Container Gardening for Beginners: How to Start Container Gardening
Not everyone has access to a large backyard or plantable land, which is why container gardening for beginners is such a great option. Growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs in pots allows you to enjoy fresh, healthy produce all summer long. Even if you only have a patio, balcony, or small outdoor space!
For where I’m currently at in life, container gardening has been the perfect solution. It’s much more manageable than a traditional garden because there’s very little weeding involved and no need to till up the ground. Really, the biggest maintenance task is simply keeping everything watered regularly!
Not only is container gardening convenient, but it can also help save money, which is especially important with grocery prices constantly increasing. Even growing a few vegetables at home can help stretch your food budget during the summer months.
While I’m definitely not an expert, I’ve picked up a few helpful tips along the way that can make container gardening for beginners feel a lot less overwhelming.
The first year I tried container gardening, I got a little too ambitious. Instead of starting with just a few plants, I bought nearly every variety labeled for small spaces. At first I was excited, but as the summer went on, it became harder to keep up with everything and many of my plants ended up neglected.
Since then, I’ve learned that one of the best container gardening tips is to start small. Think honestly about how much time and energy you’ll have to care for your plants throughout the season. Starting with just a few containers is a great way to build confidence and enjoy the process without feeling overwhelmed.
Buy your seeds and plants
One of the great things about container gardening for beginners is that it’s become incredibly popular, which means there are now a lot of seed and plant varieties specifically designed for compact spaces.
I’ve found special “Urban Garden Collection” seeds that are meant for pots and small gardens, and there are plenty of compact vegetable varieties available at garden centres as well. Even Amazon Canada carries seeds now, making it easier than ever to get started.
If you’re unsure what grows best in pots, vegetables like lettuce, herbs, radishes, peppers, tomatoes, peas, and beans are all popular choices for container gardens. For a more in depth look at the types of plants that do best in containers, see my post The Best Vegetables for Container Gardening.
Get the right pots
Starting a container garden doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, many of my containers were free! I used large black 5-gallon buckets that trees and shrubs originally came in. Garden centres and greenhouses often sell used containers cheaply, and you can also check places like Facebook Marketplace for affordable options.
Grow bags are another excellent option for beginner gardeners because they’re lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to store during the off-season.
When choosing containers, make sure they’re large enough for the plants you want to grow. Larger vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, peas, and beans need deeper pots with lots of room for roots. Smaller plants like lettuce, herbs, onions, and radishes can grow well in shallower containers.
Find the right light
Sunlight is one of the most important factors in successful container gardening. Most vegetables need several hours of direct sunlight each day in order to thrive.
I keep most of my containers on our back patio where they receive lots of afternoon sun. However, I place my lettuce containers in a cooler area that only gets morning sun because lettuce tends to struggle in extreme heat.
Always check your seed packets or plant labels to see how much sunlight each plant prefers.
Use good potting soil
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is using regular garden soil in containers. For healthy plants, it’s important to use a good quality potting mix instead. Potting soil is specially designed to provide proper drainage and airflow, which helps prevent root rot and other problems.
If you’re filling large containers, the cost of soil can add up quickly. To save money and reduce the weight of heavy pots, try filling the bottom portion with lightweight materials like crushed pop cans, empty milk jugs, packing peanuts, or old plastic nursery pots before adding soil on top.
Plant, Water, Wait
Now comes the fun part. Planting! Follow the directions on your seed packets or plant labels for spacing and planting depth. Once everything is planted, water your containers thoroughly.
For tiny seeds like lettuce, using a spray bottle or gentle watering can help prevent seeds from washing away.
After that, all that’s left to do is keep watering regularly, enjoy watching your plants grow, and wait for harvest time!
I hope these simple tips for container gardening for beginners help you feel more confident about starting your own garden this year! Have you ever tried growing vegetables in containers? What would you love to plant first?
How To Make Your Own DIY Mosquito Planter. If you're tired of battling mosquitos, a DIY mosquito planter might be the solution you've been waiting for!
I mentioned in my first container garden update that I would do a separate post detailing the plants I have in the planter I deemed my 'DIY Mosquito Planter'. While we don't get a ton of mosquitoes, we do live by a creek (damp) so we do see them around and they are not my favourite bug to live with. In one of my Pinterest escapades, I discovered that I could create a container full of plants that mosquitoes don't like. Namely, plants of the citrus scented variety.
Not only does the scent of the plants keep mosquitoes at bay, I can even tear off a leaf and rub it on my skin if I'm finding they're getting too close. I may even bring a leaf or two along on any hikes we might be doing!
Here's what I put in my DIY Mosquito Planter:
Citronella Geranium (I would use these leaves on my skin)
Marigold 'Lemon Gem'
Catnip
Lemon Thyme (can be used in cooking too!)
Gazanias (only because I had extra from another flower pot)
I was looking for lemon grass but I couldn't find any before I got tired of driving to all our local nurseries.
You could also try:
Citronella Grass
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Basil: Especially the lemon and cinnamon varieties.
