picture from theselfsuffcientliving.com
I found this article and think it will be helpful for us that don't have time to do a garden. I will be growing the vegetables in containers. I will be posting the different vegetables thru out the blog. IT is spring and it is good.
Growing Vegetables in Containers By Marie Iannotti
How to Grow Carrots in Containers
■ Growing Tips: Long carrots require 2 months or longer to mature and tending to a container of carrots can be tedious. However, two options can make it easier: 1) Seed a few carrots with potted flowers. The ferny foliage is attractive and you will be pulling the carrots before the roots of the flowers take over the pot. and 2) choose a fast-growing round or baby carrot, like 'Babette' or 'Paris market'.
Carrots grow best and sweetest in the cool temperatures of spring and fall. The seedlings will need to be thinned to 1 - 3 inches apart once they are about 1 inch tall but other than that, the only thing you'll need to do is make sure they get a regular weekly watering. The roots will toughen and crack if they are left to dry out.
■ Minimum Container Size: 8 - 12 inches deep
■ Spacing: 2 - 3 inches
■ Approximate Yield: Depends on diameter of container. 1 carrot per plant.
■ Recommended Varieties: 'Babette', 'Parisian Market', 'Thumbelina','Scarlet Nantes'
With a deep enough pot, you can grow any type of carrot, but the shorter varieties will mature more quickly and can be succession planted sooner.
How to Grow Cucumbers in Containers
■ Growing Tips: Cucumbers that grow in a clump, rather than a long, sprawling vine, are considered bush varieties. They can still spread out several feet, but they should not require trellising and grow well in large, wide containers or even hanging baskets. Bush cucumbers tend to start producing earlier than most vining varieties.
Vining varieties do best when trellised. The pots can get very top heavy. To keep them from tipping over, a larger container is recommended for vining cucumbers.
The leaves of all cucumbers can be very susceptible to fungus disease, so whichever type you choose, make sure the plants have good air circulation.
■ Minimum Container Size: 10 inches deep. Bush variety - 1 gallon. Vine variety - 3 gallons.
■ Spacing: 12 - 15 inches
■ Approximate Yield: Bush - 10 per plant. Vine - 12-15 per plant.
■ Recommended Varieties: Bush - 'Bush Pickle,' 'Salad Bush Hybrid,' 'Spacemaster.' Vine - 'Crystal Apple,' 'Lemon,' Kirby varieties.
How to Grow Eggplant in Containers
■ Growing Tips: Growing eggplant in containers offers several advantages. Eggplants require warm temperatures, even at night, and planting in a dark container will concentrate and hold heat. You can also move the container to wherever the sun is or place it on a hard surface that radiates heat. Another big plus is that growing them in containers helps to control some common pests, like wireworms.
Once the plants start bearing fruits, they will get top heavy. Some staking may be required, to prevent the branches from drooping. They can also tip over if the diameter of the container is not large enough to balance them.
The slender varieties tend to produce more fruits and can be picked while young, short and tender. Some of the newer varieties, like 'Hanzel' and 'Little Fingers', are ready to harvest at 3 inches and they grow in cluster so they produce more fruits.
■ Minimum Container Size: 4 - 5 gallons, at least 8 inches deep.
■ Spacing: 1 plant per container
■ Approximate Yield: Slender varieties - 10 - 12. Larger varieties - 4 - 8.b
■ Recommended Varieties: Slender - 'Bambino,' 'Hanzel,' 'Little Fingers,' 'Ping Tung.' Classic - 'Black Beauty,' 'Rosa Bianca.'
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/growing-vegetables-in-containers-1403373
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
Growing Vegetables in Containers By Marie Iannotti
How to Grow Carrots in Containers
■ Growing Tips: Long carrots require 2 months or longer to mature and tending to a container of carrots can be tedious. However, two options can make it easier: 1) Seed a few carrots with potted flowers. The ferny foliage is attractive and you will be pulling the carrots before the roots of the flowers take over the pot. and 2) choose a fast-growing round or baby carrot, like 'Babette' or 'Paris market'.
Carrots grow best and sweetest in the cool temperatures of spring and fall. The seedlings will need to be thinned to 1 - 3 inches apart once they are about 1 inch tall but other than that, the only thing you'll need to do is make sure they get a regular weekly watering. The roots will toughen and crack if they are left to dry out.
■ Minimum Container Size: 8 - 12 inches deep
■ Spacing: 2 - 3 inches
■ Approximate Yield: Depends on diameter of container. 1 carrot per plant.
■ Recommended Varieties: 'Babette', 'Parisian Market', 'Thumbelina','Scarlet Nantes'
With a deep enough pot, you can grow any type of carrot, but the shorter varieties will mature more quickly and can be succession planted sooner.
How to Grow Cucumbers in Containers
■ Growing Tips: Cucumbers that grow in a clump, rather than a long, sprawling vine, are considered bush varieties. They can still spread out several feet, but they should not require trellising and grow well in large, wide containers or even hanging baskets. Bush cucumbers tend to start producing earlier than most vining varieties.
Vining varieties do best when trellised. The pots can get very top heavy. To keep them from tipping over, a larger container is recommended for vining cucumbers.
The leaves of all cucumbers can be very susceptible to fungus disease, so whichever type you choose, make sure the plants have good air circulation.
■ Minimum Container Size: 10 inches deep. Bush variety - 1 gallon. Vine variety - 3 gallons.
■ Spacing: 12 - 15 inches
■ Approximate Yield: Bush - 10 per plant. Vine - 12-15 per plant.
■ Recommended Varieties: Bush - 'Bush Pickle,' 'Salad Bush Hybrid,' 'Spacemaster.' Vine - 'Crystal Apple,' 'Lemon,' Kirby varieties.
How to Grow Eggplant in Containers
■ Growing Tips: Growing eggplant in containers offers several advantages. Eggplants require warm temperatures, even at night, and planting in a dark container will concentrate and hold heat. You can also move the container to wherever the sun is or place it on a hard surface that radiates heat. Another big plus is that growing them in containers helps to control some common pests, like wireworms.
Once the plants start bearing fruits, they will get top heavy. Some staking may be required, to prevent the branches from drooping. They can also tip over if the diameter of the container is not large enough to balance them.
The slender varieties tend to produce more fruits and can be picked while young, short and tender. Some of the newer varieties, like 'Hanzel' and 'Little Fingers', are ready to harvest at 3 inches and they grow in cluster so they produce more fruits.
■ Minimum Container Size: 4 - 5 gallons, at least 8 inches deep.
■ Spacing: 1 plant per container
■ Approximate Yield: Slender varieties - 10 - 12. Larger varieties - 4 - 8.b
■ Recommended Varieties: Slender - 'Bambino,' 'Hanzel,' 'Little Fingers,' 'Ping Tung.' Classic - 'Black Beauty,' 'Rosa Bianca.'
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/growing-vegetables-in-containers-1403373
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
