Growing Vegetables in Containers

Growing vegetables in containers is a great way to produce great tasting produce in even the smallest of spaces. This is a simple step towards green living that is a useful way to save money as well as help the environment.

If you fancy growing your own vegetables but are put off by the thought of fields or large rural spaces for vegetable growing, now is the time to think again. Vegetables can be grown in the smallest of spaces, making this ideal for urban dwellers who are interested in green living as well as other people with limited space for growing vegetables.

There are many benefits of growing your own vegetables. In addition to providing you with a source of fresh and tasty vegetables, other benefits include:

• Growing vegetables and other produce is one of the best ways to reduce the number of food miles of a product. A vegetable that is grown in a container on the windowsill, for instance, will not incur delivery costs that are expensive in terms of money as well as environmental cost.
• This is a great way to recycle food stuffs and garden waste. Build a compost bin to recycle organic waste and produce wonderful nutritious compost that is both cheap to make and good for the garden.
• You have complete control over what is grown and how it is grown. Growing your own vegetables, for instance, ensures that no harmful pesticides or herbicides are used.
• This is good for water conservation as water consumption can be targeted at just the containers that hold the vegetable plants and this minimizes the waste of water.
• Growing vegetables in containers means that even people with the smallest of gardens can grow a few items of produce.

The types of vegetables that are suitable for growing in containers will largely be dependent on location. Hot and dry climates, for instance, will be perfect for growing tomatoes, peppers and other Mediterranean style vegetables, whereas colder climates will be perfect for potatoes or carrots. Almost any vegetable can be grown in a container. It is important, however, to match the container to the vegetable. Plants with shallow roots are well suited to containers that are not deep, whereas plants with long roots or root vegetables need a deep container in order for them to grow well. Particularly good vegetables for growing in containers include:

• Tomatoes – there are strains available that are robust enough to cope with cooler as well as hot climates
• Sweetcorn – a couple of sweetcorn plants will generate plenty of sweetcorn cobs
• Potatoes – these can be grown effectively in special containers or even in piles of tires
• Peas and beans – these are great for growing in small spaces
• Herbs – herbs are great for growing in very small spaces and are perfect for windowsills

It is possible to buy special containers that are designed for growing vegetables. It is also possible to recycle a wide range of different items and this helps to save money as well as reduce waste that goes into landfill. Old buckets can be used as plant pots or discarded household items such as an old bath can make a good container for growing vegetables as well as being a talking point. Sturdy sacks can be filled with compost and used as grow bags and hanging baskets are suitable for small plants such as herbs or chillies.

Here are some tips to help you pick the right vegetables for you:

• Pick vegetables that suit your lifestyle – if you have limited free time, then pick vegetables that require minimum care.
• Take a look at what other gardeners are growing successfully locally and ask for advice. Gardeners are often keen to share their experience and expertise.
• Consider growing vegetables that are a little unusual or that would cost a lot to buy locally.
• Research recipes and preserving methods in case you should get a glut of vegetables.

Growing vegetables in containers is a great way to help the environment while also helping your pocket and providing great tasting vegetables.

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