April gardening, even when you don't have a plot

In May, the soil warms up enough to support our late spring crops, and with a little protection and a watchful eye on the weather, we can begin planting. Be sure not to plant the following crops too soon: green beans and pole beans go in the ground in May. The cucurbits, like zucchini, pumpkins, cucumbers and melons seeds can be planted in late May. Transplants of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant are also ready to be planted in late May.

Growing vegetables can happen any place there is a minimum of six to eight hours of sunlight a day. This could be in containers, in a raised bed, mixed in with the foundation plantings around your home, in perennials and annual beds, or on a deck or patio. Let’s dissect why and how we might grow vegetables in these different situations.

Raised beds — The advantage to growing in raised beds is three-fold. One: Soil in a raised bed warms up quicker in the spring. This allows for earlier planting of seeds. Two: Drainage in a raised bed is typically better. Water drains quicker and reduces the potential for seeds rotting in the soil. Three: Raised beds are so easy to manage. From adding compost, avoiding compaction of the soil by not walking on it, easily covering crops for insect control or frost protection, a 4-by-8-foot raised bed can grow lots of food and is small enough to scout for insects and diseases, manage weeds, and very easy to harvest.

Containers — Today there are many cultivars of vegetables that have been developed particularly for this purpose, growing in containers. When considering this way of growing, the first thing to plan is the container itself. Clay dries out quickly. Particular attention to watering must occur in the heat of the summer. Remember these plants are needing six to eight hours of sunlight so between the porous pot and the sun, plants can wilt quickly. Wilted plants mean weaker plants, and weaker plants allow for more pests and disease to attack.

Glazed containers, like decorative ceramics, are a better choice than clay if watering is as issue. But expense of those pots is not often practical. Plastic pots seem to be one of the most affordable materials for containers and hold water much better than clay. Other materials may include fabric bags, buckets, erosion control socks, and wooden boxes. The options are almost endless. But when choosing a container, be sure it is manageable, affordable, and big enough to grow the veggies you want.

Most any crops can be grown in containers. We just need to be sure that when determining the type of material, the pots are made of, we also must be sure our pots are large enough to support the plant we are growing. I often grow cherry tomatoes in a large pot on my deck because they drop their fruit and reseed the following year so much that on a deck, that problem is non-existent. The size of container I use is a 24-inch plastic pot. This seems to be large enough to support that one tomato plant throughout the summer.

Salad greens are very easy to grow in containers (and April is a great time to do this), as are beans, cabbage and kale, and some cultivars of zucchini. Once you begin to do a little research on vegetables for container gardening, you will be amazed at the choices available. Just be sure that you don’t under-estimate the size of the pots for the plants. Although the plant may seem small when planting it in an 18-inch or 24-inch pot, it will need all that space as it begins to mature and produce fruit.

Soil for containers is also unique to growing in the ground. Compost and a soilless potting mix are a good combination for containers. It drains well and holds moisture well. Don’t use garden soil as it dries out too quickly and becomes hard as a rock, as well as carries soil-borne diseases and insects that can become a problem in a container.

When growing in containers, be aware of nutrition needs of the vegetable plants. Using slow-release fertilizers are a good choice for this purpose. Veggies are needy, from nutrition to water, container growing adds a little extra attention. However, weeding isn’t an issue like it is in the ground. That’s always a good thing!

What if there is no space for a garden, and no patio or spot to put containers? How about mixing vegetables in with your other plants, maybe in front of the shrubs, or mixed in with perennial or annual beds? This can add texture to your beds, and interesting combinations as well. Growing gourds on a trellis can be quite interesting in a perennial garden. Or a grouping of kale along the front walkway can add texture to your entrance that you may not get from any other plant. How about planting some purple bush beans as an edging in front of the shrubs. The color will be interesting, and I’ll bet no one else in the neighborhood will have the same annual plants!

Enjoy the season; get started on that garden and reap the benefits of your hard work by providing fresh veggies on your table!

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