Organic Container Gardening : Healthy Plants With Limited Space
Organic container gardening is the solution if you want fresh organic veggies and flowers but don’t have a garden space. Organic container gardening fits just about anywhere, and it’s even easier than having an organic garden plot. Container gardening will allow you to have plenty of healthy organic produce to feed your family. Basically, the same practices you would apply to traditional gardening can be used with organic container gardening.
A container describes any vessel which can hold soil. It might be natural, such as a clay or wooden container, or you can use an old wheelbarrow, plastic carton or bucket. As long as it is not going to fall to bits when watered, you can make use of it. It is important that your chosen container can drain because most plants dislike being over-watered. If the container does not have holes in it, you can make some with a drill or knitting needle, depending what the container is made out of. An inch or so of broken clay pots, gravel or pebbles in the bottom of the pot ensures good drainage, while a layer of leaf mold or ripped up paper on top of the clay or gravel can help to retain adequate moisture.
The first thing to deal with is the container. Containers should be large enough to give plants plenty of root space for healthy growth. Pots and containers that won’t fall apart when they get wet and that will also drain properly work best for organic container gardening. It might be natural, such as a clay or wooden container, or you can use an old wheelbarrow, plastic carton or bucket. It is important that your chosen container can drain because most plants dislike being over-watered. If the container does not have holes in it, you can make some with a drill or knitting needle, depending what the container is made out of. You can grow whatever you like in it, depending on the size of your chosen container.
Put your imagination to the test as just about anything that will hold soil and water can be used for organic container gardening. While some gardeners prefer to take the natural route and use pots made from clay or wood, you are really only limited by your own resourcefulness.
Although, pots and containers that won’t fall apart when they get wet and that will also drain properly work best for organic container gardening. If needed, you could always drill holes into the bottom of the container and then add about an inch or so of gravel to aid with drainage. Also, a few layers of torn newspaper or leaf mold atop the gravel will help retain water just enough to keep the soil moist as well.
Composting does not have to be hard work. Anything that was not produced or manufactured chemically can become compost. Natural wastes such as leaves, grass, bushes, flowers, animal manure and other broken down organic material are usually the components of compost. Inside the home, collect vegetable peelings, egg shells and the like and add those to your compost too. After harvesting your crop, dump the waste into your compost pile so that it can be recycled for later.
July 13 2008 | Gardening | No Comments »