Container gardening advantages
- Pots fit on patios and decks. If possible, keep your plants near your kitchen door so you can quickly snip a sprig of basil whenever you need it. This is especially convenient when you're gathering herbs and vegetables in the rain or after dark.
- pots are portable, which comes in hand if, for example, the sunlight moves from one side to your patio to another over the course of the summer.
- Threat of a frost? Bring your plants indoors for the night or cover them. this could help you start your garden earlier in the spring and keep on harvesting later in the fall.
- Growing in pots protects plants from the insects that climb up from the ground.
- Growing in pots keeps weeding chores to a minimum.
There is no particular trick to growing herbs in pots, but you'll need to plan ahead for larger vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. When reading seed packets and plant labels, look for varieties that are intended to be grown in containers or small spaces. Even so, you may need to use stakes or cages - ask your helpful Sneade's Ace Home Center sales associate for advice
What kind of container?
- Vegetables and herbs will do well in many different types of pots, including clay, foam and plastic.
- A large planer barrel is great for a veggie garden as it has depth that allows plants to spread their roots.
- Even a hanging pot can be used for some veggies or herbs.
- Get creative with "found" items, like a trough, a watering can or even an old rubber boot. Ask your kids for ideas! Use any container that's water-resistant, has a least one drainage hole through its base (the more the better), and can hold potting soil.
- Consider grouping multiple plants in one pot, if they like similar growing conditions. Oregano and chives would be happy together, but basil likes more moisture so it might be best to plant it alone.
- Bear in mind that small containers dry out faster and require more attention than larger ones. A 12-inch pot is a good size to work with.
Container gardening basics
- Whatever type of container you use, make sure there is a hole in the bottom. Put some stones in the bottom to help with drainage. Then fill the pot to within 2 inches of the top with Ace premium potting mix.
- Water thoroughly right after planting. The peat in your potting mix will absorb a great deal of water.
- As mentioned earlier, some larger plants, such as tomatoes, may need a stake or cage to climb on. If so, press the stake or cage firmly into the soil shortly after planting, to avoid damaging the roots.
- Container gardens need plenty of plant food. Ace premium potting mix comes with a slow-release fertilizer that keeps feeding for us to six months. For best results you may also want to use a top-feeding fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food.