Start container gardening today so you can find a good use for it at home and when SHTF!
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Grow Your Own Food Now with Container Gardening
Tips for Tomato Gardening in Containers
“There is money in tomatoes,” especially fresh and homegrown tomatoes. With all its nutritional benefits, it's an important survival crop, indeed.
Growing tomatoes is easy, even more so in containers. You can even grow tomatoes from the seeds of the fruits you bought at the market.
So how do you do it? Here are the steps and tips for container gardening with tomatoes:
- Start with a large container. My preference is a clay pot with adequate drainage. The bigger the pot, the better. Tomato plants can grow quite large over time.
- The secret to a large and healthy tomato plant is consistent watering. Always keep moisture in the soil but not completely drenched in water. Pouring more water than the plant needs will cause it to rot.
- Tomato plants need at least 6-8 hours of sun a day. Sometimes with a covered apartment patio or balcony, giving the plant enough sun can be challenging, but it is definitely possible.
- Check on your tomato plant throughout the day to make sure it’s getting adequate sunlight.
Tips for Growing Peppers in Containers
While peppers are easy to grow, there's a challenge when it comes to making them bear fruit. Unlike tomatoes, making peppers fruit can be a bit of a challenge.
Even in survival mode, it would be nice to have a little spice in your life. Here are tips for growing a successful pepper plant in containers.
- Starting peppers out in a large pot is important for a healthy plant. For the smaller peppers (less than 12″ tall), use a container of about 2 gallons.
- For bigger varieties, use a 5-gallon container for the bigger pepper plants. A container twice as large is also good if you need more room to grow your peppers. Make sure the pots have adequate drainage.
- Frequent watering is necessary for pepper plants in containers. One way to determine if your pepper needs more watering is if the soil is still dry after sticking your finger one inch into the soil. You'll soon be able to determine a suitable watering pattern for the plant.
- The growing habits of some peppers are one way to know if they need to be caged or staked. For example, the weight of bell peppers needs the stake method in growing them.
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Tips for Growing Radishes in Containers
For a vegetable gardening beginner, try radishes as they require little maintenance to grow. Growing radishes in containers will guarantee a nice harvest, too.
Here are some tips for container gardening with radishes:
- Planting radishes in a container requires well-drained soil in a wide gallon pot. Combine an ample amount of sand and grit with peat mix and compost. Also, consider a mix of vegetable fertilizer prior to planting for good growth of the roots after germination.
- Make sure to use pots that evaporate excess moisture and have a good drainage hole. See to it that the container is not always filled with water if you're using a saucer.
- The roots are the edible part of the radish plant. They form the vegetable and start to grow bigger. Carefully watch the plants by making sure the roots are covered with soil to prevent splitting and drying.
Tips for Growing Carrots in Containers
Carrots can also be grown in containers and will flourish throughout the year with proper care. Here are some tips for growing a successful carrot plant.
- Choose a deep enough container. Find one at least one foot (30.48 cm) deep or more. Carrots develop underground, and the root system needs a lot of space to grow.
- Make sure to not overwater your carrot plant. Whether it's container-planting or garden-growing, carrots are grown pretty much the same way.
- Be sure to have drainage holes in your container and expect progress in approximately one week.
Tips for Growing Onions in Containers
Onions are known to do well in container-planting. Here are some tips for growing a successful onion plant.
- Plant the onions in a planter with a depth of 5 inches. This makes the onion grow to its full size.
- Plant onion sets 4 weeks before the last average frost. Several onions can fit into a container by planting them in sets. Give them at least an inch of space before planting the next one.
- Onions are grown in containers and usually need more water than those grown in garden beds. Keep the soil slightly moist. As soon as it dries out, water again.
Check out this video by Lisa's World and learn how to mix soil for container gardening:
These are only a few of the crops you can grow while container gardening. Now with your container gardening know-how, you can try growing other plants you want.
The good thing about this style of growing food is that you won't have to deal with stubborn weeds either.
It's also perfect for preppers and survivalists because you can grow them indoors since containers are mobile.
Practice these vegetable gardening tips in containers and keep a true survival skill you can use for life!
If you have any container gardening tips you would like to share, please let us know in the comment section below!
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Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on July 12, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
A coffee filter over the holes of your plant pots help keep the soil from leaching out. Hair used like a mulch in your pots retain moisture, helps weed control and adds nutrients to the soil when it breaks down. Make sure the hair has not had dyes and other chemicals on it.