Gardening Container Style

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This is going to be my first time growing a garden in a container. Also, as you probably

will be able to tell, this is my first blog. I have always grown a great garden in the dirt so this is not all new to me. One reason for the change is our neighbor had a vision to build a church in his backyard. In doing so he cut down all of his trees and hauled in clay dirt. This cut off the natural drain into the city ditch and now when it gets wet the water will stand several inches deep in my backyard.

So, anyway, I have missed my home grown, fresh, flavorful, homemade tomato sandwich.

Recipe: One large Homegrown Tomato

(Peeled and sliced thin)

FRESH Loaf Bread(Get To Know Bread Man)

RedRine(Hoop) Cheese(sliced 1/4 inch thick)

BIG Glass of Ice cold Milk(on the side)

Fresh Ground pepper(lots)
Salt( to Taste)

KRAFT Mayonnaise(my Favorite)

Usually makes two Sandwiches. Do not wear white,

and stand over the kitchen sink when eating!!

In reading up on container gardening there are several items to consider. Location,type of container, soil, fertilizer irrigation and staking. As stated before I was forced into
looking for an alternative way of growing fresh vegetables. So first making sure the area is

well drained and SUNNY. Water needs to be within a garden hose distance(more about irrigation later). Some shade is fine, but they suggest at least six hours of full sun for tomatoes.

VERY important: Place large containers in place BEFORE filling with soil!! This helps with not being able to move if you change your mind.

Most of the suggestions for a container(bucket) was five gallon plastic. I was lucky enough to get a 50 gallon plastic drum from a local meat packing company cheap($5). Make sure the container had NO hazardous contents(fuel,poisons,acids,cleaning solvents,etc.). Its best to buy new, never used. Drainage is very important. Use the largest drill bit you have and about 1/2 inch from the bottom on the side place holes 3 inches apart all around the container. Put a layer of small rocks in the bottom just deep enough to be past the holes. You can get decorative large pots if appearance is an issue. Like on a patio, or small apartment deck. Mine are behind a privacy fence(my wife would never allow in the front yard).

Soil choice is crucial.DO NOT use dirt from the ground.Sounds strange but more than one person has said potting soil. The problem with yard dirt is it will turn very hard and will not drain properly. It almost gets as hard as concrete.Plus, if your yard has weeds and bugs so will your container. As the old saying goes "You get what you pay for"

this holds true with potting soil. A good mix of vermiculite or per lite sphagnum peat moss and real forest compost are some things to look for on the ingredients label. Also, pre-mixed with

fertilizer saves time and money. This will put the nutrients all through the soil to help deep rooting plants.

As far as using fertilizer I am definitely no expert. Again, cheap is cheap. If there is a picture of a tomato on the box or jar I would use it. One thing I do know, too much or too close will burn

the plant. Once while growing tomatoes I started getting a dark black spot on the bottom of the

tomato while growing. Some one said to use Epsom's salt. Two large table spoon fulls sprinkled around like fertilizer did the trick. It also solved the bloom from dropping off too soon and no tomatoes growing.

http://www.selectedplants.com/Fertilizing.htm

Water, water, water!! The downside of bucket gardening is irrigation. Because of the fact of having holes for proper drainage this also means watering MUST be consistent. (but I have a

life: vacations, weekend trips, LAZINESS, etc.) Well, if you are able to use a garden hose I have found the LIFE saver. As seen in the picture a Timer is an absolute must!! One quote is "A lazy man will find the easy way". My quote is "A smart man will find a better way". I don't work for the company, but this Nelson Electronic Water Timer (Model 5920) is perfect!! $19.95 at Wally World(Walmart). Uses two AA batteries so no wires or risk of electric shock. Set the clock, turn dial to 60 minutes 6 AM, your done. Just after planting, water deep and well, at least two hours.

After that set and forget it. As you can see in the picture I use soaker hoses. This puts water where needed and helps with deep soaking the plants. Again, this was bought at wally world,

and is easy to work with. Hose ends, extenders, T's are all available. Plus they last forever.Try to picture whats needed and write it down. This saves trips.I think that you have to buy a MINIMUM of $100 every time you go to wally world(HA!). If you want to add on as I did with the five gallon bucket, cut,stick on a T connection and your in business. An old pair of scissors is all that is needed for cutting. Once in place, the soaker hose can be covered either with more dirt or pine straw as this will not hinder the flow of water.