I'm excited to see how this works as the summer goes on. I hope it fills out nicely and that pretty flowers appear!
Have you ever made a DIY Mosquito Planter? Did it help ward off the mosquitoes?
You might be itching to get your garden going, but chances are the outdoor sowing season is still a ways away. Well no worries, here's how to start seeds indoors several weeks before the final frost of the season!
By starting your seeds indoors, you can get a jump on the growing season while saving some money in the process. Here is what you need to know on how to start seeds indoors.
I've linked to some items on Amazon for convenience, but you can gather supplies from anywhere to fit your budget.
A good rule of thumb for when to start your seeds is 4 weeks before the last frost of the season. This will vary depending where you live, so consult The Farmer’s Almanac to find out when the perfect planting time is for you.
DIRECTIONS:
Begin by placing the seed starter cups on the cookie sheet or tray. This way, the surface under the cups is protected and you can easily move them if you need to. Also, make sure the containers you choose have drainage holes.
Fill each cup 3/4 of the way full with nutrient rich potting soil. Seedlings need a light, airy soil mix that drains well. You can buy a seed starting mix at a garden center or make your own by mixing equal parts peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite.
Plant the seeds: Follow the instructions on the seed packet for planting depth and spacing. In general, plant the seeds twice as deep as their diameter.
Cover the seeds with soil and mist the area with your spray bottle. Misting is easier and cleaner than a watering can, plus it will keep you from over watering.
Use the wood craft sticks and marker to make plant markers for the seedlings so you know what they are once they start growing.
Pull a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the seed starters. This will allow light in but will help the plants retain heat. NOTE: You will need to remove the plastic wrap every few days to mist the soil to keep it moist. Just be sure to return the plastic when you are done.
Place your seed starters in a window where they will get at least 6 hours of sun per day. If you don’t have an area where this is possible, a sun lamp will work.
As soon as you see sprouting, remove the plastic wrap. Continue to water every few days and keep the soil moist at all times.
In just a few weeks, your seeds will be seedlings and soon they will be ready to get transplanted outside. Be sure the threat of frost has passed and you follow package directions when transplanting.
See how simple starting seeds indoors can be? Give these tips a try and get a jump on the growing season now!
Are you hoping to add some new vegetable gardening books to your library this year? If you are, I've rounded up a great selection of the best vegetable gardening books for those of us in Canada! These are must-haves if you are looking for inspiration for growing the best vegetable garden, no matter what size of space you are working with!
10 of the Best Vegetable Gardening Books
This book by veteran Canadian garden writer Doug Green is full of information that will educate Canadian gardeners in all aspects of planning, installing, planting, and caring for their new garden. Gardeners will learn how to ensure their garden is eco-friendly and how to save money by storing, canning, or freezing the bounty of the garden. With hundreds of full colour pictures, Guide to Canadian Vegetable Gardening is sure to be the standard for Canadian gardeners for years to come.
When he created the "square foot gardening" method, Mel Bartholomew, a retired engineer and efficiency expert, found the solution to the frustrations of most gardeners. His revolutionary system is simple: it's an ingenious planting method based on using square foot blocks of garden space instead of rows. Gardeners build up, not down, so there's no digging and no tilling after the first year. And the method requires less thinning, less weeding, and less watering.
The first frost used to be the end of the vegetable gardening season — but not anymore! In The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener, Nova Scotia–based gardener and writer Niki Jabbour shares her secrets for growing food during every month of the year. Her season-defying techniques, developed in her own home garden where short summers and low levels of winter sunlight create the ultimate challenge, are doable, affordable, and rewarding for gardeners in any location where frost has traditionally ended the growing season.
Smith’s legendary high-yield gardening method emphasizes wide rows, organic methods, raised beds, and deep soil. Succeed with fussy plants, try new and unusual varieties, and learn how to innovatively extend your growing season. With thorough profiles of hundreds of popular varieties, The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible provides expert information and an inspiring roadmap for gardeners of all skill levels to enjoy abundant homegrown vegetables.
Small-Space Vegetable Gardens explains the basics of growing a bounty of edibles in a minimal amount of space. Andrea Bellamy shares all the knowledge she’s gained from years of gardening small. You’ll learn how to find and assess a space, how to plan and build a garden, and how to sow, grow, and harvest the 60 best edible plants. This hardworking and enthusiastic guide will help you take advantage of the space you have—whether it’s a balcony, a patio, a plot in a community garden, or even a small yard—to create the food garden of your dreams.
Vertical solutions deliver more yield in fewer square feet, especially perfect for the urban gardener. They're less work, too, so you can forget all-day weeding and watering. Some vegetables, such as tomatoes and pole beans, have been grown vertically for a very long time, but those who need to maximize space can grow almost any type of plant vertically—from melons and squash to carrots, peppers, and pears. Vertical Vegetable Gardening is your thorough guide for growing all types of leafy, root, and other vegetables vertically.
