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Turn Your Patio Into A Voluminous Vegetable
Garden
by: Jill Homer
My first apartment was a second-story condo in an urban
complex, far displaced from the groomed suburban landscapes and sprawling
gardens I had grown up with. My only connection to the outdoors was a small
porch, surrounded by brown siding and a fading carpet of artificial turf.
To add a little color to the patio, I adopted a few small
tomato plants from a friend who had started his garden indoors, and planted them
in large pots near my railing. To my surprise, they started to grow. Soon I had
filled the 5 x 10 space with more than a dozen ceramic pots, plastic
containers, and beach pails filled with peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce
and pole beans. Before I knew it, my porch was a curtain of green and my meals
regularly featured home-grown vegetables.
Well-planned patio gardens allow gardeners to make the most of
a small space while maintaining a degree of control not available to those who
plant in the ground. If a plant is not getting enough sun, it can be moved. If
it is not draining properly, more holes can be added. Healthy plants prevent
pests, and some, such as slugs, are not even a factor. Watering is more
efficient, because it must be done by hand, making a patio garden ideal in a
drought situation. And at the end of the year, even inexperienced gardeners can
enjoy a bounty of vegetables thanks to the built-in advantages of garden
containers, which include regular drainage and nutrient-rich soil.
Herbs also make great container plants, as they survive in
generally drier conditions. Pots offer the opportunity of bringing herbs inside
when the weather gets colder. However, many herbs are fast-growing, so its
best replant the container each spring.
Starting a patio garden is not difficult. Here are a few tips:
1. Start with 4 plants, which can be found at most
nurseries. With a little creativity, just about any vegetable can be planted in
an above-ground container, however, the most common seem to be tomatoes,
cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, beans, and spinach
2. The size of a plant can vary depending on the variety of
seedling used. Make sure containers are large enough to accommodate a full-sized
plant. Most tomatoes will need at least an 18 square container. Peppers,
however, are perfectly happy in smaller pots.
3. Cover the holes at the bottom of the container with small
rocks to improve the soil drainage.
4. Part-fill the container with compost. A slow-release
fertilizer can be added at this stage to distribute nutrients as the compost
dries out. Fill the remaining space with a nutrient-rich planting soil.
5. Water the plants and let them drain. Take them out of their
pots and arrange in the container, packing in tightly. Fill in any gaps and firm
all the plants in place. Keep the soil below the rim of the pot for easier
watering.
6. Water the container well and move it to its final position.
Arrange plants according to their needs. Tomatoes prefer a south-facing porch
with full sun, while spinach and lettuce are happier near the house in partial
shade. Make sure the place where you want to plant gets at least six hours of
direct sun every day.
7. Trellises, cages or poles will be needed for tomatoes,
cucumbers, beans and other vines. Patio gardeners can also take advantage of
permanent features, such as fences and railings, to support their plants.
8. Containers need to be watered at least once a day in
summer. They also require regular fertilization. A fertilizer dilutor can be
clipped on to the hose to feed plants as you water.
With just a little time and imagination, any drab patio can
become home to lush green vines, red peppers, juicy tomatoes, and succulent
cucumbers. Why not start today?
About The Author
Jill Homer is a freelance writer who is happy to provide
articles for your home and gardening needs. For more information, contact her at
jill@biketoshine.com
Reprinted With Permission from ArticleCity.com
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