Busy Vegetable Gardeners

Dr. Gary Bachman:

A garden that produces fresh homegrown vegetables is a goal for most busy homeowners today on Southern Gardening.

Announcer:

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Dr. Gary Bachman:

With my busy schedule, I do most of my vegetable gardening in sub-irrigated containers called EarthBoxes. Unlike plants grown in ground, moisture is the single most crucial consideration when growing vegetables in containers. Since their roots are not in the ground, the plants are completely dependent on you for watering. Most container grown vegetables must be watered daily, multiple times per day in the summer. This is where drip irrigation is very handy and the off the shelf starter kits available make the setup easy. My EarthBoxes keep root zone moisture very consistent which is important for the best harvest success.

Whenever vegetables are going to be grown in containers, never use garden soil. Always use peat based container mixes. These mixes can have a variety of components like peat moss, core, bark and forest byproducts that ensure a well-drained container. Because of using the container mix, adequate fertilization is required for a successful harvest. There are both inorganic and organic fertilizers with more choices every season. These will need to be supplemented with another fertilizer like calcium nitrate on a monthly basis. Since you'll be watering anyways, I think using a water soluble fertilizer is a great choice. This water soluble fertilizer should be applied on a weekly basis.

Growing vegetables in containers like my EarthBoxes keep my family and friends supplied with fresh vegetables all year round. I'm horticulturist Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.

Announcer:

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.