If you had to pick your most favorite veggies to plant, which would they be? And if you can’t decide, which ones would you pick if your growing space was very limited? Many of us don’t have acres of land for our gardens, so we have to make the best use of space.
The good news is that there are so many things that can be grown in containers. Tomatoes and cucumbers do wonderfully well in containers; certain varieties of tomatoes like “Tumbler” produce an amazing amount of tomatoes from just one plant; and there are many great bush- varieties of cucumbers that will give you a nice crop without requiring a huge patch.
One thing we always have growing by our back door is a few containers with a variety of herbs: my favorites are basil, parsley, rosemary, and sage. There is nothing tastier (or more aromatic!) than pinching a few leaves of basil to add to a tomato salad or sprinkle on top of pasta. Herbs don’t require a lot of space or a lot of care except for sunshine and watering.
Onions are a veggie that we always use; and good news, they can grow in containers, too! I may have told you about last spring when we had a handful of onions left to plant. It was the end of the day and we were tired so we just poked them in here and there into our planters. They did very well, provided interesting foliage in the planters, and it was very handy to just step out the door and pluck one from the planter for cooking!
Peppers also do well in containers; they are heat-lovers, so by having them in a container, you can move them around easily so that they get optimum sun! You can grow bell peppers in as little as 60 days with Cajun Belle, or La Bomba jalapenos in only 56! Ole!
(Just as little note, when you see the days listed in the seed catalogue or on the packages, that means that it takes that many days from sowing your seeds until it is ready to harvest. But this is only a guideline, because there are so many variables such as the temperature of the soil, the temperature outside, the amount of sun or rain, and any combination of these factors! The numbers are useful, however, as a guide under normal growing conditions. So if you are planting something that lists “65 days”, you know that in about two and a half months you will enjoy your produce or flowers. If you select seeds that list “100 days”, you know that you are taking a chance and walking the line as to whether they will mature or not before frost. As with all gardening and growing, things go according to plan except when they don’t! So just remember the numbers are a good guide under optimum conditions!)
And here is something cool to try, the cucamelon, which is a combination of cucumber and melon flavor packed into tiny 1” by ½” fruits. They look like itsy-bitsy watermelons, and will be a conversation piece in your garden or planters!
The next meeting of the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will be on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m. at SIGN on North Street. Our special guest will be Lionel Hughes from Prairies North magazine talking to us about gardening ideas from the magazine, and how they choose those wonderful ideas for our reading pleasure! Everyone is welcome! As we’ve discussed before, you don’t have to be a member to come and hear the wonderful speakers at our meetings — if the topic interests you, please feel free to come!
Remember, you can keep up with group activities at our website, www.yorktonhort.ca
Have a great week!
