HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1988-04-27, Page 19THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1988. PAGE 19.
feHome & Garden ’88 art
Ingredients for container gardening success include large containers,
with room for roots; water-soluble fertilizer to keep up with plants’
nutritional needs; watering can for frequent waterings and to apply
plant food; soil-less growing medium or sterile potting mix for
excellent drainage and freedom from disease; seeds; tomato cages or
stakes to stabilize large plants, vines.
Home veggies without a garden
Imagine picking fresh, home
grown tomatoes almost without
having to get up out of your chair.
You can. All you need are some
tubs and boxes, a few inexpensive
supplies and a little tender loving
care to produce baskets of food.
Howdoyou do this? The method
is called container gardening.
Container gardening can satisfy
your instinct for working the good
earth and extracting its bounty,
even if you have little or no
property.
Once started, you will find thatit
offers a lifetime of learning and
enjoyment.
YEARS OF ENJOYMENT
As you contemplate what to
grow, take a look at some of the
special varieties of vegetables
developed by the seed companies
for container gardening.
They are called bush-type or
restricted vine vegetables, and
varietiesincludesquash, toma
toes, cucumbers, peppers, melons
and eggplants. Anything except
jumbo varieties will grow beauti
fully in a well-tended container.
If you’re ambitious, you can
grow a whole salad garden in one
box. For example, centre a con
tainer with- onions, surround the
onions with leaf lettuce, and edge
with radishes.
If you don’t want to get that
complicated, you can just plant a
ring of leaf lettuce, spinach or
cabbage around a single tomato
plant.
When selecting containers, go
with big ones (approx. 16 inches
deep) made of plastic or wood. The
extra depth will allow more room
for vigorous root growth. Plastic or
wood containers are cheaper and
hold moisture better.
PROVIDE FOR DRAINAGE
Make sure your containers have
holes in the bottom to allow excess
water to escape. Cover the holes
with some screen or broken pottery
before adding growing medium.
Locate your containers where
they’ll get a minimum of six hours
of sun each day.
Growing medium is probably
the key element for successful
container-grown vegetables. Buy
specially prepared commercial soil
mixes. These mixes are sterile and
free from soil-borne disease, and
provide excellent drainage.
If you’re growing something
tall, such as tomatoes, then they’ll
need support. Install a tomato cage
or wooden stake while the plants
are still small.
Container-grown vegetables
must be fed regularly to reach their
full potential. Feed with a com
plete liquid plant food containing
trace elements, at the rate of
one-half teaspoon per gallon of
water every time it is watered.
Pour the mixture over the leaves
and into the growing medium. The
leaves will absorb some nutrients
and the rest will be absorbed by the
roots.
An initial application of liquid
plant food at planting time will get
the plants off to a good start.
Keep your container vegetables
well watered. A good rule of thumb
for watering is to water deeply
when the soil feels dry to the touch.
Learning to grow vegetables in
tubs is like riding a bike; once you
learn how, you never forget.
Grow a flower
shop cutting
garden
There is nothing quite so
satisfying as gathering a basketful
of blossoms from your own garden
and then arranging the flowers into
a beautiful and fragrant bouquet.
With a modest investment of
time and effort, you can revive this
old Victorian idea and grow
yourself a flower-shop garden.
STARTING A CUTTING GARDEN
Because a cutting garden is not
primarily for outdoor decor, don’t
be concerned about its overall
appearance. Just select a small
inconspicuous area that receives
six to seven hours of full sun a day.
FLOWERS FOR A CUTTING
GARDEN
For a broader selection of
flowers, plan to include both
annuals and perennials. Plant the
annuals and perennials in different
sections so that you will not disturb
the perennials when you prepare
the soil for the annuals each year.
The following annuals and
perennials are suggested, because
of their prolific production of
blooms over a long season and the
blooms’ lasting power after cutt
ing.
•Annuals - Aster, cosmos,
snapdragon, carnation (annual or
perennial), china aster, marigold.
•Perennials - Delphinium, shas-
ta daisy, baby’s breath, bellflower
(perennial or annual), dahlia,
feverfew, gloriosa daisy, yarrow.
A type of rose well suited to cutting
is floribunda.
TAKING CARE OF THE
GARDEN
A well-watered and well-fed
cutting garden will produce more
and better looking flowers. Annu
als are very sensitive to drying, so
be alert for signs of wilting.
Annuals should be watered deeply
at least once a week, while
perennials should be watered
every two weeks.
PRESERVING CUT FLOWERS
A few simple procedures can
help prolong flower life after
cutting. For best results, cut the
flowers either in early morning or
in early evening. Carry a container
of warm water and put the flowers
into it immediately.
Re-cut the flowers once you get
inside the house. For soft stemmed
plants always use a sharp knife or
scissors and cut at an angle.
Woody stemmed plants should
be cut with sharp pruning shears
and the ends crushed to maximize
water up-take.
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