Vegetables in potsare more and more often found on our balconies and terraces.Growing vegetables in potsis convenient because you don't need a garden to enjoy your tomatoes or salads. This method of cultivation is therefore available to many city dwellers. Learnwhat vegetables can be grown in pots , how to plant vegetables in pots and how to care for vegetables grown in pots.
Vegetables in pots can be grown on the balcony
What vegetables can be grown in pots
Growing vegetables in potsis not a natural way to grow this type of plant, so not all types of vegetables are suitable for growing in pots. It is also worth paying attention to the conditions that vegetables need for proper growth and yielding. Remember that vegetable plants do not like competition for water or nutrients. We must provide them with a substrate that will provide them with the required amount of nutrients and water in 100%, and avoid planting many vegetables in one pot, unless they are very large pots.
If we are just startinggrowing vegetables in pots , it is worth choosing vegetables that are easy to grow and do not require a lot of space. They should certainly be species that do not produce a large root system or grow too much.
Good vegetables to grow in pots are : cucumbers, courgettes, small-fruit tomatoes ( determinate varieties that do not grow too high), various types of lettuce, arugula, chives, beans, broad beans, peppers, spring onions, parsley.To this set of vegetables, it is also worth adding herbs that are easy to grow, e.g. basil, which is very aromatic and is an excellent addition to dishes with tomatoes. Strawberries and wild strawberries are also becoming more and more popular, which also feel great when growing in containers. The climbing strawberry deserves special attention, as its shoots can hang from the balcony railing. You can also try to grow exotic curiosities, such as, for example, melon nightshade, whose colorful fruits also have decorative qualities.
How to plant vegetables in pots
Plant the vegetablesfrom the seedlings in the pots. We can buy ready-made vegetable seedlings or decide to grow vegetables from seedlings on our own, sowing seeds into smaller pots and containers on the balcony or on window sills. On the window sills, we place mainly pots with seeds of thermophilic vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers, which can only be put on the balcony from the second half of May.
The principle of planting vegetables in potsis similar to that of other potted plants. At the bottom of the pots, we must put grit, gravel or expanded clay so as to make good drainage, thanks to which the vegetables will not rot from excess water. It is also mandatory to make holes in the bottom of the pot so that excess water can drain freely. The substrate that we fill the pots for vegetables should be fertile and rich in nutrients, with a pH close to neutral. We can sell ready-made soil for growing vegetables.
Once you have the pot with the substrate ready, you can start planting vegetables. Here you should remember not toplant too many vegetables in one potVegetables like space and do not like competition, so let's follow the rule that fewer vegetables in one pot give a greater and better quality yield. For example, in the case of zucchini, it is enough to plant one in a large pot, which will guarantee us large vegetables, the same can be done with a cucumber.
The size of the pot is very important when growing vegetablesThe pot must not be too small. For example, for tomatoes, the minimum diameter of the pot is 25-40 cm (depending on the growth of a given variety), and the depth - 20 cm. Similarly, cucumbers on the balcony should be grown in pots with a capacity of 10-20 liters (only 1 plant is planted in such a pot), while peppers on the balcony require pots with a capacity of 5-10 liters.But, for example, in the case of lettuce or chives, we can plant several plants in one oblong balcony box. Here, let's follow the requirements of vegetables as to the spacing in traditional cultivation on flower beds (this information is usually found on the seed packages).
An interesting wayto plant vegetables in potsis to plant the seedlings directly in a plastic bag with soil. Especially lettuces grow well under such conditions. Cut holes in the bag with a knife and insert the seedling into them. Just remember not to make the holes too dense.The bottom of the bag can be punctured in several places so that the excess water has a place to drain away. The plastic bag, while heating up, will additionally heat the roots, which will accelerate the growth of vegetables.
How to care for vegetables in pots
Caring for potted vegetablesshould be, above all, regular. Due to the limited amount of soil in the pot, vegetables grown in this way are particularly vulnerable to nutrient deficiency and overdrying. That is whywatering vegetables in potsshould be very frequent, and on hot days even everyday. Remember, however, that the vegetables do not stand in the water and let's drain the excess water remaining in the stands under the pots. It is best to use stagnant water for watering. For this purpose, the bucket or watering can, after filling with tap water, should be left for at least one day. During this time, any chlorine will evaporate from the tap water, and the water temperature will adjust to the ambient temperature (we will avoid the common mistake of watering with too cold water).
It should also be regularfertilizing vegetables in potsWe use liquid fertilizers, which are diluted once a week with water for irrigation. They can be mineral fertilizers for vegetables, although it is much safer and he althier to use only natural fertilizers, such as e.g. biohumus, in potted vegetable cultivation. Usually, compared to growing vegetables in flower beds, fertilizers are used more often, but in smaller doses.
The same applies to spraying against diseases and pests - due to the proximity of our apartments, let's try to rely only on natural preparations, let's use ecological plant protection products that are non-toxic to humans. In terms of diseases and pests, the plants should be looked after regularly and immediately remove parts of plants or whole plants with symptoms of disease so that the infection does not spread to the remaining pots with vegetables.Vegetables in potson the balcony we have at hand, so even daily supervision of such a crop is not a problem.Thanks to this, we can act immediately after detecting a disease or pest. If weeds start to grow in the pots, remove them immediately. We do it gently so as not to damage the roots of the vegetables.
