Container Gardening

Yesterday I picked another big bag of lettuce, a bag of cilantro and over 70 snow peas.  The cilantro is flowering all over the garden and taking over the walkways.  I’ve been removing it from the areas where it’s become inconvenient, but I like to keep all those flowers as long as possible, to enhance the visual beauty of the garden as well as attract bees.  And the bees are having a field day now.  When I go out there on spring days, I’m always amazed to see how many bees there are.

None of the seeds planted March 27 have sprouted yet.  I’m surprised that the habanero and cayenne seeds planted a couple weeks earlier haven’t sprouted either.  They’re going to get a late start this year.  I planted some radishes in the bigger pots recently, so I’m going to have to wait till they’re done before I plant basil and the hot peppers in those pots.  I might end up planting some of the basil in the ground before I plant any of it in the pots.  So let’s discuss the differences between gardening in the ground and gardening in pots and planter boxes.

My garden is a mix of ground planting and some pots. Cilantro is behind the pots, and the tall plants behind the cilantro are snow peas.

I’m lucky to have a house with a back yard that gets full sun throughout the year.  I can grow a year-round garden in the ground.  Many people don’t have that option.  I know that some of my readers live in apartments and condos with balconies or other limited spaces to grow plants.  Others live in houses, but their yards are shaded by trees.  You might not be able to grow a large variety of plants or reap a huge crop of vegetables where you are, but you should be able to grow some things successfully.

There are a few crops that I prefer to grow in pots, such as radishes and carrots.  Grown in the ground, these root crops sometimes come out with mud that’s difficult to clean off.  At times I’ve found that the tops of radishes have holes and scars from insects feasting on them.  When the same crops are grown in pots with clean potting soil, I rarely get insect damage, and the plants always come out clean.

Some of the smaller plants (onions, garlic, basil, hot peppers) seem to grow equally well in the ground and in pots.  I’ve found that most of the larger plants (tomatoes, snow peas, corn, squash) grow better in the ground.  These can be grown successfully if the pot or planter box is large enough, and they will produce, but they might not do as well as they would if they were grown in the ground.

Growing In Clay Pots vs. Plastic Pots

I use a mix of both clay and plastic pots.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages.  Clay pots tend to last longer than plastic ones.  Plastic pots will get brittle and break apart sooner, especially in areas with intense heat and sunlight.  On the other hand, clay pots are much heavier and more difficult to carry and/or move around.  Think about the surface your pots will be on.  Extremely heavy things on a balcony can affect the structure of the balcony itself.  Heavy, hard clay pots can damage tiles.  If you have a tile patio or balcony, you might want to go with plastic.

Pots With or Without Saucers

All pots should have drainage holes at the bottom.  Depending on the size of the holes and the texture of the soil, you’ll get small amounts of dirt seeping out the bottom of the pot.  On some outdoor surfaces it’s perfectly fine to have a pot without a saucer.  (ALWAYS use saucers for your house plants!)

These are the issues to consider:

The surface the pot is on – Pots on a wooden shelf or deck should always have a saucer.  The dirt and water that seep out the bottom will rot the wood.  Pots on bare ground (dirt) or grass should have a saucer.  Otherwise grass and other weeds, as well as soil-dwelling insects, will invade the pot through the drainage holes.  Pots on a tile or cement surface are usually fine without a saucer.

Saucers fill up with water – When a pot gets a lot of water, either from rain or from regular watering, the saucer can become filled with water.  You should always try to empty the saucer, either by tipping the pot and saucer or using old towels to soak up the water.  Plants DO NOT like to have their roots in water for a long time.  The soil in the bottom of the pot will become a muddy, smelly mess.  The roots can become waterlogged and the plant can die.

Saucers can collect leaves and other debris – The inside surfaces of saucers can become messy and slimy.  They need to be cleaned periodically.

Due to the inconveniences noted above, I prefer to use pots without saucers for outdoor plants.  If I have the choice, I would rather let a little dirt and water seep out of the pot and then sweep it away, rather than have a saucer that gets filled with stagnant, smelly water, dirt and debris.  But everyone’s situation is different.  In some places a saucer is necessary.

Transporting Potted Plants

If you’re planning to transport potted plants, whether it’s to drag them from one end of your patio to another or to move them from one apartment to another, let them dry out as much as possible.  A large pot full of soil (especially a clay pot) can be very heavy.  If it’s been watered recently, it’s gong to be much heavier.  Helpful tip:  If you’re moving a heavy pot from one end of your patio to another, you don’t have to lift and carry it.  Tilt the pot to one side, slide an old towel or large rag under it, and then grab the free end of the towel or rag and drag it to its new location.  Your landlord will be happy that you didn’t damage your beautiful tile patio, and your back will be a lot less sore.

Potting Soil

If you’re gardening in pots, it’s better to buy bags of potting soil than to fill the pots with the dirt from around your house or apartment building.  Potting soil is cleaner and usually doesn’t contain the slugs, earwigs, grubs, etc. that you might find in your nearby soil.  At stores like Lowe’s and Armstrong there are many varieties and brands to choose from.  Look for one that’s described as a Flower and Vegetable Mix.