Plant a Container Veggie Garden from Seed

Growing your own food isn't just for people with big back yards. By planting in containers, you can grow an abundant and nutritious harvest right on your porch or deck, all from a few inexpensive packets of seeds.

Containers and Soil

Almost any container can be used for growing vegetables, as long as it has drainage holes that allow water to freely flow through the pot. Small-rooted veggies, such as lettuce, radishes, spinach, and many herbs, thrive in as little as 6 inches of soil depth. Larger root crops like carrots and medium-sized plants like peppers and eggplant require larger containers. And big plants like most tomato and squash varieties do best in containers that hold four to five gallons of soil.

Use fresh potting soil or a soil-less mix formulated for container growing. Commercial mixes balance water holding capacity with good drainage, both of which are essential for healthy plant growth. Plus they're less likely to harbor fungi, bacteria, insects, or weed seeds than garden soil.

The Best Location

Fruiting crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash, and eggplant need at least six hours of direct sun a day, so if access to full sun is limited, save it for those crops. Leafy crops, like lettuce and spinach, and most herbs can get along with part sun. In general, when it comes to growing vegetables, the more sun the better. Make sure there's a source of water nearby, too, since containers can dry out quickly on hot, sunny days.

What to Grow

Some of the best and easiest crops to grow from seed are beans, beets, carrots, chard, cucumbers, kale, lettuce, radishes, spinach, and zucchini. Look for varieties described as suitable for growing in containers. Often, these are "bush" varieties that grow into compact, shrubby plants rather than forming long vines. Follow the planting instructions on the packet, especially planting depth. Once the plants are up and growing, be sure to thin seedlings to the recommended spacing by removing extra plants. Thinning is a ruthless task but the remaining plants will be much more productive.

Ongoing Care

Vegetables growing in containers need consistently moist — but not soggy — soil and regular fertilizer applications for best production. Once plants begin producing, harvest regularly to encourage plants to continue growing and producing. Enjoy the healthful harvest knowing you've growing it yourself, all from seed.

The EZfromSEED Web site shows you everything you need to know about growing plants from seed. It's brought to you by the Home Garden Seed Association (HGSA), an international group of seed producers and seed packet companies committed to supporting home gardening success, specifically through the use of seeds.

Content provided by the National Gardening Association: www.garden.org | www.kidsgardening.org