Well, actually enthusiasm is pretty hard to contain when you see how easy it is to start a container garden.  This stormwater friendly option is a good choice for nearly every type of outdoor space, large or small, suburban or urban.  You can use container gardening to make a statement for your entryway, enhance your patio, create a focal point by adding color and drama, or feed your family.  Yep, you read that right.  With just a few containers, you can grow a surprising array and amount of vegetables, from lettuce and tomatoes to carrots and potatoes.  Whether you are a beginner or have always had a green thumb, following a few easy guidelines will help maximize your container gardening success:

1. Decide what you want to grow, and do a little research to determine if the amount of sun your chosen space receives will be right for your ‘crop’ choices.

2. Select the right sized container for your plant choices.  Some plants like squash and vining tomatoes need a deep container because their root zones require as much as 30” of growing medium while others like leaf lettuce and scallions can thrive with just 4”.

3. Use a commercial soilless mix specifically designed for container gardening.  These mixes are lighter in weight, drain better than regular garden soil, and often contain materials that help retain moisture.

4. If the growing medium you have chosen does not contain a fertilizer, add a slow release organic fertilizer according to package directions.

5. Make sure that you keep your container garden well-watered, according to the needs of the plants you are growing.  Some container grown plants can require watering two or three times each week.  There are many websites and publications available to provide you with more information about successful container gardening.  The Alabama Cooperative Extension System publication Container Gardening, available at aces.edu or 879.6964, is a great place to start!

What’s Happening?

Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Seminar Series – Birmingham Botanical Gardens – This series of FREE seminars starting in May and running through October offers fresh, practical ideas and techniques for your landscape and garden.  No reservations are required; light refreshments provided.   Visit bbgardens.org or call 414.3950 to learn more.

Do Dah Day – May 14 – Rhodes and Caldwell Parks, Birmingham – Jefferson County Storm Water Management staff will be at this fun, family friendly event again this year promoting the proper disposal of pet waste with the ever popular Wholly Cr@p Dog Doo Game.  Visit dodahday.org for more information.