Organic gardening isn’t only for farmers or people who have backyards - it can also be done using containers.
Organic vegetable gardening containers have advantages. You can use your garden as décor on your balcony or patio. If the weather gets too cold outside, you can bring it indoors. But best of all, you don’t have to deal with certain threats that can happen outdoors like weeds, insects or soil borne diseases.
Image via WikipediaOrganic vegetable gardening containers typically do not use soil. You need to use
potting mix
that is much lighter and provides excellent drainage. You'll also need to use organic fertilizer though to help it grow, such as mulch that can be made from chipped bark, garden compost, leaf moulds and manure. Not only does this fertilize your garden, but it also helps keep it from drying out.
Another thing your container plants will need is a lot of water. Ideally, you should add this in small amounts at least 30 minutes after an initial watering because putting in too much could drown your plant. If the container that you purchased does not have any holes in the bottom, make a few before adding your growing matter and planting.
The containers can either be hung from a railing or overhang, or set on the ground, depending on their size and what you will be planting in them.
You may be asking, “What are the ideal vegetables to be planted in these containers?” Lots of veggies do well in containers, but to give you an idea, some good choices are bush beans, peppers, carrots, eggplant, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach, strawberries, and tomatoes. (Potatoes can also do well, though there are some special considerations to growing them this way.)
You know that organically grown vegetables need sunlight, so they do best with some outside exposure. If you have a lot of these containers and it is very windy outside, you can protect them from falling by grouping these together with the taller ones as your "walls".
Image via WikipediaThe best organic vegetable gardening containers are those made from clay, plastic or wood. The length of the roots and its width is the deciding factor when choosing what size container you will buy. For instance, if your vegetable happens to have 6 inches of roots and grows to about 10 inches wide, it is best to get a container that measures 8 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches wide. (You should always give room for allowance as some may grow bigger than it says on the container or seed package.)
We mentioned earlier that one of the advantages of the organic container garden is that you don’t have to deal with insects. But sometimes, bugs like the hookworm manage to get to your plant. If this happens, just bring the container to the sink (or hose) and wash the leaves. Should there be slugs, get rid of them by sprinkling
diatomaceous earth on the soil.
If there are aphids on your vegetables, fight fire with fire by getting other insects to do the dirty work. A pack of
ladybugs will do the trick without causing any collateral damage.
Organic vegetable container container gardening makes it possible for those without a backyard to have the chance to plant their own crops at home. This is ideal for residents living in condos and apartments so they can save money to pay for rent or buy other things when the sustenance they need is just sitting by the balcony or window.
If you want to try it, go ahead and ask someone at the gardening store for some help to get you started. Or check out
http://www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html, or some of the helpful resources below.
Organic Container Gardening Resources:
Image via WikipediaThere are many commercial helpers you can buy to make germinating seeds an easy project, such as peat pellets that come with a miniature hot house require nothing more than adding water to the seed and peat and covering with the supplied lid. (Personally I love these - you can buy package of about 20 of the compacted ones for less than $2.00, and when the plants get big enough, you can pop the whole thing right in the ground without disturbing the roots, which causes a minimum of stress on the new seedling. See below for examples.) But if you don't want to buy such things, really all you need are some water, high-quality soil, sunlight and time.
Image by Aunt Owwee via FlickrAlthough many parts of the country are still in the winter season, spring is coming, as evidenced by the longer days, and warmer sunshine, and I, for one, can't wait! If you're anything like me, you've already begun to plan your spring and summer gardens, and you may already be looking at seed catalogs, ordering supplies for starting seeds indoors, and other early garden preparations.
Image by Strata Chalup via Flickr2. www.mzbulb.com
Image by Jonathan D. Blundell via FlickrIf you are pruning a branch off of a plant that is diseased (with fungus) it is very important to disinfect your pruning shears after using them. If you do not, and continue to prune your healthy plants there is a chance the fungus will spread to your other plants. A solution of bleach and water will kill the unwanted organisms nicely.
Image by Gardening in a Minute via FlickrAs plants grow so do their root systems. If your plant isn’t thriving or you notice that the roots are visible around the outside of the pot, your plant is most likely root bound. It is important to transplant the plant to a larger pot. Once you have chosen one and have prepared it for the plant very gently loosen the roots on the outside of the root ball. Then put the plant in the middle of the new pot surrounding it with new potting soil.
Image via WikipediaThe same species of plant that is grown indoors or outdoors will have different fertilizing needs. Plants that are grown indoors will not need as much fertilizer as the ones grown outside. The rate of growth is slower indoors and you can harm your plant by over-fertilizing it. 
Image via WikipediaMany families have grown up with an aloe vera plant in the kitchen. This succulent plant is great for indoor gardening as it is hardy and easy to care for. Moreover, they are great for skin care and minor cuts and burns that can happen in the kitchen while cooking. To use as a first aid item, cut a portion of one of the leaves and squeeze the inner gel onto the hurt area. With repeated use, the aloe vera will aid in healing and sooth the pain.
Image via WikipediaChildren will love to grow their own vegetables and maybe even eat them once they are ready. Buy each child a large container that is theirs to take care of and let them pick the type of vegetable they want to grow. The easiest vegetables to grow indoors are carrots, tomatoes, and radishes. There are a wide variety of tomatoes that you can grow from beefsteak to cherry tomato.
Image via WikipediaMost composts go dormant in the winter months and start-up again with the spring thaw and warmer temperatures. But if you live in a milder climate that does not get harsh winters, there is a way to continue to compost during the winter months.
Image via WikipediaThe spring and fall are the best times to collect leaves to start a new compost bin. In the spring, the leaves you collect have already started to decompose as they stayed wet and insulated throughout the winter. It doesn’t matter though if you collect your leaves in either season – they are the perfect base for a new compost pile. If you are using dry leaves from the fall, consider putting them through a chipper of some kind. If they are smaller and already cut up it will aid in the whole composting system.
Image by blackeiffel via Flickr3. Some herbs are very aggressive growers, and can be very invasive in your regular garden. Confining them to pots helps prevent them from taking over where you don't want them to.
Image via WikipediaOrganic vegetable gardening containers typically do not use soil. You need to use potting mix
Image via WikipediaThe best organic vegetable gardening containers are those made from clay, plastic or wood. The length of the roots and its width is the deciding factor when choosing what size container you will buy. For instance, if your vegetable happens to have 6 inches of roots and grows to about 10 inches wide, it is best to get a container that measures 8 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches wide. (You should always give room for allowance as some may grow bigger than it says on the container or seed package.) 
