Growing your own fruits and veggies is convenient, helps you save money, and omits unnecessary pesticides from your diet. Which leads us to believe that gardening fresh foods is the healthiest way to consume natural nourishment.
Because of that last statement, we’ve decided to go all-out with planting this year. A strawberry plant here, a tomato pot there. We’re going to grab ahold of anything the local nursery is offering – so long as we have the appropriate growing environment in our front and back yards.
Join us for the journey! Choose whatever path you see fit for your personal circumstances. Just be sure to grab a few pots, dirt, fertilizer, seeds, and whatever else necessary. While you’re here, checkout the easiest fruits and veggies to grow in a pot, as beginners.
Lettuce
As a veggie, lettuce may mislead you into thinking that it can’t grow in a pot – but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
All a lettuce plant needs is 6-8 inches to thrive. Which means you can, in fact, sow and plant seeds in a pot.
For optimum growth, we suggest growing this delicate vegetable in cool temperatures, like those present in the spring and fall. If you choose to grow it in the summer, be sure to put the pot in a spot that gets enough shade throughout the day to be considered ‘cool.’
Strawberries
Strawberry picking is definitely a fav pastime of ours, but what if we told you that you could relive that awesome childhood memory right in your backyard?
The reason for that being… You can easily plant these beautiful berries in pots, barrels, tiered planters, and hanging baskets. All it needs is 3-4 inches of dirt and the proper nutrients to produce.
Additional tips to factor into your strawberry gardening: Add a layer of mulch to the top of the soil, avoid planting berries in dark containers, bury the roots as deep as you can in the soil, and ensure adequate drainage to omit soggy soil.
Sweet Peppers
According to CL, sweet peppers are ‘sun-worshippers.’ So when sowing and planting, ensure that these babies get maximum exposure to the big, bright, yellow thing in the sky.
Another tip worthy of knowing: They grow great in pots! You just have to keep some of these tips in mind to ensure they turn out delicious:
- Make sure there are drainage holes in your pot
- Put saucers under the pot to catch any leftover water
- Choose compost that’s good quality and peat-free… Feed weekly!
Tomatoes
Tomatoes may be easy to grow outdoors in a pot, but you better make sure the pot is large enough! We highly recommend at least a 10-gallon one, and while you’re at it, make sure you water it well.
You see, tomatoes prosper in a watery environment. That’s why a lot of people choose to purchase a self-water container to ensure consistent watering.
Reminder: One tomato plant per container to avoid overcrowding.
Potatoes
Saving the best for last… Potatoes! These scrumptious carbohydrates are super simple to work with and grow, especially in pots.
Things you need to know before getting started:
- Place soil, implant 2-3 seed potatoes, then cover with more soil.
- Place the pot in a very sunny area (the more sun, the better growth you’ll get).
Always water well. - To harvest, empty the contents of the pot onto the grass and pick the potatoes out from the soil.