I got this idea back a year ago from my son. He was always talking about having a garden and being able to grow our own food. He has since moved away and tried to have gardens where he lived, but it never worked out for him since he was too busy, and moving around. So I decided to give it a try.
I searched online for how to go about this since I didn’t want to be on my hands and knees and digging up the back yard. I started with a college extension program that is close by. I visited their website and decided that I should use information for a growing season similar to our area, which is Southeastern USA. I began surfing and collecting information rapidly. I printed out information and started a notebook and read all that I could.
I searched online for how to go about this since I didn’t want to be on my hands and knees and digging up the back yard. I started with a college extension program that is close by. I visited their website and decided that I should use information for a growing season similar to our area, which is Southeastern USA. I began surfing and collecting information rapidly. I printed out information and started a notebook and read all that I could.
In early March of 2012 I stumbled on "container gardening". That really interested me. We have a patio that seemed like it would do for a garden full of "pots". Next I went to Amazon and looked for a book or two on container gardening. I found Edward C. Smith's book and I ordered it: "The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible:How to Grow a Bounty of Food in Pots, Tubs & Other Containers".
As soon as the book came, I started planning my patio garden, gathering up all my unused pots and getting ideas. My husband went under our house and found anything that could be used for my garden, along with old tomato stakes and such. Then we made a trip to Wal-Mart & Lowes.
I told my son what I was planning, and he reminded me that he had purchased heirloom seeds and were in his room somewhere. I found them and thought I would give them a try even though they were a year out of date.
I told my son what I was planning, and he reminded me that he had purchased heirloom seeds and were in his room somewhere. I found them and thought I would give them a try even though they were a year out of date.
One important idea in Richard Smith's book was to use purchased garden soil with fertilizer in it. So on our trips to Wal-Mart & Lowes, we bought soil, more inexpensive containers and seeds. In addition to those, I also purchased online 2 raised bed frames and the neatest 50 ft. coil hose and nozzle. It was a great find! It was cheap, and probably won't last long, but I love it. I ordered it from The Lakeside Collection.
Now I considered myself fairly knowledgeable and ready to start preparing my pots. I gathered up a few of the old pots with the new pots I purchased, then I listed all the pots and made a chart with what vegetables I wanted to plant in the pots. About half of my plants were to be started from seed and the other half would be from small established plants.
Plants:
2 Red Better Boy Tomatos
1 Red Pepper
3 Yellow Pear Tomatos
9 Brussel Sprouts
5 Raspberrys
Plants from seed:
Spinach
Lettuce
Pole Beans
Yellow Corn
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
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