Container Gardening {a series} : Getting Started

If you are like me, you may rent your apartment home and have a small-ish patio that is big enough to store a chair and a few pots.  Well, the past couple years I have tried my hand at container gardening with some success.

But are you wondering how to start?  Here are a few good tips to get you started.

1.  Make a plan.  How much space do you want to use for your containers?  How much sun does your space get each day?  Could there be a critter problem?  Think, think, think.  Envision how you think the containers will look on your patio - maybe even make a sketch.

2.  Decide what you are going to grow.  Not everything will grow in a container well (like corn).  Check out the book "Bountiful Container."  This book answered so many of my specific questions about planting in containers.  Also, check out the Almanac site to find planting dates and information specific to your area.  You can see my area here.  Do you want to grow herbs? Lettuces? Tomatoes? Peppers?  Root veggies?  Make your decisions and be realistic based on your needs and space.

3.  Make a plan.  Again.  Make a chart with due dates of when you need to plant and transplant seeds/plants.  I used my Orchestra app on my iPhone to create alerts to remind me.  Yes, I did.

4.  Go shopping!  After you have planned your space, decided on your produce selections and have completed a little research, I turn you loose on the wonderful world of shopping.  You list might include:

• Potting soil
• Compost
• Fertilizer
• Seeds or starter plants
• seed starting soil
• seed starting containers
• Pots/containers
• gardening tools (spade, gloves, watering can, water globes)
• Planting markers (so you know what you plant)

Here's what I do.  I get potting soil and compost.  For some plants, I use the fertilizer Osmocote.  I try to start everything from seeds, whether they start outdoors (spinach, carrots, peas, beans) or they are started indoors (peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, squash, melons).  I get my seeds from Sustainable Seed Company because they have organic, heirloom (save the seeds for next year!) seed options.  I usually garden with gloves, and I use craft popsicle sticks for marking my plants.  I have a variety of plastic containers I use to grow my plants, and this year I'm trying a few grow bags that I got on clearance at my local hardware store.

When you go shopping, hopefully you have already researched what size containers you need depending on what type of plants you have.  You could have a combination of sizes, that might include things like this: 

5.  Create your space!  You have researched, planned, and shopped.  Now, assemble your resources according to your plan.  Do you need to start seeds inside?  Outside?  Fill containers with potting soil?  Try out your new tools?  Get out there and get in the dirt.  You can have a growing container garden like this (mine last year, early summer).

How do you start/plan your garden?  Look for more posts on how to grow in containers!