Table of Contents
Introduction 7
How to Use This Book 8
Chapter 1 The Basics of How to Grow Your Own Food in Containers 9
The Benefits of Growing Food in Containers 10
Ten Principles for Successful Container Gardening 11
Chapter 2 Tools of the Trade and Guide to Containers 15
Tools of the Trade 16
A Word on Potting Soil 17
Planting Date Information 18
Watering Concerns 18
A Guide to Container Styles 19
Container Sizes 20
Chapter 3 Ten Steps to Successfully Growing Your Own Food in Containers 21
1 Choose the Best Location for Your Container Garden 22
2 Decide What You Are Going to Plant 22
3 Choose and Prepare the Containers for Your Selected Plants 23
4 Fill Containers with Soil 23
5 Plant Seeds and Transplants Correctly in Your Containers 24
6 Water Your Garden Correctly 24
7 Feed Your Garden Regularly 25
8 Pay Attention to Your Containers Each Day 26
9 Harvest at the Right Time 26
10 Record Your Progress and Make a Plan for What to Plant Next 26
Chapter 4 Helpful Terms to Know 27
Chapter 5 Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers 33
Arugula 34
Basil 36
Beans (Bush) 38
Beets 40
Blueberries 42
Borage 44
Broccoli 46
Cabbage 48
Calendula 50
Carrots 52
Cauliflower 54
Celery 56
Chamomile 58
Chives 60
Cilantro 62
Citrus 64
Cucumber 66
Dill 68
Eggplant 70
Fig Tree 72
Garlic 74
Ginger 76
Green Onions (Scallions) 78
Kale 80
Kohlrabi 82
Lemongrass 84
Lettuce 86
Malabar Spinach 88
Mint 90
Nasturtium 92
Okra 94
Oregano 96
Parsley 98
Peas 100
Peppers 102
Potatoes 104
Radishes 106
Rosemary 108
Sage 110
Spinach 112
Strawberries 114
Summer Squash 116
Sunflower 118
Sweet Potatoes 120
Swiss Chard 122
Thyme 124
Tomatoes 126
Toothache Plant 128
Turmeric 130
Viola 132
Appendix A Troubleshooting Advice and a Quick Reference Guide for Organic Pest Control 134
Troubleshooting Advice 134
Quick Reference Guide for Organic Pest Control 135
Treatment Descriptions 137
Appendix B Resources to Learn More about Container Gardening 138
Further Reading 138
Online Resources 138
Suppliers 138
US/Metric Conversion Chart 139
Index 140