Can I have a potted vegatable garden on my patio?

skyelar · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 1

I recently moved for a house to an apartment. I was wondering if it would be possible to grow my vegatables in pots on my patio. I get plenty of sun on the patio but have never tried to grow veggies in pots. I usually plant squash, tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans.
Is it possible to grow these in pots?

Because these are vine plants, I was hoping I could put a stake in the pot for the plants to grow on.

What about herbs? Whats better on the patio or in the house?

Thanks!
Skyelar

jrosto · Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 241 Location: Arlington

Skyelar;

I have grown a small vegtable garden in hanging baskets with some success. I grew a couple variaties of peppers, onions, cilantro and tomatos. I did not get the yield of peppers and tomatos that I did growing them in the ground, but I did get plenty to make my salsa for the year :wink:

Kathe Kitchens · Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 829 Location: Dallas,TX

I have had great success growing tomatoes in 5-gallon containers. Just be sure to add some cornmeal to your growing medium and you'll knock out fungus problems before they start. Mine also like regular foliar feeding so they continue to bloom & produce long into the fall. I had some peppers in a pot but they didn't seem to like it much and I didn't get much out of them. A friend of mine grew cucumbers in a pot once but it was very large (3 feet tall) and she picked them small to make pickles. She just let them droop over the edges instead of putting in a trellis.

The only herb I haven't had luck in a pot with is rosemary. I've grown chives, lemongrass, oregano, parsley, aloe, thyme, sage, garlic and basil in containers with success. Most all of them like to be outside when the weather permits, but I bring most of mine in when it gets cold and stays under 50 degrees. They stress at the change but then (mostly) they recover when I put them back outside again. My basil limped along for a while but then gave up in December. My sage is okay, lemongrass is fine, geranium happy, aloe adapted, chives very happy.

Whatever you plant in a pot, add a couple of handfuls of cornmeal. It really does make a difference in the longevity and overall health of your plants. And don't forget to give them a little organic fertilizer occasionally. They need food! Enjoy & experiment! :lol:

Kathe

katlady · Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 16 Location: Garland,TEXAS

I had tomatoes, peppers, herbs, onions, broccali and brussel sprouts this year so go for it

GuitarGerber · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 14 Location: Kerrville, TX

You might want to look in to the new self-watering containers. They are very cool and work quite well. Commercially, there is the EarthBox - they run about $30, though.

You can make your own by placing a five-gallon bucket with the bottom cut out inside another 5 gallon bucket. Put a fine mesh screen in the bottom of the first bucket, fastened with Liquid Nails. This screen keeps the soil in the first bucket, and out of the water reservior. Cut two slits in the screen, just big enough to thread a 1-inch strip of cloth through. Also cut a hole big enough to run a 1-inch piece of pvc through the screen to the water reservior. You let the cloth sit in the water and it wicks the water to the soil, keeping it moist, but not wet. Every week or so, add a gallon of water through the fill tube (pvc).

If you look at the Earth Box online, This will make a lot more sense. This is such and easy way to keep containers healthy, and you can feel free to go on vacation! The last gardener's supply catalogue I got had TONS of them in various shapes and sizes, all of which were pretty expensive.

Just make sure if you use 5-gallon buckets that you do not use a black one, as it can cook the roots. Try to find grey or green ones.

Smiles,
Eric in Kerrville, TX