Add Photo to Journal
|
|
| Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard |
| You can grow beautiful container vegetables in any sunny site. Here, gold tomatoes ripen in a pot filled with chives, Italian parsley and other herbs. |
Vegetables grown in containers are every bit as nutritious and delicious as those thriving in the ground. Paying heed to a few special requirements, you can grow most of the popular vegetables in containers on your deck, patio, balcony or rooftop.
Containers come in a variety of materials, including concrete, glazed clay pottery,
unglazed terra-cotta, stone and wood, as well as plastic and various other synthetic materials. Which to use is a matter of taste. That said, there are a few points to consider when picking the type you’d like for your garden: ● Concrete and stone planters are durable, offer insulation from overheating and are porous, but the salts that leach from concrete and other stones – like limestone or marble – can alter soil chemistry. ● Plastic pots are lightweight and economical, though they vary in durability, porosity and the ability to insulate the soil within. | Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard | | A container made of insulating material will help keep the planter from overheating. |
● Unglazed terra-cotta pots are popular because they’re moderate in weight, insulate well, very porous and economical. However, they’re also subject to drying due to evaporation (unless they’re treated with waterproof sealant before planting).
● Glazed clay pottery is light, waterproof and quite durable if handled with care. These types of pots are subject to breakage and are often less economical than other materials. ● Wood is natural, offers good insulation and is porous. Wood containers need to be sealed, though, to protect them from fungal rot.
|