Container Gardening Overview

You can do this!  We'll show you how.  I'm using "We" not only in the editorial sense, but also because it's my hope that people with gardening experience will comment on this venue.  Actually, whether you're experienced or not, please join in the conversation.  If I recall correctly, one has to "join" Blogger in order to comment; that's true on most venues.  Unfortunately, I suspect it discourages some folks from participating.  If you don't care to join, you may email me: abstractcowboy@gmail.com and I'll summarize your views and/or answer your questions in a future posting.
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If you don't have a "Mother Plant" from which to take cuttings (& later put in soil), then you start with seeds.  I like to experiment, so I have a variety of different seeds---Heirloom, Organic-certified, and plain old seeds off-the-rack, so to speak.  Don't use Monsanto seeds; more on that later.  In any case, it helps if you soak your seeds from 6 - 8 hours before planting.  That way, they germinate a lot faster.  [That's especially true in the case of Sprouting-for-Food.  Don't ignore Sprouting; sprouts are delicious on a sandwich or as a salad.]  Then let them dry out enough to where you can separate and manipulate them for planting in soil.  A seed has three basic components:  the plant embryo, endosperm (mostly starch, some protein, enzymes, & oils), and a covering.  It doesn't need light to germinate, but some warmth is required.  I mention all this because it's important to avoid planting seeds too deep.  With green plants, the embryo has to pierce the surface of the soil, shed the seed covering, and unfold the seed leaves before it runs out of endosperm (nutrition for growth).  It's better to plant too shallow than too deep.

You'll need a variety of containers...many you can recycle from your kitchen.  I'll give lots of specifics on that in the next post.  If you germinate seeds in a tray of some sort, I've found that it's not necessary to cut holes in the bottom of the container.  It doesn't take much watering to germinate seeds that have been soaked.  If you germinate in a cup (which usually has more depth than a tray), then it's best to cut holes in the bottom of the container.  That's because gravity will pull most of the water to the bottom of the cup, out-of-reach of the seed/embryo/seedling/root.  You'll have to water more often than you would with a shallower tray; we have to get rid of the excess drainage, hence the holes in the bottom.  Don't forget to have a saucer, old lid, or something else to capture the excess water...so you don't stain your window sill, or deck, or wherever your container resides.  After the seedling has pierced the soil surface, the first two leaves you'll see are the "seed leaves"; before transplanting to a somewhat larger container, wait for the "true leaves" to be in full "flower", so to speak.  They almost always are a different shape than the seed leaves.  The goal is to eventually get your plant into a fairly large container...its permanent home.  Opinions vary as to how many transplants will be required.  Many people say only one.  I think at least two, which means three different-sized containers...each one progressively larger & deeper.  But don't panic--- transplanting is easy, and most of these containers you own already.

There are different types of soil, and we need to be aware of them.  Some container and raised-bed gardeners pooh-pooh the use of natural, un-sterilized, outdoor soil.  I see their point relative to possible soil pests and harmful bacteria, but farmers have been using natural soil for thousands of years.  It can't be all bad.  A good outdoor soil is about 45% minerals, 25% air, 25% water, and only 5% humus (partially decayed organic matter).  To me, that 5% humus is the main drawback to its use in container gardening.  Plants in containers need more humus (nutrients) than that because they don't have the advantage of having nutrients added naturally (by animals, falling leaves, decaying ground vegetation, soil being washed down from higher places, etc.) the way outdoor plants do.  I've put a shallow layer of outdoor soil in the bottom of my largest containers---thus saving on potting soil to a degree---and I see no ill effects thus far.  So for your containers, I suggest that bottom layer in the largest ones, then add a mixture of mostly potting soil plus some mulch (plant litter) & even a little compost closer to the surface.  Compost is humus that you make yourself.  For container gardening, you don't need much (perhaps make some in a 5-gallon bucket), or really, you don't need any at all...because potting soil is rich in humus.  If you do make some compost in a bucket (or in a pile out back), though, make certain you aerate the layers every so often...or else you'll get harmful anaerobic bacteria.  Aerate those layers by turning them over every so often.  Finally, though not totally necessary, it's somewhat helpful to have some litmus paper strips (or a small soil testing kit) in order to test your soil for its pH level---alkalinity versus acidity.  The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, 7 being neutral; less than 7 means increasing degrees of acidity...more than 7, increasing degrees of alkalinity.  Plants vary as to which pH level is optimum for them; sometimes the back of the seed packet will tell you the optimum level.  If it doesn't, you have the world's greatest library right in front of you.  :)  Honestly, though, I've never worried too much about pH levels.  In general, soils in the West (USA) usually are alkaline to some degree, while those in the East (USA again) are acidic to varying degrees.  The MidWest is all over the place.  In a future post, we'll go into how to alter the pH of your container soil.  Potting soil usually is not either extremely acidic or extremely alkaline...that's one reason I've never been too concerned with pH.

As to watering, never water so much that the liquid is pooled on the soil surface.  That's too much.  On the other hand, except for a germinating tray, give your container plants and soil a good soaking when you do water.  Don't water every day; the soil needs to alternate between being watered and being allowed to get almost dry.  That cycle helps with disease and soil compaction prevention; it also helps soil aeration.  Your plants will show you when they need to be watered; at the first sign of wilting, water again.  For larger plants in the largest containers, that might be only once or twice a week...maybe three times, depending on a bunch of variables (temperature, humidity, type of plant, wind---if they're on a deck or patio, etc.).  If they aren't already there, don't forget to have holes punched in the bottom of your containers.  Finally, in the case of fruiting plants (say, tomatoes, as opposed to lettuce or basil), once those yummies come into being, your plants will need a bit more water...that is to say, they'll have to be watered more often because of the "fruit".

Happy Trails, and Be Well