How to Start a Container Garden in 5 Simple Steps

Step 1: Choosing the Right Container

The first step in starting your container garden is selecting suitable containers. The size and material of your gardening container will depend on what you plan to grow. You can easily find suitable containers at a local garden center or shop online.

Here are some tips for choosing the correct gardening container:

Find the Right Size Gardening Container

Make sure the container is deep enough for the roots of the plants you choose. For example, tomatoes require deeper pots, while herbs can thrive in shallower ones. As a rule of thumb, use a container that's 12 inches deep for tomatoes and other deep-rooted plants. With herbs and other shallow-rooted plants, an eight-inch deep container will suffice.

Look for Drainage Holes

Whatever container you select, make sure it has drainage holes. Otherwise, you risk excess water buildup, resulting in soggy soil. That spells doom for your plants because their roots will rot if they sit in too much water. If the planter doesn't have drainage holes, use a drill to create a hole in the bottom of your container.

The Pros and Cons of Various Container Materials

There are various material options for gardening containers, each with its pros and cons. Here's a snapshot of some common options. Select one that meets your growing conditions and supports the care level you want to extend to your container garden.

Terra Cotta Pots

Although their porous nature lets plant roots breathe better, they dry out faster. So you may have to water your plants more frequently, especially on hot, windy days. In addition, terra cotta planters are fragile, especially in cold weather, that can crack the containers. They absorb minerals and salts in the soil and water and can turn white on the outside.

Plastic Gardening Containers

Plastic containers are lightweight and generally durable. Although they may lack aesthetics, they are functional and available at an attractive price. They heat and cool quickly to protect plant roots.

You can easily add drainage holes, and you can look for plastic pots that are recyclable or made from recycled material.

Metal Containers

Metal is one of the most durable options, but you can bake your plants. Metal can heat rapidly, drying out the soil and potentially damaging plant roots. Because metal isn't porous, it's even more essential to have drainage holes. You also face rust concerns.

Wooden Gardening Containers

Wood is natural and combines well with other garden features. However, check for chemical preservative treatments before planting produce. They may make it unsuitable for food crops.

Otherwise, wood containers provide good heat insulation for the soil and plant roots. You might want to include a liner to prevent the wood from rotting quickly.

Grow Bags

Grow bags are a practical container solution. They're lightweight, compact, cheap, and portable, and they're available in numerous sizes, shapes, and colors. Grow bags aren't much to look at, but they are effective. However, they won't last long and present a more temporary solution.

Self-Watering Planters

If you are busy or unsure about how much water your plants need, self-watering planters can help. These planters are a convenient solution for those with limited time. They automatically provide water to your plants, so you don't have to worry about watering them yourself. They also allow plant roots to access water when needed, reducing over- or under-watering concerns.

EarthBox gardening boxes, for example, use sub-irrigation to eliminate the guesswork of watering. You must add water using the fill tube to the container's reservoir.

For more help selecting a suitable container, read 5 Tips for Selecting the Best Planting Box.

Step 2: Selecting Soil and Fertilizers

Unlike traditional gardening, container gardening requires a unique approach to soil. Here's how to ensure your plants get the best possible start:

Pay Strict Attention to Your Potting Soil

Use a high-quality potting mix that drains well. Garden soil is too heavy and can compact in containers, leading to poor root growth. It can also carry unwanted concerns like weeds, diseases, and insects.

You need light soil that facilitates drainage and airflow to support plant roots. Key ingredients include products like peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and compost.

You must also consider the soil's pH, as different plants have different pH preferences. Tomatoes and peppers, for instance, like a slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 7.0. Herbs, on the other hand, generally like neutral soils with a pH ranging from 7.0 to 8.0.

You can learn about soil selection by checking out What is the Best Soil for Container Gardening.

Keep Your Container Garden Plants Fed

Container gardens require a consistent food source.

First, containers have a limited supply of nutrients owing to space. So, plants can consume them rapidly, especially nutrient-hungry plants like tomatoes.

Second, although drainage holes are vital to prevent water from pooling, they also allow nutrients to escape.

Fertilizing starts when you plant. You must include ample nutrients to get plants off to a good start. That means plenty of compost, plus soil enrichments like slow-release fertilizer, worm castings, manure, bone meal, etc.

How to Fertilize Container Vegetables

Slow-release fertilizers are great for continuous feeding. They deliver nutrients over time to support plant growth. Even so, plants can exhaust nutrients in a container within six weeks.

So, prepare yourself to add fertilizer regularly. For example, long-season crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplants benefit from fertilizer every two weeks.

