Container growing is a great way to grow many vegetables, most herbs and some fruits too, especially for the organic gardener. This is particularly suitable if you have limited outside space or your soil conditions and or weather are not suitable for growing vegetables and fruit in the garden normally.
If you are new to gardening or want to encourage your children, container growing is a great place to start. Seeing those first shoots rise from the surface is both fun and rewarding and for those who are unable to or cannot dig a garden, an easy way to grow your own organic food.
Organic Fruit
This simple method of growing is cheap any pot or vessel is suitable. Providing it has a whole in the bottom for drainage, which is very important or your plants will become waterlogged and die. A bigger container is better, particularly for growing larger vegetable or fruits. Before you do anything make sure the container is well scrubbed and washed especially if it has been used before, pests and disease will destroy your new planting so take special care.
With Container Growing you can get a head start from normal planting season outside and without the added expense of a greenhouse or cold frame. Sow your seeds in the warm indoors in early spring and move them out slowly as the weather warms up, during the day at first, taking them in at night when frost is at risk.
Always use a new organic compost and soil mixture, do not be tempted to save money and use existing soil from an old container that has been used before. It is unlikely to have any good nutrients left to help your new plants grow, and will almost certainly contain pest or diseases to. After planting feed with a good organic fertilizer on a regular basis to ensure you get the best harvest.
When starting out with Container Growing small crops are best, salad leaves, lettuce, herbs and strawberries grow well. Organic tomatoes and peppers are also worth growing along with some fruits which will do well on a sunny balcony or terrace. Try growing the foods that you and your family enjoy most, it will make the whole experience that more rewarding and worthwhile especially for young children.
When growing fast maturing crops like lettuce or salad leaves, it is okay to grow something else in the same compost afterward, but not from the same family for example not lettuce after lettuce. Just clear out the roots and debris add a little more soil and sow your next crop, ideally something like spring onion or dwarf beans after lettuce.
Since container gardening conditions are very different from those found outside in a normal kitchen garden, where crops grow freely in the ground, a different regime is required in order to succeed. The way you grow your crops will also depend on weather they are a seasonal planting on something you intend to grow on such as a small fruit tree like a fig tree or similar that will do well in a container.
Keeping your container crops well watered is vital to ensure a plentiful crop and healthy plants, containers plants will quickly use up water especially in hot weather and will need a constant supply. If your planning a vacation makes sure someone is on hand to take over the watering or you will return to dead plants with no fruit.
When you are growing your own organic fruit and vegetable in containers you know where it has come from, nothing is fresher than picking it straight from the plant and eating it. No chemicals or pesticides have been used, it is as fresh and healthy as nature intended. Nothing is more worthwhile than growing your own food it is something you will enjoy and a great hobby for the whole family and something that will also save you money too!
Container Growing
Mike alias Organic Dad keen gardener and lover of all things green. Find other great information on Organic Gardening at http://www.organicdad.co.uk/
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