The garden stage is set, the props are all in place and now it is time for the production to get under way. Gardens are about growing good plants, and container gardens are no exception.
Intensive vegetable gardening is open to all who have access to some water, sunshine and a bucket of soil. Those alone do not the garden make, because we have to add in the plants.
While virtually any vegetable makes a good container plant, there are a few commonalities that make them more successful.
I prefer vegetables that crop multiple times. In this category are different kinds of leaf lettuce, spinach, chard and other salad crops that can be cut again and again and still keep producing.
Pole beans also fit this category. They can produce for much of the summer when properly cared for. Summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants also keep producing as long as you keep them picked.
At the other end of the spectrum are those crops that are a one-time harvest and take much more space. I also look at the price of the vegetables. If a vegetable is inexpensive to buy, use your limited space for something else.
In this category are sweet corn (very top-heavy so the tall stalks usually tip over the containers), potatoes and maybe winter squash. However, it is much easier to extract the potatoes out of the planting mix than chisel them out of your heavy, clay soil.
Other root crops also thrive in the loose soil. Carrots grow long and straight and the onions, radishes, turnips and other bulb crops are smoother and not as mangled.
Another important way to increase your production is to grow the vegetables up and not out. Large pots are excellent for growing tomatoes on stakes.
Start with the right tomato cultivar. There are two types, determinate and indeterminate. Determinate types produce their fruits all at once so they are perfect if you want only to process those tomatoes but most of us want our crop over an extended period of time. Indeterminate tomatoes produce throughout the season. These are perfect for staking as the tall vines keep producing as long as they do not frost.
Staking is slightly different than growing the tomatoes in cages. In cages, the plants produce many stems with the fruit growing on the end of each one. Staked tomatoes are pruned so that only one stem or trunk grows for each tomato.
Pruning is fairly simple. In the axis of each leaf where it attaches to the stem, a new shoot grows. If left in place, a new shoot plant with its own set of blossoms grows there. You still get plenty of tomatoes, but the size will be smaller and they might not have as nice a shape.
Peppers are another great container plant. Both sweet and bell peppers are compact plants that set many colorful fruits. They will produce well during the season and as an added bonus, you can bring the pot inside and enjoy a few more peppers late in the season.
If you do not have room for larger containers, don't despair. Among the easiest edibles to grow in containers are herbs. The list is extensive and includes chives, thyme, parsley, basil and oregano.
Consider a small window box or create a planter near the kitchen door. Fresh herbs are expensive but are a great way to improve the flavors of many dishes. With a sunny window, many can be grown throughout the winter.
Although the pumpkins, squash and melons spread, let them run over the sides and have their way. The containers only need to hold the roots. If they have large fruits let them sit on the ground. Smaller plants can be trellised but keep the fruit supported.
I mentioned potatoes were maybe not the best choice, but I did manage to grow a great crop of gourmet blue potatoes in my containers. If you like new potatoes, you can easily dig into your soil mix and "pick" the potatoes growing on the roots.
Don't let your containers sit idle. You can plant some very early crops in Wall O'Water or similar devices or make some pot covers out of row cover material to create a miniature greenhouse. After you finish harvesting these, plant a second crop in the same container.
With radishes, green onions, lettuce, chard and many other salad crops, you can plant several times through the season. Replanting keeps the vegetables productive and tender.
While containers are not the only way to grow vegetables, they are a way for everyone to grow them. This includes apartment dwellers, those with no soil, those who have no time or those who might lack the physical mobility. You've run out of excuses, so get growing.
Garden tips
Thanksgiving Point garden classes
Flower Bed Design: Tuesday May 3, 10, 17 and 24 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. (4-week course). Wonderful flower gardens don't just happen. They are created by careful gardeners. Learn how to plan and plant flowerbeds that are aesthetically pleasing and that bloom throughout the season. Cost: $40
Best Plants For Utah Landscapes: Tuesday May 3, 10, 17 and 24, from 10 a.m. to noon (4-week course). Utah soil and growing conditions are unique. It is important to understand them so your landscape will survive our climate, soil and water conditions. Avoid mistakes by selecting plants that will thrive in your landscape and get answers to your gardening question about the best trees, shrubs and flowers for the Wasatch front. Cost: $40
Red Butte garden classes
Grow Your Own Herbs: April 26 to May 3, Tuesdays, 6:30- 8:30 p.m. Whether you are planning a new herb garden or improving an existing one, this class will help you as it covers site and soil preparation, garden design, which herbs to plant, planting from seed versus cuttings, planting schedule, common pests and how to discourage them inter-planting flowers, water and sun needs, and harvesting and storage. Members: $50, Nonmembers: $54, registration required 801-581-6464 or online at www.lifelong.utah.edu.
Follow the Wildflowers: April 27, May 25, June 15, July 6, 27, Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m. Follow the cascade of wildflower blooms across Northern Utah in this five-session class. Begin in the Red Butte classroom, then move to the foothills for a look at spring's first blooms and culminate in the subalpine zone of Albion Basin in August. Members: $119, Nonmembers: $131, registration required 801-581-6464 or online at www.lifelong.utah.edu.
Larry A. Sagers is a horticulture specialist for the Utah State University Extension Service at Thanksgiving Point.