I have a confession. I am not a gardner. My husband is the one that loves to garden and grow things. It is because of him that we have 200 fruit trees, a large garden, and other stuff growing. He is always the one to instigate planting the garden and the one to remind us to pick and process. We all help, but he loves it. I've learned a bit along the way, so hopefully I can share.
I had a request recently for some container-type gardening (Hey Jennie!). This type of gardening works great if you are renting, have a small yard, want to keep things a little more contained, or just plain don't want to dig up a patch of your yard. My grandpa would always grow tomatoes in big pots around his yard, so I knew it worked. I pulled out a little pinterest fun and was blown away! So, I guess this container gardening thing is a big deal!
Based on my limited research and experience, I'll try to outline a basic container-type garden that you can easily do.
(1) The Container. Get one bigger than you think you will need. It can be a big terra-cotta pot, a decorative plastic pot from Home Depot, or one you make yourself. Last year, my husband had a bunch of 2x6s that he did not have a use for, so he made garden boxes to put throughout the yard. Make sure your container can drain. Most pots do have a hole in the bottom for drainage, this is good. With our garden boxes, we put 1/4" mesh across the bottom instead of a solid bottom. Adding some small rock or gravel to the bottom of your container will also help with drainage.
(2) Soil Prep. Some suggest to use a "soilless" material for the dirt. This keeps it moist and resists compaction. A good potting mix would also work. And if you use just dirt from your yard, we are lucky that San Diego soil is decomposed granite, which drains beautifully (as opposed to clay soil that would cause problems in your planter). Whichever way you choose, adding some compost (maybe a "shovelfull") will also add nutrients to your mix. Mix in a bit of granular organic fertilizer before planting.
(3) Supports. Some plants will need supports such as tomato cages for tomatoes and trellis for climbing beans.
(4) Plant. It is a bit easier to start when you have a plant already growing. You can buy "starts" at Lowe's. Home Depot, and WalMart, season permitting. There are several local nurseries that are typically cheaper than the big box store that also carry these. You can also easily start seeds inside by planting them in soil--my great-grandma would do this in egg cartons. We have had great luck here just planting seeds directly into the soil because the climate is so great. Some of the best plants to start with would be potatoes, chard, lettuce, cherry and bush tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, summer squash, zucchini, Asian greens, pole beans, and herbs. Some seed companies even have a section of seeds appropriate for container gardening.
(5) Taking care of your plants. Find a sunny spot to place your container (I maybe should have put this first...it will be a lot lighter without dirt, rocks, and plants in it!). Most vegetables need about 60% sunlight per day. Plan to water your plants at least twice a day, or use a self watering planter to keep it wet. Watch it closely as vegetables need a consistent water supply. Fertilize weekly with a water-soluble fertilizer.
Hopefully the harvest will make it all worth it. But there is something about getting your hands a little dirty and growing some of your own food that makes you (and your family) appreciate the gifts God gives us.
Living in San Diego County is awesome for gardening because you can do it year-round. There are a few things that grow better in different months, but to start out, I recommend planting something . your family will like. If you want something to grow really fast, radishes are a winner!
There are so many great resources online for doing container gardening. I particularly liked these two websites: The Farmer's Almanac and Gardener's Supply Company.
I challenge you to plant something edible. Take care of it, watch it grow, and share the "fruit" of your labors with someone you love.
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