Vegetable Gardening in Containers（蔬菜园艺容器）.pdf

E-545 3-09 Vegetable Gardening in Containers Joseph G. Masabni* If your vegetable gardening is limited by insufficient space or an unsuitable area, consider raising fresh, nutritious, homegrown vegeta- bles in containers. A window sill, a patio, a balcony or a doorstep will provide sufficient space for a productive mini-garden. Problems with soilborne diseases, nematodes or poor soil conditions can be easily overcome by switching to a container garden. Ready access to con- tainers means that pest management is easier. Container vegetable gardening is a sure way to introduce children to the joys and rewards of vegetable gardening. * Assistant Professor and Extension Horticulturist, The Texas AM System Crop Selection Almost any vegetable that will grow in a typical backyard garden will also do well as a container-grown plant. Vegetables that are ideally suited for growing in containers include tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, green onions, beans, lettuce, squash, radishes and parsley. Pole beans and cucumbers also do well in this type of garden, but they do require consider- ably more space because of their vining growth habit. Variety selection is extremely important. Most varieties that will do well when planted in a yard garden will also do well in containers. Some varieties of selected vegetables which are ideally suited for these mini-gardens are indicated in Table 1. Small fruited tomato varieties make excellent hanging baskets. Table 1. Varieties for Container Grow