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GARDENING

PLOT A POT FOR PICKING

• When growing in a container, you can use just about anything that holds dirt and has drainage holes in the bottom.

  • Hanging baskets work well for cherry tomatoes or strawberries.

  • A 10-inch-wide pot is perfect for lettuce or radishes.

  • Use a 5-gallon plastic bucket for a tomato or pepper plant.

  • A 55-gallon food-grade plastic barrel, cut in half, will make two huge planters. Remember that adequate soil depth is important for developing a strong, healthy root system in a container.

  • Lettuce, spinach, beans, and round beets need 6 inches of soil depth.

  • Carrots, peas, and peppers need 8 inches.

  • Eggplant, squash, and cucumbers need 10 inches.

  • Tomatoes need 12 inches.

• BASIC POTTING SOIL RECIPE

• 1 bucket (10 quarts) peat moss*

• ½ bucket (5 quarts) perlite

• ½ bucket (5 quarts) vermiculite

• ½ bucket (5 quarts) screened compost or composted cow manure

• 2 cups fine sand

• 2 cups pelleted time-release fertilizer

• ½ cup lime (to counter the acid of peat and keep the pH level near neutral)*

Mix thoroughly. Makes enough to fill two 14-inch tubs or four 12-inch hanging baskets. Double or triple the recipe for bigger containers.

*Because the use of peat can be considered non–environmentally friendly, you may wish to substitute coco coir for the peat moss, using roughly the same amount. If you use coco coir instead of peat, leave out the lime or your soil will be too basic. Coco coir has an almost-neutral pH, while peat is more acidic; lime is used to counter the peat.

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