Gardening in Small Spaces

plants in potsThese days, Valley homes have smaller yards, which means less space for gardens. And for folks in apartments, having a garden seems like an impossible dream. If you grow a garden in a container, though, you can grow almost anything, almost anywhere. All you need is water, sun and afternoon shade.

One of my favorite container gardens is a hydro-garden. In this garden, plants grow in a solution of water and fertilizer. And the yields are unbelievable!

In the hydro-garden, water and nutrients recirculate around the roots of plants. Contact Sea of Green in Tempe for additional information on hydro-gardening.

If you would like to try standard container gardening, just choose a container (5 gallons or larger) with good drainage. Always use lightweight soil in your container gardens. If you would like to make your own, try mixing equal parts peat moss, vermulite, perlite and a dash of compost.

This mix is ideal for creating the proper drainage needed for your garden.

Regular fertilization is also important. At least once each week, I mix 1 cup fish emulsion, 1 cup liquid seaweed, 1 teaspoon molasses and 3 gallons of water and fertilize my plants.

When it comes to watering your container gardens, the best thing you can do is use sodium-free water (i.e. distilled water). If you can only use regular water, make sure some of it drains out of the bottom of the container to flush out the salts. (Too much salt will eventually kill the plant.)

In terms of plants, I recommend that container gardeners plant anything other than deep-rooted vegetables like carrots.


Dave Owens the Garden Guy
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