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A Farm of My Own:  Starting Small  |
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kathleen shoop
Farmgirl at Heart
8 Posts
kathleen
oakmont
pA
USA
8 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 23 2015 : 08:49:34 AM
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With all the expertise here and my woeful black thumb I was wondering if people could tell me what the "easiest" fresh veggies to grow in containers might be? I live in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania so we have four seasons and humid summer. Thanks so much!
writer, mother, educator--The Last Letter Spring 2011 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2015 : 12:44:17 PM
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Hi Kathleen!
I emailed you a little while ago. I had seen your post, but I wasn't at my computer and couldn't respond... Then I was at my computer and couldn't find your post TO respond! LOL! Just going to copy and paste the body of the message here, just in case there are other girls from our area looking for some information, too!
I'm just outside of Pittsburgh myself, near Greensburg. I haven't done a lot of container gardening, but my neighbor has had great success with zucchini and tomatoes. Given our bouts of heavy winds and rains in recent years, I think it's important to consider the following:
1) Make sure you weigh your container down well to protect it from turning over in the wind. Having said that, though, it's important to also make sure that it's not so weighed down that you can pull it into a sheltered area to protect the plants when we've got heavy winds.
2) Drainage is super important, considering how much rain we actually get. Think of it this way: We don't like having to stand in wet socks all day, and plants don't like when their roots are sitting in soggy or pooling soil, either! :) Watering and keeping the soil moist is important, but a lot of plants really don't need a lot of water. The way it rains around here, I've never had a problem with under-watering, though!
3) Also, when considering the rains, the water will quickly deplete your soil of nutrients - and that is the case whether your plants are in pots or in a garden. That being the case, it's really important to make sure your plants are well-nourished with a nice compost tea. Plants also really like coffee grounds around the base, as well as chopped up banana peels and eggshells. (The eggshells are extremely helpful in preventing blossom end rot in tomatoes and cucumbers, and they also keep slugs away.)
I think you'll do great with whatever plants you decide to try. I've done strawberries and tomatoes over the years and they've done really well for me! Last year was the first time we grew some tomatoes in old tires, and MAN did they produce! I think the tires warmed the soil very well at the roots, which is what they love. From what I understand, watermelon also love warm roots, so we might try a few seeds in another tire this year!
Good luck! I hope all goes well! If you need any more help, I'm no expert, but I'm here!
Hugs -
Nini
(P.S. Until MJF, EVERYONE and their brother teased me about being "the Al Capone of green thumbs"... I had the blackest thumbs on the planet. Last year, I froze, canned and dehydrated so much of our small garden's produce, we got through most of the winter without even visiting the fruits and veggie aisle at the grocery store! Hang tight, sister - if anyone can help us maneuver our way through gardening, it's our farmgirl sisters! Have faith! You're going to do GREAT!)
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Apr 23 2015 12:55:04 PM |
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Song Sparrow
True Blue Farmgirl
1010 Posts
Amy
Talleyville
Delaware
USA
1010 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2015 : 6:08:54 PM
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Hello Kathleen! I'm also a small-time gardener. I've had what I call my "annual tomatoes plant for a few years, and have had great success with zucchini, cucumbers and peppers in containers in the past. Cherry and grape tomatoes yield a lot and make you feel like a success:) This year I'm expanding to two containers (someone alert the media ha ha!). I'm going to try peas along with the annual tomatoes. I live in Delaware so the weather is similar. Nini's advice is great, I've found getting the watering right in our area is the biggest challenge. Oh, and watch out for groundhogs, one year I lost about half my tomatoes to one. Who knew they like tomatoes!? Let us know what you decide to grow I'll let you know how I do with the peas!
Peace in our hearts, peace in the world
Amy www.danaherandcloud.com
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chickpick
Farmgirl in Training
11 Posts
Stephanie
Ashville
Ohio
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2015 : 8:12:01 PM
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Kathleen;
I live in Central Ohio, not Pittsburgh, same climate though. The easiest veggies to start out with are zucchini, peppers and tomatoes. I agree with Nini and Song Sparrow here. I also grow herbs in containers also. Rosemary, chives, basil and oregano get moved into sunroom or house during fall and winter sometimes.
Remember drainage and watering. Use rainwater, fresh or collected or unsoften well water. Do not use city/county water. Our county water tends to yuck up container gardens. (Crusty white build up). Every time you walk by your containers poke your finger in, look a the leaves. Do they feel dry? Are the leaves wilty? They may need water. Are the leaves yellow? Is the container and soil wet? Then lay off the water.
I know you can grow those plants Kathleen. Keep a veggie journal record what works and what does not. Learn from this year and move on. "Farming" is trial and error and then proceeding with what works. What ever you do just don't give up.
I know this sounds weird, but my first container garden was a kiddie pool made from hard plastic. We found it in the trash. We took it home and put it on our apartment deck. We filled it with "Square foot garden" soil and planted some bush beans, oxheart carrots, and some lettuce. It was a great project and did very well for us. The next year we tried it with tomatoes; fail. Soil depth was too shallow our variety. Moral of the story is experiment, keep records and you will get where you want to be...in time.
Good luck!
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NixKat
True Blue Farmgirl
288 Posts
Kathleen
CT
USA
288 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2015 : 06:07:15 AM
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Hi Kathleen,
When I first started my garden a few years ago I planted directly into the potting soil bags, that's a sort of container I suppose. I believe I used 6 large bags, cut X's for openings and planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, zuchinni and yellow summer squash, and even cantaloups! Everything thrived.
I believe that anything we can plant directly into the ground can be planted and grown in a container as long as we provide the nutrients, water and light they need to thrive.
This year I am planting potatoes in containers.
Hope this helps, and Welcome!
{{{Hugs}}}
Kathleen...... Farmgirl Sister #3447
http://hennypennyfarm.blogspot.com/
http://time-2-sew.com
http://coupons-coupons-coupons.com
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A Farm of My Own: Starting Small |
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Starting Small
