Productive container gardens – Image by thomas pix
Do you want to raise some of your own herbs but have no ground to work? Think you can’t raise anything, because you live in an apartment or condo, with no private area to use for your own garden space? Well, fret no more, because you can raise herbs in containers, to create your very own prepper herb garden, in even the tiniest space!
How to Garden in Containers
If you can grow it in a garden, you can (for the most part) grow it on a patio, or in a sunny window, as long as you pay attention to both the amount of sunshine coming in, and the amount of water the plants are getting. I think my biggest problem with containers is forgetting to water, but it can be done, and you can have very productive plants with container gardening.
What Kind of Containers Work Best?
Find a container that drains well – it must have drainage holes in the bottom. (If it doesn’t already have holes, try drilling a few in there, to create a great container out of something that may not have been meant for plants initially.) Use a bit of broken crockery or flat stones to cover these holes (and keep the dirt from flowing out with the water) and place good potting soil on top. A good composted soil mixed into the commercial potting soil with time-released fertilizer works very well with container-grown plants.
When the plants are established, I begin adding a water soluble fertilizer into my water to give them a little boost. You don’t want to burn them with fertilizer, so make the solution a weak one.
Add Wheels to The Planters
I like to use the little wheeled coasters to more easily wheel around my plants, so they get the most from the sun, and natural rainfall. Plants inside can be moved into direct sunlight, or out of it in case they are happier in the shade – or outside to take advantage of a nice rain shower. Wheels and portable plant stands give you control without forcing you to pick up the heavy containers and haul them around.
Herbs and Containers
It’s easy to grow herbs in containers – Image by rfarmer
What kind of herbs work well in container-style gardens? Pretty much whatever you enjoy. You can start the herbs from seed, or buy the seedlings and transplant them. I prefer starting my herbs from seed, just because it’s so much cheaper!
Keep Your Container Herb Garden Healthy
Container gardening is a really great way to grow herbs, just make sure they don’t dry out – these delicate little plants can dry out with just a couple of really hot days, and a little inattention, so attend to your watering duties faithfully!
All in all, growing herbs in containers is easy, but you end up with such a reward – your favorite herbs, without needing a ton of space outside!
