Creating a Vegetable and Herb Pot Garden

Creating a pot garden, yes the legal kind.

The bigger the pots the better, right? Not necessary, it depends on what you are growing and what time of year it is if you live in a climate with four seasons. If you intend to grow potatoes, watermelon or cantaloupe in a pot (yes, I have done it) you do need larger pots but some plants do not need a lot of space.  Take ginger, micro-greens or radishes for example. The roots are shallow so pots about a foot high will give them lots of vertical space.

 

Gardening with pots is cheaper than you may think. This old orange tote has a hole in the bottom. It was perfect for my sweet potatoes to grow in. Use your imagination, get creative. Every spring my wonderful neighbors go out and buy flowers for their garden. I am not ashamed to admit that when they throw those pots out I pick them up and take them home. If it's someone I know I sometimes ask them in advance for the pots.






Check out the white pot in the photo on the right. In its previous life, it was a dishpan.

This is part of my son-in-law's new garden. He is using old barrels that he cut to the sizes he needs. I guess you can say that these are custom made. Here is the link to where he posted his photos. I encourage you to add your pictures throughout the spring and summer.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/675937455889724

Width is also important especially if you are growing leafy greens like cabbage, lettuce, collards or spinach. The roots aren't super deep but boy does the leaves spread out. I did add a raised garden BUT since it doubles as a greenhouse in the winter I can use it to grow year-round.

Early frost, no problem. As long as the temps don't drop too far you're covered. Pun intended. Try covering an entire garden each night and removing the cover when it warms up during the day. That can be a colossal pain in the butt. Speaking of pain when you are in the process of selecting your pots keep in mind that dirt is really heavy.

Plain soil from a garden can weigh 12 pounds per 1 gallon. Add water, which weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon at room temperature, and a large container can become an immovable object. Soilless potting mixtures, depending on their composition, can weigh a few ounces to 1 pound per gallon.

Invasion

Evasive plants like mint and pumpkin can easily overrun your yard. Using pots will contain the roots.

Using pots can make rotating your crops easier. If you grew tomatoes in the red pot and squash in the yellow pot last year you know what nutrients were taken out of the soil before you plant in the spring.  Pots especially colored pots can add a decorative spin in and around your garden.

Every spring the sun rises above my neighbor's garage but by the end of the summer, it's over the chimney of the house next door. Why do I pay attention to the movement of the sun? I think you already know the answer. Plants like tomatoes need full sun. Since I can position pots to get the most sun my chances for a better harvest is greater.

These are a few of the reasons why I have a pot garden.

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