Easy-Grow Veggies for Potted Gardens: Unleash an Early Crop with These 3 Vegetables
In the spirit of spring, it's time to get your hands dirty and start growing a container vegetable garden. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a novice, this guide will provide you with all the essential information to get started.
Laura Walters, a Content Editor with a background in documentary filmmaking, local news, and a BFA in Electronic Media from the University of Cincinnati, has joined us to share her gardening expertise. With a certificate in Writing for Television from UCLA, Laura has transformed her passion for gardening into a career, providing gardeners with all the know-how they need to succeed in an easy and entertaining format.
To begin, you'll need a watering can, pots, potting soil specifically designed for container vegetables (as it is light and drains well), and seeds.
Let's start with lettuce. Plant lettuce seeds four weeks before the last frost, sowing them 0.25 (0.6 cm.) inches deep. Thin the seedlings to six inches apart and start fertilizing plants with a water-soluble fertilizer two to four weeks after planting. Lettuce can germinate at temperatures as low as 35 F (1.6 C).
Next, let's move on to onions. Plant onion seeds by poking holes in the soil with your finger or a pencil, and sow them 0.25 to 0.5 inches (0.6-1.2 cm.) deep. Onion seeds can germinate at temperatures as low as 35 F (1.6 C). Plant onions as soon as the ground is workable, typically six to eight weeks before the last frost. Once seedlings emerge, thin them out, leaving the healthiest onions three inches apart.
When it comes to carrots, the soil should be at least twice as deep as your carrots are long, and seeds should be planted 0.5 (1.2 cm.) inches deep. Carrots need at least 40 F (4.4 C) to germinate. Carrots should be planted two to four weeks before the last frost. After carrot seedlings sprout, thin them to two inches apart. Break up any clumps in the potting soil, especially for carrots, to prevent misshapen growth.
Remember, the average last frost date can be found by learning about your local growing zone. Keep container-grown carrot plants in a sunny spot and water often. If it gets below freezing, pull containers close to your house.
Laura Walters, who lives in Southwest Ohio and spends her summers on a lake in Northern Michigan, loves providing gardeners with all the know-how they need to succeed in an easy and entertaining format. She has been gardening for ten years and has a rustic (overcrowded) vegetable patch on a piece of land up north.
For a successful spring container vegetable garden, choose a short variety like Little Finger or Short 'n Sweet. Cover the seeds with soil, lightly pat to make sure there are no large air pockets, and water them to help them sprout.
So, roll up your sleeves, and let's get gardening! Happy spring, and happy growing!
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