How to Container Garden: Foolproof Guidelines for Growing Vegetables

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I am a busy physician with two children, several dogs, a husband and a full time schedule. To make home container gardening fit into my schedule, I've had to streamline my process. The result of years of my trial and error is a pretty fool-proof annual planting process. I’ve started sharing it with my health-conscious patients and they’ve been encouraging me to share it with all of you. So here goes!

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Get to Know Your Area

You’ll have the best success with easy-to-grow plants that grow well in your area. Approach any sales person, farmer’s market vendor or online forum with those two criteria and they’ll give you a list of what to go. It’s that easy. And it’s a great way to get to know other gardeners in your area who have great tips, advice and dinner parties.

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Consult Your Grocery List

When choosing what to grow, start with what you eat. Pull out your grocery list and plan to convert some of those expensive organic greens to home grown options. Staples like lettuce (get adventurous with your varieties), potatoes, beans, tomatoes and strawberries are great for gardening beginners. If you’re feeling adventurous, try a veggie variety that you wouldn’t normally try. Everything tastes better home grown and you may discover a new favorite.

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Plant Seeds in Spring

Start your plants indoors. Fill up a small planting container with potting soil. Plant each seed about as deep as its width. Keep the soil moist and wait for your seeds to germinate and sprout. Transplant each seedling into a larger container once the seedlings have three true leaves.

And then just watch them grow. Garden plants are surprisingly easy. Get your family involved in the process, look up recipes and get excited about your home grown food. The life cycle of a plant is a good metaphor for change. As you watch a plant grow, mature and fruit you’ll watch changes happen in your eating habits, health and attitude towards food.

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Save Money

One of the many concrete rewards of container gardening is the amount of money you save when you grow at home. According to the experts at W. Atlee Burpee & Co -- the country's largest seed and garden supply store -- food garden investments have a 25 to 1 return. Invest $10 in a few plants and pots and you can reap up to $250 in savings on your grocery bill.  

Dr. Sharon

That's it for this post readers! Later this week, I'll send a few more gardening tips your way. If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions for me I'd love to hear them. Just leave me a note in the comments section. Until then, good day and good eating!