Gardening Boxes

Introduction:

Gardening is one of summer’s greatest pleasures, well, maybe next to boating. Digging up the backyard may not be every ones idea of fun. Gardening in gardening boxes is a simpler way to add decoration and vegetation to your deck, porch, balcony, or windows. Gardening in boxes doesn't mean you're limited to choosing which vegetable you want to plant. The suggestions and ideas below will illustrate just how unlimited your choices are.

Potting a vegetable plant in gardening boxes is just like planting the plant in the garden. Moisten the soil before you remove the plant from the container. Then tip the container upside down and let the root ball slide out of the container. Do not pull the plant from the soil, as roots can easily be torn or damaged.

The biggest benefit to gardening boxes is that your plants are portable. When the plants are looking their best you can place them where they will attract the most attention such as on the patio or deck. You can easily move them to a window as a window box or to a different location when they need more or less sun. If early frost comes you can bring them inside to protect them from freezing.

Planting vegetables or flowers in garden boxes is a great way to enjoy the pleasures of planting without the physical strain if you have difficulty getting down on your hands and knees. Just place on a table while you work and you can stand or sit while tending to your plants.

Vegetation Varieties:

The difficult part of gardening in boxes is choosing the vegetables you want to plant. In making a choice consider what grows best in your zone. If you are a gourmet cook you can pick and choose from a long list of vegetables to use in your favorite recipes to include a variety of herbs such as rosemary, dill, chives, or mint. Hearty vegetables you may want to consider are tomatoes, celery, and potatoes. You are only limited by your imagination.

Depth of Boxes:

Gardening boxes and container boxes have come a long way from the terra-cotta containers Recycled barrels such as whisky barrels have an attractive appearance and will last for years. Heavy concrete pots have a more classic touch but are more difficult to move around. You can use a much lighter material for your boxes such as plastic.

The most important factor is choosing a box is that it has depth. Some plants need just a few inches of soil to grow properly, others need much more such as sweet potatoes and tomatoes require about ten inches of soil. Recycled five gallon plastic buckets are a good option for vegetables that need a lot of depth. Whichever type of container you choose it must have sufficient drainage. Insure each container has adequate drain holes and put an inch of gravel or crushed stone in the bottom to help drainage.

Care of your plants:

All plants require a proper amount of care. Vegetables grown in boxes or other containers depend heavily on you for proper light, water, and nutrients. Follow the planting directions on type of soil, fertilizer, sunlight, and watering. Your local nursery or greenhouse can be a great source for gardening advice.

With the proper care your garden boxes will continue to produce vegetables well after the normal growing season. When the weather begins to cool just move them inside. It is much easier to do your gardening in boxes than the standard vegetable garden where you have to crawl around on your hands and knees, not to mention fighting off the wild critters that like your vegetables as much as you do.

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