Gardening Tips

Tomatoes and peppers do well in pots..... Zucchini is more difficult since it can really sprawl.....

In choosing tomatoes, pick ones that the plant itself will stay small..... look for "Determinate" varieties.... they go to a set height and that is it.... usually 3-4 ft tall. "Indeterminate" varieties (Better boy, Early Girl, things like that) will grow tall as long as conditions are good.

Peppers should do fine, also.... they are a smaller plant to begin with.

If you are determined to have zucchini or yellow squash, be sure to get ones that will stay small.

Here is an article about container gardening, with variety suggestions.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1645.html

Have fun! I finally have a house with a yard and have gone a bit crazy with the gardening...

They say tomatoes are one of the easiest things to grow--and my 6 plants are proof of that! Zucchini will grow HUGE, so plant accordingly--I have 5 plants which I was told was "way too many," but they haven't produced anything but pretty flowers, so we'll see! Peppers are fairly easy, too. Be sure you are prepared (have space) to cage/support the tomatoes & peppers! I've also enjoyed watching my green onions, sugar snap peas, lettuce, cucumber, and various herb plants grow!

There are some fantastic websites out there with plans & ideas for all kinds of gardens! Just, good luck and enjoy!!

someone suggested to me today that with things like zucchini and squash, do a container with a trellis :)

There was a great book on container gardening at our library here, I recommend going to yours to see what is available. This book went through every type of plant and how to grow it, with lots of photos and sketches. If you are afraid that you wont have a green thumb, I would start with seedlings instead of having to worry about seeds starting. Good luck!

With as short of a growing season where you are, I can recommend that you buy all your plants as starts and start nothing from seed.
5 gallon bucket are a cheap and unattractive way to container garden. My experience with terre cotte pottery is that you cannot water it enough to keep anything alive. So so use plastic or glazed pottery.
There are great patio tomato varieties made for containers. Other than that some sure fire successes are arugulla, radishes, beans, peas, and herbs. (its too late for beans and peas where I live, but probably not where you live).

I have been container gardening for about 6 years now. Have had some good years and some not so great years.

I definitely recommend buying starter plants, too late for seeds. I use large plastic pots. You can find them pretty much everywhere that has a garden center. I highly recommend miracle grow potting soil. It does the best job IMO.

It can be pricey the first year. Big containers can run $30 or do a piece. Potting soil and plants, depending on how many you grow, it can all add up fast. It is an investment of sorts if you want nice looking pots, but you never have to buy the pots again if you buy the plastic ones. Oh and don't forget to drill drainage holes in the bottom of your pots!!! That is usually not done but they have them marked of you look inside the pot.
I currently have 3 different varieties of peppers, two different tomatoes, and cucumbers. Cucumbers are climbers but still do very well in pots. They just spill out and over so make sure that pot has plenty of room on all sides. Make sure you buy at least two or three plants of the same variety, to plant in the same pot. It will make your success more likely.

I have done eggplant in the past. It was great except all of it matured at once and I had to come up with seven different eggplant recipes. :) also, once you pick the eggplant (unlike tomatoes) that was it, nothing grew back. The growing season was long for that I& I started it from seeds. I also did romaine lettuce. Once you cut it, that's it. Peppers do really great in containers, and more keep coming as you pick. Tomatoes are the same. I do one batch(3plants) of cherry tomatoes and a batch of large tomatoes. Those I hang on the garage w a topsy turvy.

The biggest thing is to make sure they get the sunlight and the water that they need. Also, when using the really big containers, you can fill the bottom of the containers with plastic water bottles (learned that on HGTV) the roots won't go all the way down the really big pots and it will make it lighter so you can move it if you need to.

If more people knew how easy it was to do, I think that they would do it. Oh and as a side note..., I have never, in my life, been able to keep a house plant alive, and still can't!

Good luck & happy planting.

By container do you mean pots or raised beds? I can't see squash of any kind doing well in pots because it vines out everywhere. Tomatoes and peppers can do very well in pots, and tomatoes are one of the easiest things to grow. If you are buying plants buy smaller ones because they will adapt better when you transplant them. Try strawberries, they grow really well in containers, but you will not get alot the first year. You can also grow drawf fruit trees in large pots but once again they take serveral years to produce anything.