September 2010

Buckets of Fun

Container Gardens for Fall Veggies

By Justine Ickes

"Eat your veggies! Just try one bite, please." Sound familiar? Getting picky eaters to try new foods is a perennial parenting challenge. Helping children make the connection between what's on their plate and where that food comes from is even trickier. The good news is that gardening is on the rise, especially with families eager to raise environmentally aware children. According to The Impact of Home and Community Gardening in America, a survey conducted by the National Gardening Association, 43 million households planned to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs or berries in 2009. But with autumn almost upon us, you might think it's too late to start a garden. Not so. Plant now and your family can still enjoy fresh produce right up to the first frost. Even better, you don't have to plow acres to get these benefits. Follow these simple steps to create your own fall vegetable container garden:

Step 1: Decide what you would like to grow. Are you hoping to grow warm season vegetables, like beans, which can be harvested until the first killing frost? Or do you prefer cool season crops like kale, broccoli, cabbage and turnips that thrive in the cool fall days and can even survive light frosts? A container of late-season tomato plants and basil can serve up many salads in the waning days of summer. "I was amazed to see my son eat cherry tomatoes right off the bush!" says Anne Rasmussen, mom to Damon (age 6).

Step 2: Select your plants. Once your family has decided what type of garden you'll grow, choose plants that have similar needs for water and light. For example, ferns love moist conditions, while cactus prefer drier soil. By selecting varieties that complement each other in terms of the conditions they need to thrive, you can increase your plants' yield and keep them healthy. Take your children on a treasure hunt at a local nursery, making note of plants your family would like to try. Says Eimear Harrison, mom to 2-year-old Mia, "My daughter and I played a counting game to see how many types of cucumber we could find." For ideas, browse seed catalogs or visit your local bookstore or library for books on container gardening and companion planting.

Step 3: Calculate the best time to plant your vegetables. First, check with the nursery where you bought your plants or the back of the seed package to find out how many days a particular vegetable needs to reach maturity. Bear in mind that the earlier a plant matures, the sooner you'll be able to harvest it. You also need to know the average date of the first killing frost (usually between October 31 and November 15 in our area). Now grab a pencil and do the math with your kids. Remember to factor in two more weeks for frost sensitive crops like beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and squash. Add another two more weeks since the cooler weather and shorter fall days mean plants will grow slower. Add everything up and then use a calendar to count backwards from the first frost date to find the date when you need to start your fall garden. (See the sidebar for more information.)

Step 4: Choose a container. Stacks of old tires. Beach pails. Wooden tubs. Discarded wheel barrows or wagons. Once you've got your scavenger radar on, you'll soon find plenty of everyday objects that can be transformed into containers. Remember, once your plants are full-grown, your children will need to be able to reach over them for weeding and watering. For a large container, consider screwing caster wheels into the container's base. This will make it easier for your children to pitch in and help move the container around to take full advantage of sunlight.

Step 5: Decide where you'll place your garden. Pick a place where plants will get the hours of sunlight they need each day and where they can catch rainfall. This will cut down on the amount of watering you'll need to do and expose your plants to the free nitrogen that is in the air during thunderstorms.

Step 6: Clean your container. If you're using a recycled container (for example, a clay pot that was previously planted or an empty paint bucket), it is important to remove any harmful residue. Thoroughly wash your container with an environmentally friendly disinfectant, or soak the container in a solution of one part bleach to ten parts of warm water before filling it with new soil and plants. Says Clare Koontz, mother of two boys, "My kids had a blast hosing out an old barrel, and they also learned about keeping our waterways free of chemicals."

Step 7: Make way for water. Drill drainage holes in the bottom of your containers so that the roots do not become water-logged. Depending on the container, you may be able to use a hammer and nails to make the holes. For containers made of terra cotta or other hard materials, you will need to use an electric drill and a special bit.

Step 8: Prevent soil loss. To keep soil from being washed out through the drainage holes, place broken pieces of tile or turn plastic saucers over the holes. Then cover the bottom of the container with about an inch of gravel. "Smashing up tile and hunting for pebbles to put in the bottom of the container--my boys just loved doing that," says Akua Gyasi, mom of two.

Step 9: Fill the container with soil. Choose a soilless mix or a special potting soil recommended for container gardens. Take care to choose a mix that will not compact and suffocate roots and that will retain water. Your local nursery should be able to suggest a suitable mix. Remember, too, that water, gravel and soil can be heavy. If you think you'll be moving your container frequently, you'd be wise to use a soilless mix since it weighs much less than traditional soil. Always use gloves when gardening, and make sure you and your children wash your hands after touching any soil or plants.

Step 10: Plant and fertilize. Consult gardening books, seed packages or your local nursery for information about proper depth and spacing of seeds and plants. Leave enough room around each plant so that air can circulate freely. Plants that are crowded together are more susceptible to disease and pest infestations. Before you plant, decide what fertilizer method is best suited for your plants. A time-release fertilizer is mixed into the soil when you first plant, while a liquid fertilizer is applied later. Some fertilizers recommend "foliar feeding." If you use this method, be sure to give your plants thorough showers whenever you water them in the 10 to 14 days between fertilizer applications. Whichever fertilizer you choose, follow the directions on the package to avoid harming yourself, your children, your plants or local waterways.

While your neighbors are putting their own gardens to bed, your family can enjoy home-grown vegetables that taste better and cost less than store-bought produce.

Fall Vegetables That Grow Best in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area

What You'll Need

When should I plant my vegetables?

Here's a formula to help you calculate when to plant your seeds or plants:

Justine Ickes is a freelance writer and Master Gardener based in Arlington.