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It’s April, you’re
strolling thru your local garden store, when you see tomatoes and peppers.
You say to yourself, “Yes, I can get an early start and have the first ripe
tomato and pepper on the block”. Well you can, but not by planting in the
ground…but by planting in a pot.
You see - tomatoes,
peppers and many other veggies just plain and simple do not like cold air
and cold wet feet. And until the soil warms and dries more, ands air temps
get higher, planting in the ground too early can cause root rot, stunting,
and possibly no crop at all.
But, by planting in a
large container, the soil warms quicker, you control the moisture, and the
plants can be moved in and out depending on the air temperatures, giving you
an early start and an earlier crop.
Remember all the basics
for container gardening…top grade potting mix, Osmocote mixed in for slow
season long feeding, Soil Moist added to help reduce watering, and make sure
the pot is larger than 14 inches (larger the better) and has great drainage
holes.
Plant your Tomatoes and
peppers in the pots, water in well, and place in a good sunny location.
This keeps the soil and plant warmer and of course, gives them all the sun
they need. The more sun the merrier. If the temperatures are predicted to
drop below 60-65 degrees, bring your pots inside, and move them back outside
when the temperatures warm back up. Placing them on a wagon or cart can be
very helpful.
Last year I introduced
you to straw bale gardening….growing veggies right in straw bales. Well, if
you’re planning on doing it this year, now’s the time to get those straw
bales in place, so Mother nature can help get them cooking with her early
spring showers, so you’ll be ready to plant, come mid to late May. We’ll
talk more about straw bale gardening in upcoming segments. |
