with a lot of success. I just didn't this year because I wanted all of my herbs together. Even still, I planted my basil and rosemary in pots because the other herbs I chose like drier, less fertilized soil.

I have some sage plants (the decorative kind) and thyme in around my pond, which is the driest crappiest soil ever and they thrive in those conditions.

CulinaryAlchemist · Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 9:11 am Post subject:

Any one have any advice on strawberries in coconut lined planters.....???

I have 3 bolts sticking out of my wall on the patio area... Joe can attest to the amount of time I have leaned against the wall and almost impaled myself on them... So I was going to have the coconut sconce planters from them, but I figures bush beans, peppers and tomatoes might be a bit much 5 feet off the ground... Is there a particular cultivar of strawberry that has smaller more flavorful berries and fewer runners?
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CulinaryAlchemist · Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 1:10 am Post subject:

OK, After this weekend of Planting Frenzy......

Strawberries -

Golden Zucchini (I am still waiting for the Italian to Sprout)

Chocolate, Red and Golden Bell Peppers (Marconi Peppers have not sprouted yet)

And here are my poor dwarf citrus that I cannot transplant yet, cause it's the wrong time of year...

Moro Blood Orange

Meyer Lemon (It has tiny green lemons all over it)

And my poor Makrut or Thai Lime tree that got mangled by "unwanted" teenage guests during the winter - at least it is trying to sprout new leaves)

I am still waiting for the Golden Wax Beans and the Purple Roma beans to Sprout as well...

And My San Marzano tomato plants have not arrived yet either, once they are in the ground I will plant the Nepoletano Basil seeds in the pots as well.
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spryte · Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 5:14 am Post subject:

Sorry... I just saw this thread!

The info is confusing. So I just wing it.

But from my experience... I'd transplant those peppers to one in each pot that size... or maybe a bit bigger. I'll measure my pots when I get home tonight. I have peppers... well.. mostly chiles near my tomatoes (although it's still too early for me to put out any peppers) But not for any reason other than I want to grow both.

The squash might need to be in a bigger pot too. Will you trellis up along the rail? (that will be pretty!) Mine blossomed... and I got some small squashes... but then the whole thing died.

My strawberries spread like crazy... but I didn't get a lot of berries... I had to put plants out beside the pot to accommodate all the ummm... off shoots.... then I gave the whole thing to my friend to plant in her yard. I know strawberries are commonly grown in pots, but I didn't have much luck with them.
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