any tips for growing patio veggies and herbs?
Answers:
Sure, I'll drop in some links at the bottom for ya, but also, here are some basics:
To grow a container vegetable garden, select a container which is large enough to hold plants and their root systems. Almost any type of container can be used if it provides adequate drainage. Drainage holes on the sides or bottom of the container are best. The depth of the container is very important. Soil 6-8" deep is the minimum for most vegetables. A fairly lightweight potting mix is needed for container vegetable gardening.
>The minimum size container for a regular tomato plant is five gallons, but the bigger the better. Ten-or 15-gallon pots are best. FS 55-110 days to harvest.
>Peppers
FS 2 gal. 1 plant per container. 110-120 days to harvest. Require hot weather.
>Parsley seeds can either be directly planted into 6-inch pots, or young healthy plants can be transplanted from the garden. One vigorous plant per pot is enough. Standard parsley develops attractive green, curly leaves about 6 to 8 inches tall. Italian, or single leaved parsley, has a slightly stronger flavor and is a favorite for pasta dishes. Leaves can be clipped about 10 to 12 weeks after planting the seeds.
>Basil is very sensitive to the cold and should not be planted before Mother’s Day. It really needs warm soil to grow (60 degrees or more).
You'll want to take a look at the sites below to find out more about fertilizing, watering, etc. But this should be enough to get you started...I hate to write anymore or this answer will be three weeks long....
Other answers:
A good way to grow tomatoes is to put a trelis at an angle to a sunny wall or nail chicken wire on to the wall,and grow tomatoes in that,basil,mint .parsley andcarrot grow wel on the foot of tomatoe plants and are complementary,as well as keeping some bugs away.
there is a very good book called --the designers manual-- by Bill Mollison ,which is about permaculture and has a lot of gardening tips and structures as well as much information on sustainable farming,aquaculture,land design and much more ,cost about 40 dollars .in tagiari publications
A good way to grow tomatoes is to put a trelis at an angle to a sunny wall or nail chicken wire on to the wall,and grow tomatoes in that,basil,mint .parsley andcarrot grow wel on the foot of tomatoe plants and are complementary,as well as keeping some bugs away.
there is a very good book called --the designers manual-- by Bill Mollison ,which is about permaculture and has a lot of gardening tips and structures as well as much information on sustainable farming,aquaculture,land design and much more ,cost about 40 dollars .in tagiari publications
The absolute best product for patio gardeners is the Earthbox. It's phenomenal and fairly low maintenance.
best tip is not to let them dry out as containers often drain quickly and moisture and food is washed out. the best way to defeat this is by using slow release fertiliser and water retaining crystals and use a mulch on the top of the soil this will slow down evaporation and keep the soil damp and water and food available to your plants. this system also works really well with hanging baskets
good luck