Small Space Solutions & Management

Want to start a garden but don't have enough space? You might have more space than you think. Container gardening is a great alternative to traditional gardening, plus there are some added bonuses like better pest management, easier access, and less physical labor. You can create your container garden on your balcony, rooftop, entrance hall, or even go vertical and create it along the side of your building or hang it! Whenever you are choosing your location, please keep in mind that your plants must receive at least 6 hours of sun, protection from extreme conditions like freezing temperatures and extreme heat. Also consider ventilation, make sure there is air flow wherever you decide to create your container garden.

SIZE.

Already have a location in mind? Great! Now let's choose a container. If you want to plant vegetables, your best bet is to use a large container with a diameter of 15-25 inches. If you want an herb container garden, you can use a smaller container with a diameter of 6-10 inches. Lettuce and chard can also thrive in small size containers. You can find a wide variety of colors and shapes, you can completely personalize your garden!

DRAINAGE.

Whichever container you choose, it MUST have good drainage, otherwise you will be starving the plant of oxygen. To have good drainage, make sure your container has holes at the bottom, you can set it on a saucer if you'd like, but make sure to remove the water as it accumulates in the saucer. If you notice that the plant is getting too large for the container, switch it out to a larger container, otherwise the plant will become root bound.

POTTING MIX.

Choosing the right potting mix is very important, DO NOT use plain garden soil, as it often has weed seed and poor drainage. The simplest way to go is to buy commercial potting mixes from your local store. The potting mix may need some enhancement, you can do this by adding fertilizer.

FERTILIZER.

How do you know how much fertilizer to apply and when to apply it? Well, if you're using time released fertilizer, you can apply it at the time of planting, use .5 of a tablespoon for every gallon of potting mix. If you're using a water soluble fertilizer, use half of the recommended amount on the label to avoid excess vegetative growth. You can start applying the water soluble fertilizer when your plant has 3 - 4 true leaves, continue applying every 2 - 3 weeks. Be cautious on how much fertilizer you apply. Too much fertilizer will burn the leaf edges, slow growth, and cause fewer blooms and flowers. Quick tip: if you're growing tomatoes and using fertilizer, you must add lime to avoid blossom end rot.

WATERING.

When watering your container garden, the potting media must be moist. Simply moist, not wet. To check your potting media's saturation, just stick your finger in to asses if it's dry and needs watering. Create a routine watering schedule, if it's during the summer you should water daily. If you want to avoid water loss, add an inch of mulch to the top of the potting mix. If you are hanging your container, you should water twice a day.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

According to Dr. Kornegay, the following crops are the best types for container gardens. Try it out for yourself!

• Lettuce

• Peas

• Squash

• Tomatoes

• Beans

• Radishes

• Potatoes

• Peppers

• Carrots

• Collards

• Herbs