Potted Vegetable Garden

Making a Simple Potted Vegetable Garden

Would you love to have fresh, homegrown vegetables, but think you don't have any place to put a garden? Let's say, for example, that you live in an apartment and don't have a space available outdoors to put one in. Fortunately, there is an option for people who can't or don't want to put in a traditional garden. With proper care a potted vegetable garden can be grown indoors.

 
What most people don't know is that you can grow just about any kind of vegetable in a pot or container. You can start with just one pot, for example and then add more as you decide you want more variety to what you grow.
 
First, consider where you're going to put your vegetable pot or pots. You should have someplace that's sunny, so that your plants are sure to get sun most of the day. For example, if you've got a patio or windowsill, you can put your vegetable pots here. Make sure your vegetables get plenty of sun, at least six hours of direct sunlight a day, and more if possible. Of course, the advantage to having a potted vegetable garden is that you can have pots placed throughout the house instead of in just one central location, too, as long as each spot gets plenty of sun.
 

Types of containers to use

Just about any type of container will do, and certainly doesn't have to be fancy. You can use traditional clay pots or plastic, although it should be sturdy.

On the picture below you can see some carrot plants. 

If you don't have seeds, you can cut the top part (with the growth) of a carrot, about an inch. Of course, the green parts should be just above the soil.

Make sure that the container is large enough to contain plenty of soil; the pot itself should be significantly larger than the "baby" plants you bring home from the nursery, so that they have plenty of room to grow and for root expansion.

They should also fit where you plan to keep them and they should have drainage holes. You can add drainage holes if the containers you are using do not have them. If plants are allowed to sit in water, the roots can rot, so make sure they drain freely.

Place the pot or pots exactly where you're going to want them, and then fill them with soil. They will become heavy once you do fill them with soil, especially if they're large, so it is best to put them in their final home before you fill them.

Just about anything will grow in a potted vegetable garden, but some good choices are tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, and even root plants like turnips or carrots, although you won't be able to grow a large amount of root plants in pots. Putting a marigold plant with tomatoes especially will ward off pests like the tomato hornworm.

Fresh herbs are also good choices for your potted vegetable garden.

Being able to harvest your own fresh vegetables and herbs from your kitchen windowsill or other nearby location whenever you need them, as you cook can save you time and money. Maintaining a potted vegetable garden is not difficult and it is a very useful way to spend quality time with your family.