Container Vegetable Garden

So as I mentioned in the last post, we're renting our current house. Our backyard is huge, but there is no vegetable garden in it, and again I didn't want to put the money and sweat equity into making a permanent veggie patch. So what's a gal to do?

Get containers! And because these are in our backyard where no one really sees them, and they'll be covered in yummy plants soon, the containers don't have to be pretty. So far the only criteria is that they have to be free!

So thanks to my mom for providing me with so many awesome containers (especially the old trough, best thing ever!) and with a ton of compost, and with actual Maxi-Caps for my tomatoes (that's a huge donation!), I have a great set up for my veggies!

Here is one corner of the yard. Here I have used up some extra knee high sweet pea seeds to add a little colour to the yard. Beside the shed is where I have the Maxi-Caps set up. They will hold six tomatoes, but I still have a ways to go before planting those seedlings! And a container for my herbs. I just have chives in there now, but I have cilantro in the house waiting to go out, and will have basil as well.




Then on the other side of the shed is the rest of the garden. The big trough will house zucchinis. I have three containers of peas, with three more to plant next week. The two big round containers will be beets, and there will also be two rubbermaid bins with carrots. And I'm still debating if I want to do some lettuce. I'm thinking I will, but will decide later for sure.






And because no garden is complete without potatoes, I will of course be doing potatoes too! But these will be a little more unconventional. With all the wonderful information out there on the world wide web, I've decided to plant my potatoes in plastic bags. Basically you fold the bag down, fill it 4-6", plant your potato. When it grows a few inches, you top it up and roll up the bag. Continue until the bag is full! Apparently this works great and results in huge yields. I figure it doesn't hurt to experiment! You can just see one of the bags I'll be using, but I don't actually have them set up yet.



So at this stage, it's all far from pretty. But the cost has been minimal (thanks mom!!!), and will hopefully result in yummy food on our table, and at this point, that's all that counts. Plus once all the beautiful plants are growing, who cares (or can really tell) what they're growing in?