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How to Create a Summer
Salad Container
Garden
by Rachael
of KitchenCourses.com
"When I think of summer, I think of fresh produce and leisurely walks around my farmer's market. I love heading out to my local farmer's market to select the brightest salad greens and juiciest tomatoes for my summer salads. But what's better than going to the market to get some of the freshest ingredients? Going out my door to my patio to find just what I need! I recently planted my own container garden so that I have just a few less things to pick up at the market each week, and a little more to be excited about all summer long! You can grow a garden full of flowers that are pretty to look at, but even better, you can grow a garden full of fresh vegetables that you can eat! In even the smallest of spaces (I'm using two 12-inch diameter pots!), you can make a container garden grow. Here's a step-by-step guide on how you can set up your own summer salad container garden that's perfect for any small space:
1. DETERMINE
WHAT AND HOW MUCH YOU'D LIKE TO GROW.
- Think up the ingredients you
know you love to eat over and over. Choose from ingredients like these or
brainstorm some others that you'd like to plant for your summer salad
container garden:
- Lettuces: various types, like
romaine, butter crunch, green or red leaf
- Tomatoes: various types, like
Roma, cherry, or hot house
- Bell peppers: various colors,
each offering different nutrients
- Jalapenos: for some heat!
- Scallions (also called green
onions)
- Radishes
- Carrots
- Herbs: various types, like
basil, thyme, mint, or parsley
- You'll want to plant more of
the ingredients that you know you'll be harvesting more often, so there is
always time for them to re-grow. Decide how many and which ingredients
you'd like to plant.
2. STRATEGIZE
HOW MUCH SPACE YOU'LL NEED AND HOW THE PLANTS WILL BE CONFIGURED.
- When you're working in a
small space, planting strategically is important. You don't want to take
up more room than you have to, and you want to be sure you're giving each
vegetable enough room to grow and thrive in its container. A few ways to
do this are:
- Vary the height in the
containers. When using a circular planter, plant those that will grow the
tallest in the center and scale down in size from there. When planting in
a box or rectangle planter, plant the tallest plants near the back of the
container and scale down in plant size from back to front. This will
create visual interest and ensure that the smaller plants still have a
chance to get some sunlight.
- Don't crowd too many plants
in too tightly into a container. When you select your vegetable plants,
the packaging will indicate how far apart they should be planted, so use
that as a guide before getting into the dirt.
- Plant according to sunlight
requirements. If a few of your plants need sunlight for 6 hours a day, and
others need less, plant according to how much sun they need, so none get
over-sunned and none are under-sunned. You can keep one container in the
sunnier spots and the other away or tucked under shade, if necessary.
3. HEAD OUT TO
THE STORE TO SELECT YOUR PLANTS, CONTAINERS, AND SOIL.
- I like to choose plants that
have already been “started,” which means someone else has made sure the
seeds aren't duds and that as long as I take care of them, they'll do
pretty well. I like doing it this way, because I personally don't always
have a green thumb for planting, but if you have ultimate confidence in
your gardening - don't be afraid to start with seeds! When I do choose
plant starters, I like to get organic ones that haven't been “helped
along” with any chemicals. Be sure to check the plant before you purchase
it, choose only plants that look fresh, have firm leaves, and don't look
too wilted or damaged. You can nurse some plants back to health, but
others may have been through a little too much to bring home. Use your
best judgment. Choose containers that are large enough to hold all the
plants you wish to grow and allow for adequate space between them.
Remember to read the tags on the plants or seed packets to know how much
space they need and what to expect in terms of height and spread. Also
look for pots that will supply your vegetables with proper drainage. You
can find planters with holes in the bottom or with a separate tray
underneath to catch any extra water runoff. Select a soil that is organic,
has no chemical additives, and will help your plants grow naturally! There
are so many soils out there that will “guarantee” that your plants will
grow to be big and huge, but you want them to grow naturally, not mammoth
sized and flavorless! Remember whatever that plant is grown in will be part
of what you put in your body.
4. POT YOUR
PLANTS, GIVE THEM A GOOD WATER, AND NURTURE NURTURE NURTURE!
- Once you have everything home
- it's time to get your hands dirty! Fill about ⅔ of your pot with soil,
then place your plants out where you plan to pot them. This will give you
a nice visualization as to what it will look like once it's completed, and
allow you to make any last minute changes, if necessary. Remove the plants
from their containers, give the roots a bit of a massage, and place them
in the soil. Surround the plants with more soil until the tops of the
roots are covered completely. Water your completed summer salad container
garden and remember to keep up the watering, as indicated on the tags that
came with the plants! Putting together a summer salad container garden can
be a simple weekend project that results in delicious and fresh salads
almost every night of the week! What can be more fulfilling than growing
and eating your own garden vegetables? Happy growing (and eating)!"
Rachael is the blogger behind
KitchenCourses.com and is the author of How to Cook For Yourself and Kick
Start Your Kitchen. She writes about her passion for food, eating well while saving money, and inspires
people to get familiar with their kitchens and cook for themselves.
Source Articles & Image : http://tasteforhealthy.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-to-create-summer-salad-container.html
