Start Small

Growing a vegetable garden doesn’t require acres. A patch large enough to grow a few rows of tomatoes and some green beans will suffice.

Consider your region’s last and first frost dates and plant according to the instructions on seed packets.

Tomatoes are popular vegetables to cultivate in container gardens. Select compact bush types of tomatoes like Roma or Glacier for buckets. Vining tomatoes like Sun Gold or Cherokee Purple will not thrive as well. For a 5-gallon bucket, cultivate one plant and stabilize it with a stake. Take advantage of the mobility and move the tomatoes into full sun for at least six to eight hours.

Peppers are similar to tomatoes in that the bush varieties perform better in pots. Bell peppers and chili peppers are great for buckets since they like well-draining soil, which is more easily controlled in this environment. Be sure the bucket has holes in the bottom and consider adding an inch or two of pea gravel at the base to keep the roots of peppers from rotting.

Invest in a 5-gallon bucket for eggplants. They are heavy vegetables and need significant support, so a larger bucket will foster stronger root development. Eggplants enjoy full sun and moist soil, so be sure to water them well and place them in a sunny spot on the patio.

Potatoes are also nightshades and grow well in containers. They require a process called hilling to thrive. Fill the bottom of a container with about 4 inches of soil, place the seed potatoes in, then lightly cover with additional soil. As the plant grows above 6 inches, add more soil to the top, always making sure about one-third is covered.

Source: housedigest.com