What You’ll Need To Start Container Vegetable Gardening (Gardening Tips’n Ideas)

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Container Vegetable Gardening To Feed 6

Sunlight
Most vegetables need at least six hours of full sunlight every day to grow properly. Cool season plants like lettuce, celery and broccoli can get by on a bit less. Setting containers on caddies allows them to be easily moved towards the sun.

Containers
Most vegetables require a pot that is at least 45 centimetres deep and 60 centimetres wide. If you don’t have space for large containers, you can still grow shallow root plants, such as lettuce, radishes and peppers, in smaller containers or window boxes. Remember to consider total weight when choosing a container. A pot filled with wet soil can be heavy.

Soil
Using a soilless potting soil with time-released fertilizer is the easiest way to ensure that your vegetables get the water and nutrients they need. Soilless potting mixes contain a mix of ingredients like compost, perlite, vermiculite and sphagnum peat that help soil absorb and retain water and nutrients. A soilless mix also helps protect vegetables from bacteria and insects.

Fertilizer
Choosing a soil mix with time-released fertilizer helps vegetables to get a head start, but you’ll want to supplement it with application of fish emulsion every few weeks.

Water
Drip irrigation systems set on automatic timers can make container gardening a breeze, and ensure that plants get all the water they need. If you’re going to hand water vegetables, you need to make sure that the soil never completely dries out. Check the soil each morning by sticking your finger into the dirt. If the soil is dry past your first knuckle, it’s time to water.

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