My wife and I lived in a house for 45 years with a large garden in the back yard area, We loved to garden and enjoy the produce that we grew each summer. As we became older and had to move into a high rise apartment, with a outdoor balcony, we decided to still enjoy a smaller but productive garden out on the balcony of our 16th floor apartment. I purchased 12 plastic containers and 12 bags of black earth soil. Then I purchased some small tomato plants from a nearby nursery, some lettuce, onion, and radish seed. After planting and watering on a daily basis, our garden started to grow and we are now enjoying the fruits of our labor.
My husband and I recently moved to an apartment. I am seeking ideas for inexpensive vegetable patio gardening. There isn't much direct sunlight on our patio.
Here is my husband's "veggie garden on the deck", built entirely from recycled pallets. Isn't he clever, we are growing lettuce, cabbage, onions, carrots, and spinach!
I grew vegetables in plastic containers this year. And somebody said eating veggies from plastic containers isn't healthy. I got these at the flea market. I suspect they came from a nursery. Am I OK to eat these as I did this year?
Thank you for any help you can give.
By Herrold D
I've grown vegetables in plastic containers and I'm not dead yet. Many vegetable gardeners use over-sized plastic pots which costs less then clay pots. If you have to move some pots around in your yard for sun exposure, its' less work to move a plastic container than a heavy clay pot.
One of my neighbors in the apartment complex does container gardening. He lost a leg due to a motorcycle accident years ago and is wheel chair bound. He grows a lot of vegetables in the large plastic storage tubs.
I've met people who run off at the mouth, and they can give you a lot of false information.
Yes you can! This is a picture of my deck vegetable garden - all in pots. This is not my first year to do this, but this is the first time I have had so much (the squirrels usually dig up the seeds before they even get started).
I grew this beautiful corn in the corn box I made from wood. The box size is 4ft. x 8ft. x 3 1/2 ft. deep. I had so much corn I was giving it away to all my neighbors!
I hate always trying to tie strings to hold my plants so I used some coil I had to place over wooden plant stakes to encourage my peas to climb up on it.
I am wanting to plant some vegetables in pots next spring. What kinds of vegetables can I plant in pots? I really like tomatoes and used to help my mother with those, but I am wondering about others.
Since you have cats, you might have the big plastic pails that clumping litter comes in. I planted cherry tomatoes and bell peppers in mine,(one plant to a pot.) I had great results.These pails are nice and deep, especially for tomato roots. Plus there is room for a stake or trellis to be inserted. I had spray painted mine a dark geen with plastic paint just to match my deck furniture. This may have helped to keep the soil warm, but it probably isn't necessary.
Teresa
P.S. Don't forget to drill some drainage holes.
Almost all veggies can be grown in pots if the pot can accomendate their needs. Pots can be obtain furgally by saving milk jugs, litter buckets, plastic plaster buckets, or just plant in a soil bag on an old tray. (fill the bag with soil, tie it off and lay it on it's side, slit the top and plant.
Orange, lemon and lime rimes thrown around the plants base will help keep the cats at bay. You'll need to add fresh rines now and then. Sprinzting water deluted lime and lemon juice on the leaves will also keep the cats at bay and won't harm the plants.
I grow zucchini, all forms of cukes, eggplant, all forms of squash, strawberries and as you say, all of my tomatoes in pots.
How can I grow zucchini in a pot? Won't the fruit fall off the vine from its own weight? Do I need to grow 2 plants together?