Adding a granular, slow-release fertilizer like chicken manure enriches the soil. You can also use liquid fertilizer using several methods:

• Add a small amount with each watering
• Add the amount recommended on the package on a scheduled basis
• Spray liquid fertilizer on the plants

Understanding N-P-K

Fertilizer mixtures use ratios of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K). Each affects your plant's growth. Generally, balanced fertilizers include 7-7-7 or 10-10-10. However, there are instances where you might want to use a mix that's higher in one nutrient than another.

Nitrogen is essential for leafy vegetables like lettuce and plays a role in leaf development and coloring. Plants lacking in nitrogen can turn yellow. So, you might consider a more nitrogen-based fertilizer with a 3-1-1 ratio.

Phosphorus: This nutrient supports root growth, blooming, and fruiting. As a result, adding phosphorus can help improve the yield of tomatoes, strawberries, and peppers that develop from flowers. Tomatoes, for instance, can benefit from an 8-24-16 ratio.

Potassium: Potassium supports overall health and vigor by strengthening disease resistance. It also helps with water and nutrient movement in plants.

Step 3: Picking Suitable Plants

When selecting plants for your container garden, start with what you like to eat. After all, that's the point of growing your produce.

You'll also want to consider the growing conditions in your area, such as season length and sunshine. In addition, some plants are better suited to container gardening than others.

Some vegetable plants require too much sprawl, size, or planting depth for the gardening container to accommodate. Sweet corn, pumpkins, and melons fall into that category and do not produce significant yields.

Others, like broccoli or cauliflower, have demanding growing concerns that are better suited for in-ground gardening unless you use a container gardening system like EarthBox.

Still, there's no shortage of vegetables and herbs you can start and grow in a container garden. Lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and radishes are all excellent for container gardens.

Herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, and mint are easy to grow and perfect for culinary use.

Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are also excellent choices for containers.

Read the Best Vegetables to Grow in Containers for more information.

Step 4: Planting Your Container Garden

After selecting your container, soil, and plants, the fun part comes with planting. Follow these steps to get your plants started right:

If you’re starting with seeds, fill your pots with soil. Next, sow your seeds according to the packet's instructions. Once sown, mist the container to dampen the soil. You can label and cover the planter, then follow the water requirements.

You can kick-start your container garden by using starter plants. In that case, you'll need to know how deep to bury the seedling.

How Deep Should You Bury Your Plants in Containers?

You should bury tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers deep in the soil. You can remove the lower leaves to place more stems in the soil. With other plants like cabbage, kale, or Brussels sprouts, you can bury the plant up to the first set of leaves.

You'll want to plant other vegetables at the same height as their original pot. These plants include beets, spinach, lettuce, celery, cilantro, dill, parsley, etc.

Finally, it's essential to provide proper spacing to avoid overcrowding plants. Doing so can stunt growth, lead to diseases, and reduce yields. EarthBox has handy placement charts to give you a better idea of how to place and fertilize your seedlings.

After planting, water the plants and fill in soil gaps. You can boost plants with diluted fertilizer, such as seaweed or fish emulsion.

For seedlings, gently loosen the root ball before placing it in the soil.

Step 5: Daily Care and Maintenance

Taking care of your container garden is crucial for success. Here are the key areas to focus on to keep your growing plants healthy for maximum yields:

• Watering: Containers dry out faster than the ground, so regular watering is necessary. Check the soil daily, especially in warm weather, and water when the top inch feels dry.
• Sunlight: Most vegetable plants need at least six hours of full sun daily. Place your containers where they can receive enough light.
• Pruning: Regularly check your plants for dead foliage and remove it to keep them healthy.
• Harvesting: Harvest your produce when it’s ripe to encourage new growth.
• Protection: Move your plants to protect them against damaging wind, storms, or excessive heat.

EarthBox Makes Starting a Container Garden Simple

With EarthBox planting boxes, these five steps can be completed quickly. All you have to supply are the plants.

The EarthBox tomato growing kit has all you need to grow juicy tomatoes in a container garden. It includes:

• Gardening container
• Mulch covers
• Staking system
• Wire ties
• Casters/wheels
• Fertilizer and natural Dolomite
• Tomato & Veggie Boost calcium nitrate supplement
• Organic potting mix

You can select other growing kits based on what you want to succeed. Best of all, you won't have to worry about digging, weeding, or watering guesswork. Plus, the containers are portable and even perfect for indoor use.

You can even get FREE SHIPPING on growing kits to kick off your planting season.