Sunday 20 April 2008

Container and square foot gardening

Container and square foot gardening

Square foot gardening is eminently suited for container gardening, patio and roof gardening, backyard gardening, organic gardening, herb gardens, vegetable gardens, flower gardens and more. Square Foot Gardening is an ideal way to grow vegetables. It is a raised bed, no dig system which is economical in more ways than one.

Square Foot Gardening is growing "a lot" in a small area. You don't have to have acres of land -- just a small space 4’x4’. Square foot gardening is based on the idea that no one needs more than a 4 foot by 4 foot garden space to raise enough vegetables for one person for one gardening season. You will come to understand that you really need to plant only enough seeds for the number of plants you actually need. You won’t be planting entire packets of seed just because you feel a need to empty the packet. Square Foot Gardening is a technique of intensive planting developed by a retired civil engineer, Mel Bartholomew, in the 1970's. Mel describes the technique in his book, Square Foot Gardening, as "a system of laying out, planting, and maintaining a productive, attractive garden in any amount of space.

Leave three feet between each container to make access easier. Leave the roots alone and be careful not to bruise the stem. Don't plant oreganos, mints, lemon balm or bee balm with other plants because they will overgrow everything.

Plant the seeds and water gently and slowly without allowing water to stand or puddles to form. The surface must remain damp until the seeds have germinated. Planting can be freeform and spacing determined by individual plant size. Use graph paper and draw your garden to scale. Plants that normally take up yards of space as runners, such as squash or cucumbers, are grown vertically on sturdy frames that are hung with netting or string to support the developing crops. Ones that grow deep underground, such as potatoes or carrots, are grown in a square foot section that has foot tall sides and a planting surface above the ground, so that a foot or more of framed soil depth is provided above the garden surface rather than below it.

Grow bags are another way that you can take advantage of the limited space in your home or apartment. Grow bags aren’t necessarily a new idea, as people throughout the world use inexpensive plastic bags filled with soil to grow crops. Grow bags are perfect for plants such as tomatoes, courgettes and aubergines. If space is really restricted don't forget the herbs. Grow bags are the right shape and light enough to be carried around easily.

Plants can also be grown in tyres, old metal pots such as buckets, watering cans or even a colander! Old shoes and boots (especially wellington boots) can look very good and baths or the shell of a broken vacuum cleaner, dustbins, old wheelbarrows, plastic food tubs and even old toilets can be used. Plants at the bottom can suffer from insufficient light and too much water, so rotate the pots regularly and include plenty of crocks to improve drainage. There are also tower pots with sections that can be made up to a range of heights.


container and square foot gardening

Sunday 13 April 2008

Container Gardening

Container Gardening

Container gardening is for those who do not have enough yard space to create a garden or a herb garden. So if yard space is at a premium and you really want to have an herb garden, container gardening may be just what you need to consider. Container gardening is difficult at best, and a good potting soil can ensure that you have the best possible chance at perfect vegetables. Choose the best mix your local lawn and garden store carries.

Planter and container gardening, is truly an art. But it is an art well worth learning. Plant the herbs that you use most and discover the wonderful difference between fresh and dried herbs. In addition, violas (Johnny jump-ups), pansies, and nasturtiums are edible perennial flowers that will brighten up your kitchen and add a splash of color to your strawberry pot. Plants vary in terms of frost tolerance, but many can be planted outside early without any danger of damage from frost or snow. The advantage of containers is that they can be moved into a more protected spot if you have any concerns at all.

Container gardening is a popular way to grow vegetables or flowers these days. There are many advantages to container gardening. Container gardening is a whole little world of gardening fun. Anyone, regardless of space can plant a container of foliage and flowers somewhere around their house. Container gardening is extremely popular because it can be applied in areas where the soil?s fertility makes it difficult to grow seedlings. It is also because it doesn?t have to be performed in your garden, especially if you live in an apartment or a mobile home where you don?t have a garden to grow in.

Remember, if it holds dirt, it's a container! Remember, since you are not planting in the ground, moisture evaporates quickly. Be prepared to water container plants every day during the summer. Remember that very small pots restrict the root area and dry out the plant roots very quickly. The size and number of plants to be grown will determine the size of the container used. Plants are usually repotted according to the size of their root system .

Drip systems can put your container garden watering on autopilot. You may think that it is too difficult to install a drip irrigation solution, but for most people a drip irrigation solution is a simple one-time project. Drip Depot drip irrigation kits for container gardening use 1/4" microtube only. You can easily expand these kits using any type of micro sprayers, foggers, misters, drip emitters or any other emitter that you find on our web site to create your own personalized drip irrigation system.

container gardening

Saturday 12 April 2008

Container Gardening

Welcome to container gardening tips blog. Here you will learn about container gardening and tips on how to maximise your container garden.