Container Gardening: Great Results for Busy People

For producing a bountiful harvest with the least effort and time, container gardening and raised bed gardening are the best answer.

I differentiate between container gardening and raised bed gardening.  Container gardening is focused on growing in enclosed pots and containers such as flower pots, tubs, and even Earthboxes.  Raised bed gardens are built up from the ground but are open to the soil below.  I make this difference because container gardens are limited by the contents of the pot.  Once they are used up, the plant becomes stressed, stunted and quits growing and producing.  Because of this, constant watering and feeding (ie. constant care) are required of all container plants.  On the other hand, raised beds have more soil and the plants can even make use of the topsoil below the raised bed.  It's the best of both worlds, the benefits of less weeding and care of container gardening, and the increased production potential of ground-planted gardens.

Many people have been disappointed with their container gardens; both in the quantity and quality of the fruit, as well and the constant watering during summer months.  I can grow tomatoes in almost any size pot, but it takes constant watering and feeding.

There are over 40 tomatoes on this plant growing in a lick tub!

Hanging Basket with Two 3/4 Lb. Tomatoes

It is my opinion, raised beds are the best choice for those wanting the grow a good amount of vegetables but don't want or have time to plow, weed, and care for an in-ground garden.  From my experience, several 4x4 foot raise beds and add a good deal of food for the entire family.

Earthbox, 4x4 Raised Bed, Tub Tomato, Wire Trellis

The picture above shows several different type of container gardening options.  The Earthbox (shown in front) has a water reservoir in the bottom that eliminates much water and can be used to provide a constant liquid fertilizer charge.  The raised bed is built out of recycled lumber.  It contains 8 pepper plants, and a row of cantaloup and a cucumber plant.  The cantaloups and cucumbers are trained up the wire trellis maximizing space and minimizing care.  On the left of the raised bed, is a tub tomato.  At this point, I had already harvested a half dozen tomatoes, all of which were over 3/4 lb.  The tomato is tied to the trellis for support.

The raised bed in the background is planted with pole beans, bush beans, onions and a squash plant.