Do you dream of a garden but don’t have a yard? Then you are in the right place. This easy how to container garden for beginners guide will hopefully help you see the ease of gardening without all the fuss of having a huge backyard and a bunch of gardening tools.
I started my first container garden with a Greenstalk. I chose a Greenstalk after some research and referrals from many master gardeners. As a beginner gardener, I wanted something easy to set up, looked nice, and was reusable for years to come.
Less than twenty minutes to assemble, most of the time going to filling the containers with soil. Three and a half bags of organic soil to be exact. Next, I selected some herbs and flowers to plant. Some I direct sowed seed as the pack of the seed packet instructed and others I purchased as transplants from Walmart.
Just like that, I became a gardener and you can too with just a few tips, a pack of seeds or starts, and a passion to succeed.
Why A Container Garden
Container gardening is manageable, movable, and space efficient.
A large garden can be difficult to manage especially if you have any type of limitations. Even at 42, it is still difficult for me to be bent over for long periods of time planting seeds and pulling weeds. Container gardening can be done at waist level or any level really. The options are limitless.
Containers are great for someone with little space or no backyard to grow an inground garden. Also if you are living in a rental or temporary home you can move your garden with you. I love this because you don’t have to start over and it saves money.
Type of Container
Selecting a container can be the highlight of your container garden right next to the flowers, herbs, and vegetables you can grow. When selecting a container you will need to make sure it can provide adequate room for the root growth of your selected plants.
Containers should be a minimum of 4-6 inches deep depending on the selected plant variety. I plant my tomatoes plants 6-inches deep so I have a 12-inch deep bed for those. Others like my squash and herbs I can plant in 4-6 inch containers with no problems.
There are so many ways you can container garden.
Children’s Pool Just $10 at Target but also check your neighborhood trash day curb and yard sales.
Use your imagination and discover your way of container gardening.
Drainage
Drainage is one of the most important factors when you are selecting your container. If there are no holes in the container you have chosen, no worries just drill a few holes to allow for water drainage. Make sure to do your research so that you know the type of drainage your selected plant requires.
Soil
Selecting the correct soil will also allow your plant to root and grow. Chose a potting mix instead of topsoil so that your soil does not become heavy and compacted in your container. Remember many of the bagged soils you buy will already be amended but you will need to continue to fertilize your plants and amend the soil as needed to maintain the nutrients.
Tips for Container Gardening
Water Accessibility
Water accessibility is a must. Container gardens dry out easily so it is best to place a tray of some kind under your pots to hold water. If this is not possible you will need to water regularly. Here in Florida, I water daily because of the extreme temperatures here, and now I’m looking at installing a drip irrigation system to make watering easier.
Fertilizer
Feed your plants. If you have started with fresh potting soil you will need to feed your plants regularly. Potted plants use up much of what is in the potting soil within 2-3 months and need to be fed about every two weeks after the first two months. I use Fox Farm Fertilizer on all my garden beds.
Reuse Recycle Repurpose
The sky is the limit when it comes to finding a container to garden in. Be resourceful and reuse items like kid pools, old planters, or maybe a repurposed toy turned into a beautiful flower pot. Just remember that if it can hold at least 6 inches of soil and drains well you have yourself a growing container.
Container gardening is just so versatile you can’t go wrong.
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