Archive for the ‘vegetables’ Category

Growing Cucumbers in Containers

Posted on July 8th, 2011 by Par 5 Lawn No Comments

Did you know that you can grow cucumbers in containers? I know that a lot of you have limited garden space so growing veggies in containers is a great alternative. We have already talked about growing tomatoes in containers but now we’ll explain how to grow the best cucumbers in containers.

Picking the right variety of cucumber
The first thing that you’ll want to do before your start planting cucumbers in containers is to figure out what type of cucumbers that you can plant that you’ll be most successful with. You’ll want to make sure that the cucumber variety that you choose is suitable for growing in containers and that means choosing a variety that has a reduced growth habit so the cucumber won’t grow too large in the container. You can find out if cucumbers varieties can grow in containers by simply reading the seed packages or by asking someone who is working at the store or farmer’s market where you are buying your seeds.

Things you’ll need for planting cucumbers in containers
Besides the cucumber seeds/plants, you’ll need a pot that is at least a foot wide and a foot deep. I would recommend choosing plastic over clay because a plastic pot will not dry out as quickly and will need less water. Make sure that the bottom of the pot have some type of drainage holes to avoid root rotting. If the pot that you have doesn’t have holes in the bottom, you can easily punch some through if you are using a plastic pot. You should also place some sort of screen at the bottom to prevent the soil from washing out of the holes.

The next thing that you’ll need to do is place stakes in the pot to aid in the growth of your cucumbers. You should place the stakes in a teepee form so that the cucumbers grow up. After you get your stakes in place, you need to add soil mix. A good mix consists of organic potting soil, perlite, sphagnum peat moss and some compost. It is also a good idea to add a slow release fertilizer to the mix to allow for additional nutrients for a more active growth. Fill the pot about 3/4 of the way, place the plant close to the stakes then fill in with the rest of the soil mix. Lastly, make sure to give it plently of water and check on it daily

Other tips for successful cucumbers in containers
It is very important that you place your containers in a place where it can get a lot of sunshine. Ideally, they should get around 8 hours of sunlight each day. Also, since you’ll be growing your cucumbers in containers it is very important that you make sure to water them and watch them closely as they tend to dry out quickly.

Growing Tomatoes in Containers

Posted on June 28th, 2011 by Par 5 Lawn No Comments

No garden? No problem. Tomatoes grow very well in containers and they are easy to manage. Our team and friends & family have been growing tomatoes in containers for years but I don’t think any of us got it right the first time around! To save you some time and effort, we’re covering the basics on how to grow the best tomatoes in containers.

The first step in planting tomatoes in containers and is choose the right container of course! In our experience, tomato plants grow best in big containers. I would recommend finding a pot that is two feet across and two feet deep to accommodate the roots and stem. The key to growing healthy and full tomatoes is to ONLY plant one tomato plant per container.

The next step is to prepare your potting soil. Many people differ on what type of soil to use and what additives to include as well. What I have found that works best is to use good quality organic potting soil mixed with a few not-so-usual ingredients. You’ll first want to add about four inches of your soil to your container and then add a couple of handfuls of fish and bone meal on top of that. The reason for this is because the bone meal is an organic phosphorus source, which is essential for blossom production. And with more blossoms, you’ll get more fruit. Bone meal also increases calcium availability for the tomato. After that, you should add a couple of handfuls of Sustane, a timed release dry fertilizer. The next thing you should add are a couple of aspirin tablets and some crushed chicken egg shells. The aspirin is to help jump start the plant’s immune system and the chicken egg shells also help increase the calcium availability for the tomato.

Now you’ll want to plant your tomato plant into the soil mix and make sure to plant it deeply. After this, you’ll want to water your plant. The first watering is the most critical. I do it multiple times. Water it in once, twice, three times at least. Wait a few minutes to allow the water to drain through. Place the pot in a sunny spot, and you’re set.

Tomato Gardening Basics: Plants or Seeds

Posted on June 27th, 2011 by Par 5 Lawn No Comments

Tomatoes are definitely the favorite among the summer vegetables and their different shapes, sizes, colors and flavors offer something for just about everyone. There is nothing better than a fresh, ripe tomato on a sunny day, especially if the tomato comes from your very own tomato garden! The first thing that you should think about when starting a tomato garden is whether you should buy and grow plants or start from scratch by growing your tomato plants from seeds. You can’t make a wrong decision here because both ways offer many pros.

Tomato Plants
Tomato plants can be purchase practically anywhere, especially during the summer when lots of farmer’s markets are open. The tomato plants are usually inexpensive and it would better the better option if you are starting your tomato garden late in the season. Make sure to do your homework before you go out and purchase random tomato plants. You will need to figure out if you’ll be planting them in the ground or in containers and how much sun exposure they will receive. When you are at the store or farmer’s market, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t select any tomato plants that appear stressed or seem inclined to fall over. Our last suggestion would be to go for a more leafy tomato plant that is bushy and little than a tall, dark or big one. The latter of the two options would seem like a better option because they look better but you have to remember that you will be growing them to their fullest and you’ll want a tomato plant that isn’t producing before it is well established.

Tomato Seeds
Growing your tomatoes from the seed is the better option if you want more varieties and of course, if you want to have a full experience of tomato gardening. Growing tomatoes from seeds definitely takes a little bit more work than purchasing tomato plants. You’ll want to make sure that you plan out everything before you get started because disease resistance, time, location and types of seeds are important factors. Tomatoes are known to be vulnerable to a number of diseases that can weaken the plant and reduce yields. You’ll want to make sure to read the seed packet or label to see if they have a resistance to any disease. Timing is important because different regions have different growing season times. For example, planting and maintaining a tomato garden in Florida would have a different growing time than a tomato garden in Maine. You’ll also want to research the difference between heirloom, open-pollinated or hybrid seeds. You should plant heirloom or open-pollinated variety of seeds of you want to save your seeds for next year. Hybrid seed varieties often offer better disease resistance or higher yields, but they will not come true from seed.

If you’re still unsure of what to decide, perhaps you can try both and then see how it goes. After all, there’s nothing better and satisfying than experiencing new things.

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