There are a couple of items while growing tomato plants I have learned. You better get them thar' suckers. When the plant is growing well suckers will grow on the plant.Usually between the main stem or stalk of the plant and the leaves or branch, small shoots will grow there called suckers. Take old scissors and cut these off. Don't pull or pinch as this will damage the stalk or even worse break plant in two. As the name goes, these will suck the nutrients away from the Fruit of the vine.You can plant these down to the leaves for late season tomatoes for canning.

Once you start getting flowering limbs, or clusters, allow only four or five flowers to stay on that same limb or cluster.Simply pinch off the very tip after four or five tomatoes have started on that individual cluster.This is called thinning and helps with sizing out the fruit. There will be several clusters on each plant so this also helps to keep from breaking the limbs or even the stalk.

The last item is staking the vining plants. As you can see in the pictures, I have bamboo growing in the yard and am using this to stake up the vining plants like tomatoes. Also, some plastic twine that came off the pine straw used around front bush bed are good for tying up the plants. Make sure to put the stakes into buckets BEFORE planting. Allot of items can be used for this, wire baskets, concrete wire mesh, split lumber anything that is stiff and tall enough to hold the plants up.

Having some small tools available is good, Look NO HOE!!! I may need the exercise , but not in South Georgia where the debate whether its the heat or the humidity wouldn't really matter if 'ur DEAD!! Now I have also gotten a little geeky and added some herbs in the open spaces. I guess we will see how this all works out.

May 3, 2007

Well, it has been six weeks. Everything was going great until one container had a squirrel attack.

Total loss in that container. Four tomato bushes and basil, plus the dandelion is broken. The one on the right is fine for now. Only one tomato bush was damaged. I guess chicken wire is needed.

June27, 2007

October 7, 2007

Well, Its finally Fall!!

All the tomatoes are gone. I was really disappointed by the variety. Better Boys were not better! Maybe twenty tomatoes off eight plants. I did have my luscious sandwiches and they were great. So, now what? I was looking up on the net to see cool weather plants to grow.

I remembered we always have collards for Thanksgiving And New Year. Bingo! There were still some plants left at the local Farmers Supply, so I bought twelve plants to get ahead of planting seed.

The sweet banana peppers are still growing. With the exception of the chives and basil, none of the other herbs grew. Don't know what happened other than shading or crowding. I might try

some in the other container.

Another addition we have is Nickelback, our black bunny. As you will see he makes some GREAT

fertilizer. Its organic, plentiful (even for one rabbit),FREE!!!! Will not burn even when poured next to the plant. He has been trained to go in a plastic tub, and then just pour that into a five gallon bucket with a lid and use when needed.

I bought some garden dust insecticide, bugs just love the leaves. The best time to apply is in the morning while dew is on leaves. If you cant in the morning while you are RUSHING to work, spray some water with a misting sprayer. Lightly sprinkle on leaves once a week.

The best recipe I have found for collard greens.

Slow Cooked Collards

Ingredients:

(2) Bunches of Collards (Washed and cut up)

(1) Tablespoon Salt

(1) Tablespoon Seasonal all spice

(1) Teaspoon Black Pepper

(2) Pieces Smoked Pork Neck bone or Smoked Hog Jowls

(1) Whole Onion Chopped

(1) Clove Fresh Garlic (Peeled and cut up)

Take a tall pot and fill half full and put on burner on high. You will also need a large spoon and the Slow-Cooker close by. Place pork and onion in Slow-Cooker. When water starts to boil place large handfull into boiling water. Be careful not to touch pot or boilng water. Greens will wilt down.

Transfer the greens into slow-cooker and repeat until all collards are wilted and in slow-cooker.

Put Season all, salt, pepper, and garlic on top of Greens and pour water from tall pot until almost full. Stir all together and turn Slow-Cooker to low and plug in. Allow to cook for (8) Eight hours and enjoy. I like mine in a bowl poured over cheese corn bread and a little pot- likker and table spoon of apple cider vineger.

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