Your patio, balcony, rooftop, front stoop, boulevard, windowsill, planter box, or fire escape is a potential fresh food garden waiting to happen. In Grow Great Grub, Gayla Trail, the founder of the leading online gardening community (YouGrowGirl.com), shows you how to grow your own delicious, affordable, organic edibles virtually anywhere. Whether you’re looking to eat on a budget or simply experience the pleasure of picking tonight’s meal from right outside your door, this is the must-have book for small-space gardeners—no backyard required.
Savor your best tomato harvest ever! Craig LeHoullier provides everything a tomato enthusiast needs to know about growing more than 200 varieties of tomatoes, from planting to cultivating and collecting seeds at the end of the season. He also offers a comprehensive guide to various pests and tomato diseases, explaining how best to avoid them. With beautiful photographs and intriguing tomato profiles throughout, Epic Tomatoes celebrates one of the most versatile and delicious crops in your garden.
With Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces - you can create the garden of your dreams, no matter how limited your growing space is. Pat Lanza's proven lasagna gardening method produces amazing results in pots and small plots. Even in beds just 4 inches wide, you can grow bountiful, beautiful gardens with no digging, no weeding-- no kidding!
Homegrown Pantry picks up where beginning gardening books leave off, with in-depth profiles of the 55 most popular crops — including beans, beets, squash, tomatoes, and much more — to keep your pantry stocked throughout the year. Each vegetable profile highlights how many plants to grow for a year’s worth of eating, and which storage methods work best for specific varieties. Author Barbara Pleasant culls tips from decades of her own gardening experience and from growers across North America to offer planting, care, and harvesting refreshers for every region and each vegetable.
What are the best vegetable gardening books that you can recommend?
Growing up, my mom would plant a big vegetable garden every year so the idea of growing my own food has always been appealing. Due to our lack of yard space, I have tried a bit of container gardening in the past, but this year, I intend on going "all out" and documenting my progress!
Although I won't be able to grow enough vegetables to last all summer long, it's still nice to know exactly where they come from and to have the satisfaction of eating what I grow. Nothing beats watching your hard work come to fruition!
When it comes to container gardening, not all fruits and vegetables will successfully grow in containers. From my experience and online research, here are the best vegetables for container gardening.
Lettuce
Spinach
Carrots
Radishes
Beans
Peas
Tomatoes
Peppers
Onions
Eggplant
Herbs
Strawberries
Potatoes
When you're purchasing your seeds or starter plants, you'll want to look for varieties that say they're good for containers. I always have great success with patio tomatoes and Spring Mix type lettuce.
Will you be planting a container garden this year? What have you had success with in the past?
It’s that time of year again when the grass is green, flowers are nearly blooming and people are starting to think about or prepare their gardens. It can be tough for some who wish to plant, but feel they don’t have the room or ability to plant anything where they currently live.
Here are 5 Ways To Grow A Garden In Small Spaces that will help anyone, no matter the size of their living space or yard, to be able to grow some type of garden that will supplement their groceries as well as bring the joy of watching a garden grow.
Create Window Boxes
Using ready made window boxes is a great way to go when trying to garden in tight spaces. There are many to choose from or you can create your own with a long narrow basket lined with plastic. (Make sure to poke a few small holes in the plastic to allow for drainage.) Windows are great for the sunlight plants need while using space that is otherwise typically empty in your home.
Container Gardens
Whether you use traditional pots or the empty containers and baskets you have around the house container gardens are an excellent way to grow vegetables in a small space.
Herbs and tall plants do best in container gardens as they can grow up instead of out. Tomatoes, Peas, Green Beans and Corn are all great for containers, just make sure you also have plenty of room for them to grow upward and proper support to hold them up.
Hanging baskets or a great way to grow vegetables that tend to create longer vines. Cucumbers, Squash and Zucchini grow nicely in hanging baskets as long as you don’t crowd too many in one basket.
Repurpose regular baskets with some plastic sheeting in the bottom and some small chain woven through the sides to create a “hanger”. Make sure to invest in sturdy material so you don’t wake up to a basket of vegetables and soil all over your floor.
Turn a Flower Bed into a Vegetable Garden
Sure we love the tulips, lilies and roses around the front of the house, but would it be better for you to use that space for vegetables instead? You can also leave the bulk of your flowers in place and grow only a few vegetables in between. Weeding back what you currently grow as flowers and filling in empty space with herbs, lettuce, cucumber, squash and more will help to create food and beauty at the same time.
Use a Trellis on the Side of Your House
Many vegetables actually grow on vines that will easily trail upwards on a trellisif trained. Planting in the ground beneath or in a sufficient container beneath a trellis and training the vines for peas, green beans, and more to grow up the trellis is a great way to use otherwise wasted space. It also creates a bright visual attraction for your home.
Just because you live in a small space doesn’t mean you can’t easily grow a garden to help supplement your grocery budget.
These 5 ways to grow a garden in small spaces are just the beginning of many ideas available for creating small gardens in any space. Thinking outside the box is the best way to go when trying to create great gardens in a small home or small yard.
