From the Backyard to the Back Porch: Container Gardening

As we watch the snowy, cold days of winter melt into the warm, crisp days of Spring, many gardeners have one thing on their mind, pulling out the gardening boots and gloves and digging in to that freshly tilled soil. Although this luxury is one many West Virginians still enjoy, for some this is not an option. So, what if you can’t grow a traditional garden, but you still want the fresh taste of homegrown produce? The answer is container gardening!  Container gardening allows gardeners to produce vegetables in pots, boxes, barrels, baskets, or anything you choose. The biggest advantage to container gardening is it can be done with very limited space and much less effort than traditional gardening.

Tips for Container Gardening:

1.       Almost anything you can grow in your backyard garden, you can grow in your container garden. Consider the variety of the plant when container gardening. Read packaging to assure the plant will have ample space, light, and temperature to grow in your space.

2.       Ideally, if your container garden will be outside, you should plant your container garden at the same time you would plant your backyard garden. Plants can be grown indoors throughout the year, but require additional care.

3.       Compost, synthetic, or soilless media are ideal growing media for producing vegetables in your container garden. They provide a light-weight porous soil, which creates ideal growing conditions.

4.       Choosing the right container is essential. Almost any container can be used. However, it is important that the container is the right size for the plant. If the pot is too large, it will hold excess water, and if it is too small, the plant may become root bound and stop growing. Also, always be sure the container allows for proper drainage.

5.       Transplants are ideal for container gardening. These transplants may be purchased at nurseries or garden centers, or they can be grown at home. Seeds can be germinated by filling a container (tray, baking pan, pot, etc.) with the media, spreading the seed over the media, and then covering the seed with ¼-½” of media.

6.       As with your back yard garden, fertilizer is also important to your container garden. Carefully ready fertilizer labels to assure you are applying proper amounts to your plants.

7.       For container gardens, one watering per day is usually sufficient. However, make sure plants are properly drained, so excessive amounts of water are not held in the container. Apply water to the plant until it begins running through the drainage holes. Size of pot, temperature, plant type, and humidity will all influence the amount of water required.

8.       Inspect plant regularly for insects and disease.

It does not matter if you are growing in your back yard or on your back porch, harvesting your own fresh produce is a rewarding experience. With these few helpful tips for container gardening, even with limited space, you will be well on your way to fresh produce and herbs. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me, Danielle Kisamore, at dkisamore@ag.state.wv.us. We, at the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, are happy to answer any of your gardening questions! Please contact us by phone at 304-558-2210.