Category Archives: Vegetable Gardening

Vegetable Garden in Pots

Posted on by

If you are like me and have limited space for a vegetable garden or not enough light to support a vegetables having vegetable plant in pots or containers is a wonderful solution.  Certain vegetables can do well and produce crops in pots under good conditions and some tips to consider for success outcomes include:

Containers and Pots for Vegetable Gardens

Selecting Containers: Containers for your vegetable gardens can be almost anything: flower pots, pails, buckets, wire baskets, bushel baskets, wooden boxes, nursery flats, window planters, washtubs, strawberry pots, plastic bags, large food cans, or any number of other things.

Drainage: No matter what kind of container you choose for your vegetable garden, it should have holes at the base or in the bottom to permit drainage of excess water.

Color Considerations: You should be careful when using dark colored containers because they absorb heat which could possibly damage the plant roots. If you do use dark colored pots, try painting them a lighter color or shading just the container.

Size: The size of the container is important. For larger vegetables like tomatoes and eggplants, you should use a five gallon container for each plant. You can grow these plants in two gallon containers, however you need to give the plants considerably more attention.


Soil and Fertilizer

You can use soil in your container vegetable garden, but the synthetic mixes are much better. Peat-based mixes, containing peat and vermiculite, are excellent. They are relatively sterile and pH adjusted. They also allow the plants to get enough air and water. Mixing in one part compost to two parts planting mix will improve fertility.  Using a slow release or complete organic fertilizer at planting will keep your vegetables fed for the whole growing season.


Watering

Pots and containers always require more frequent watering than plants in the ground. As the season progresses and your plants mature, their root system will expand and require even more water. Don’t wait until you see the plants wilting. Check your containers daily to judge the need for water.

How to plant potatoes in a bag

Posted on by

how to plant potatoes in a bagMany people love home grown potatoes, but not everyone has the room to grow their own. Whether you live in the city, or are simply lacking in space, there is a simple way to grow a batch of your own potatoes. All you need is a sunny spot on a porch or balcony, some good soil and a plastic garbage bag.  Items you will need:  2 – 30 gallon garbage bags, potting soil and peat moss, sprouted potatoes, paper towel and hay, straw or mulch.

Instructions

  1. Potato with eyes.

Cut the sprouted potatoes, leaving an eye (or a sprout) in each piece. Place the cut pieces of potatoes on a paper towel on a counter and allow them to dry for 48 hours.

  1. Place a 30 gallon garbage bag down where you will be leaving the planted bag of potatoes. If you will be leaving your potatoes on the ground, this is not necessary as the ground will provide natural drainage. However, if your potato bag will be on a deck or patio, you will want something underneath the bag to protect the deck or patio from water drainage.
  2. Place the bag you will be planting the potatoes in on top of the other bag. Fill the bottom of this bag with at least 6 inches of potting soil. For good quality, light soil, make 1/3 of this amount peat moss.
  3. Place the potato sprouts 2 to 3 inches down into the soil, with the sprouts pointed up. Use no more than four sprouts per bag. Roll the sides of the bag down so they are an inch above the soil.
  4. Poke a few holes in the bottom sides of the bag for drainage, and water well. Make sure that your bag is getting several hours of sun per day.
  5. Wait for the sprouts to be 6 inches high, and then roll up the sides of the bag and add more soil until the sprouts are almost covered, leaving only the top leaves visible. Keep watered well.
  6. Continue to add soil as the plant grows as you did in Step 6. When you have reached the top of the bag, cover the top of the soil with hay or mulch and let the plant continue to mature.
  7. Wait for the leaves to turn brown, and when they have, then discontinue watering. Wait two weeks after the last watering, and harvest the potatoes by cutting the bottom of the bag and pulling them from the soil and plant.

9.      Harvested potatoes.  Clean the dirt off the potatoes, and allow them to air dry in a shady area. Do not wash them until you are ready to eat them.