Container Gardening Part 3 What to Plant

Container Vegetables Bush beans Beets Carrots Cabbage Swiss chard Cucumbers Leaf Lettuce Bell Peppers Summer Squash Tomatoes Turnips Eggplant Kale Green Onions Almost any vegetable that can grow in a backyard garden will also grow well in a container. However, some vegetables are better suited to container gardening than others. These include the list of vegetables on this slide. Notice that vining plants, such as cucumbers, can be grown in containers. However, you will need to provide a trellis or other support for these vegetables. Variety selection will greatly influence the success of your containerized vegetable garden. Some varieties of vegetables have been specifically selected for a dwarf or small growth habitat. These include varieties with names like – Tiny Tim or Small Fry for Tomatoes, or Salad Bush or Pickle Bush for Cucumbers. For additional information on varieties of vegetables that are well suited to container gardening, consult your local Extension Office.

Container Vegetables Crop Container Size Light Needs Days to Harvest Beans Medium Sun 45-65 Cucumbers Large 50-70 Eggplant 90-120 Leaf Lettuce Partial Shade 45-60 Onions Small 80-100 Parsley 70-90 Pepper Radish 20-60 Squash Tomato 90-130 On this slide – I’ve listed general guidelines, in terms of container size, light needs, and the number of days from seed to harvest – for a variety of container-grown plants. This table assumes that the plants are being grown outdoors, and that the plants can be irrigated as needed. You’ll note the great spread in the days to harvest for a specific plant. This is because plant cultivar and your local growing conditions, will greatly impact time to maturity or harvest.

Container Herbs Chives Anise Mint Basil Coriander Thyme Chervil Marjoram Savory Tarragon Anise Basil Coriander Chervil Fennel Parsley Herbs can be grown outdoors during the growing season, or year round, indoors. Different herbs have different light requirements, but most need a sunny location. If possible, place your growing herbs in a south or west window. A good planting mix for herbs would be two parts potting soil and one part coarse sand or perlite. You can adjust soil pH by adding 1 teaspoon of lime per 5-inch pot. There should be an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot to ensure good drainage. Group your herbs together to keep their microclimate humid – but do not let them sit in water. This will negatively impact their roots. Annual herbs can spend their full life cycle in a pot indoors. Perennial herbs, however, will do better if you place them outdoors during the summer. Annual Herbs includes anise, basil, coriander, chervil, fennel, parsley Perennial Herbs include Chives, Mint,, sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, savory and Tarragon (aster family) http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/00/16/30/a5/herb-garden.jpg

Container Fruits Dwarf Apple Trees (spur-type) Blueberries Strawberries http://ventnorpermaculture.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/grow-some-blueberries/ http://photos.somd.com/data/608/medium/B001_2.JPG You can also grow fruits and berries in containers. Dwarf apple trees, strawberries and blueberries are all amenable to cultivation n containers. For these, plants grown in larger containers will yield the most fruit. Strawberries Blueberries

Sun-Loving Container Plants Dwarf dahlias African daisy Heliotrope Petunia Verbena Calendula Chrysanthemum Dwarf Dahlias Heliotrope For sunny spots, you might want to consider Dwarf dahlias African daisy Heliotrope Petunia Verbena Calendula Chrysanthemum http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/yglnews/images/mumsn.jpg http://www.gardenpartners.com/library/images/calendula642.jpg (flowers and leaves are edible) http://darylrice.com/2006/heliotrope_marine200.jpg http://www.denverplants.com/annual/html/dahli_dah.htm Chrysanthemum Calendula

Waterwise Container Plants Zinnia angustifolia Ivy geranium Sedum Texas sage Scented geraniums Clockwise from right front: Sedum acre, Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, Sedum spurium Probably ‘Red Carpet’ , Sempervivum ‘Pacific Sexy’, Sedum spathulifolium ‘Cape Blanco’, Sedum sieboldii For low maintence container plants that do not require frequent waterings, you may want to consider Zinnia angustifolia Ivy geranium Sedums Texas sage Scented geraniums * Zinnia - variety of colors and types. Lily of the Nile - even the dwarf size, Peter Pan, is ideal for smaller containers. * * Daylily – easily divided to grow new plants. * Lantana - flowers can change color as the flowers mature. * Petunias - popular summer flowers. * Black-eyed Susan - flowers about two-inches in diameter. * Marigold - shades of yellow and orange and mix well with other annuals. * Pansy/Viola - blossom early in the spring. http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/wp-content/uploads/succulentbox_may1_sm.jpg

Shade-Tolerant Container Plants Impatiens Begonia Hosta Caladium Coleus Caladium Hosta For shaded or shady spots, you may want to consider: Impatiens Begonia Hosta Caladium Coleus http://www.blossomswap.com/images/flower-pictures/coleus.jpg * http://www.paulparent.com/perennials/hosta.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Brandywine1.jpg Coleus

Dramatic Container Plants Many plants, including fountain grass, look especially striking when grown in containers. Agave Yucca Bamboo False Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) American Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca) Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’) Tufted Fescue (Festuca amythystina) Bougainvillea Fuchsia Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis) Banana Pygmy Date Palm Common Boxwood http://www.foxhillnursery.com/ALLPRODUCTS/PLANTS/LANDSCAPEPLANTS/LANDSCAPEPLANTPICS/FountainGrassPics/Red_Fountain_Grass.jpg http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/design/handbooks/potted/images/drought4.jpg (fountain grass) Fountain Grass Red Fountain Grass

Dramatic Container Plants As do agave plants. http://www.starr-nursery.com/images/Agave%20ocahui%2004.jpg http://www.azarboretum.org/aavv.jpg Agave ocahui growing in a shallow container at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson, Arizona. Agave ocahui Agave (Agave ocahui) Agave (Agave americana variegata)

Dramatic Container Plants http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/The_Zephyrr/IMG_3893.jpg http://www.bamboorescue.com/images/install.trough.jpg Bamboo is another plant that is popular for containers. If you like the look or sound of rustling bamboo in your yard – a container is your best bet. Some forms of bamboo are aggressive growers, that will take over large parts of your yard if not vigilently managed. Because bamboo spreads by rhizomes, you can manage it’s growth by cultivating it in a container. Bamboo Bamboo

Mixing Plants Coral Bells, Snowy Wood Rush, Foamy Bells, False Spirea, Sweet Potato Vine Shade Mix Pollinator Mix: Gerbera Daisy, Purple Coneflower, Butterfly Weed, Mango Coneflower, Blue Star False Aster When mixing many plants in a single container, group your plants according to their light and moisture requirements. Shade-loving plants should be planted with other shade lovers. Water wise plants should be planted with others that do not require frequent watering. Also, avoid mixing slow-growing and vigorous plants. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/137/377958130_ce4413b5d5.jpg?v=0 (succulents) http://www.gardenwiseonline.ca/files/u3/UndertheCedars_5.jpg (shade) http://www.gardenwiseonline.ca/gw/container-gardening/2008/06/01/contemporary-containers (contemporary) Sweet potato vine snowy wood rush, foamy bells, false spirea, coral bells, http://www.gardenwiseonline.ca/gw/2007/07/01/butterfly-bouquet-container . Gerbera Daisy B. Hen and Chicks C. Blue Star False Aster D. Purple Coneflower E. Geranium F. Rainbow Fetterbush G. Butterfly Bush H. Butterfly Weed I. Mango Coneflower J. Pink Turtlehead Waterwise Mix of Sedums