Bigger is Better
Choose containers at least 12 inches in diameter or greater. Anything smaller will stress plants and dry out too quickly. The exception is small potted herbs you plan to keep on the windowsill, sheltered from direct sun and drying winds. If you include dwarf fruit trees in your garden, you’ll need a pot at least 18 inches in diameter that can hold at least 2 cubic feet of soil. This is the tree’s permanent home, and you want your investment to flourish.
You can use wooden half barrels, plastic pots, or terra cotta pots. If you use terra cotta, you can reduce evaporation by lining the pot with bags recycled from the grocery store to reduce moisture loss. Tuck the ends of the bags over the soil, and cover with mulch.
Choosing Plants
Increase your chances of success by growing plants bred for container culture. Think beyond cherry tomatoes; today the organic gardener can choose from dozens of dwarf cultivars. These plants don’t necessarily produce Lilliputian produce, but the leaves and rootstock remain small so your plants won’t get root bound.
Plant the yellow ‘Roc d’Or’ wax bean and the purple ‘Royal Burgundy’ bean in the same pot for a striking color combination. Plant the softball size ‘Fast Ball’ cabbage with some ‘Super Sugar Mel’ sugar snap peas grown on a trellis, as both vegetables thrive in cool temperatures. Miniaturize the Native American tradition of growing squash and corn together by trying ‘Sunburst’ squash trailing amongst ‘Baby Blue’ corn plants.
Take advantage of the mobility of pot culture by growing some fruit trees that otherwise wouldn’t survive in your region. You can enjoy the intoxicating fragrance of the ‘Meyer’ lemon tree, a hybrid between a lemon and an orange. If your experience with figs is limited to cookie fillings, you must discover the rich, mellow sweetness of a ripe fig grown on dwarf stock in your garden. Protect dwarf citrus and fig trees from frost.
Container Culture
Use a lightweight potting soil mixed with in a 3:1 ratio with compost for robust plants. You control the nutrients your container plants receive, so give them a steady trickle of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for good yields. Container vegetables respond well to daily watering with weak compost or manure tea. Every 2 weeks, give the vegetables a booster with fish emulsion mixed according to package directions.
Pest Control
One of the beauties of container gardens is the advantage of proximity. Unlike a large vegetable plot, which the gardener may situate in the farthest reaches of the yard, container gardens are usually close to the dwelling. Furthermore, the frequent watering container gardens require means the gardener will inspect plants often. Handpick large pests like caterpillars, slugs, and beetles daily to minimize damage.
You can blast aphids, leafhoppers, mealy bugs, spider mites, whiteflies, and thrips from plants with a strong blast of water from the hose. These low-tech methods seem unusually gentle even from an organic perspective, but the small scale of container gardens enables gardeners to zap unwanted passers-by before they decide to create a permanent homestead in your cabbage patch.
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