5 Ways to Grow Vegetables on Pot

If you want to grow your own food but are short on time and space to garden (or experience a lot of pain with weeding and other household chores), don't despair. There is a solution to your dilemma, and it is easier than you think.

It's called growing container plants, but with a slight twist. In the case of containers, plant seeds are not enough.

1. Use an appropriately sized container

Using the Mascotte example, she recommends a container that is at least 18 inches long and 18-20 inches wide. Almost anything you can imagine - large dishes, wine barrels, recycled containers of all kinds - will work. I pointed out that the little pots won't work. That's because, she said, they didn't have enough space to be productive and it would be all you could do to keep them hydrated.

2. Dilute the seedling carefully

Shepherd calls this the most common mistake made when growing vegetables in containers. “The special thing about our varieties, besides the fact that they are the right varieties for pots, is that we give information on the packaging about the size of the pots to be used and how much space for the plants,” she says. "In other words, you have to weaken it, but we'll tell you how much."

As an example of the importance of seedling thinning, she uses the compressed zucchini Astia, which has light green leaves and holds the zucchini in the center of the plant. "I'll give you 20-25 seeds. If you plant them all in one pot and they all come out and let them all grow, you will likely get next to nothing in fruit because all the plants are competing for space and nutrients." So how do you decide, which to keep and which to get rid of? Shepherd says to abandon the best plants, which are already properly spaced according to package directions, and discard the rest - as long as they are evenly distributed it doesn't matter where in the pot.

3. Add fertilizer if necessary

Shepherd emphasizes that after about the first six weeks you will still need to add the fertilizer, although information on the containers for potting soil may indicate that the mixture contains fertilizer. She believes this is when the compost in the mix begins to erode. Plants also need food because they are contained in a small size and cannot reach the roots and look for nutrients. She suggests using a good all-purpose vegetable fertilizer and feeding the plants frequently, about every two to three weeks.

4. Soil quality plant

Good potting soil is crucial, Shepherd said, and store-bought soil should work well, especially when supplemented with organic supplements. I advised not to use garden soil in a pot. That's because it's more likely to withstand the summer heat. Commercial soils provide even drainage and are weed and pest free, she said.

5. Look out for signs of watering

Pots dry out with increasing days and higher temperatures. A shepherd's test to see if pots need watering is to stick your index finger in the earth. If the earth below the first joint is dry, watering is carried out immediately.

Conclusion

If you decide to start a time-saving container garden and come back, Shepherd strongly recommends choosing something that you really enjoy eating. "It's just the right size container and soil to thin out and feed the plants. I think it's not complicated and a lot of fun. That's the main thing. Besides being a really satisfying experience," she added added. , "It puts you in touch with the outside world and you will notice things that you would not otherwise notice."