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Cheat Sheet: Container garden tricks from Plants On Deck

Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
By My City Paper  |  Published 02/24/2011
Plants On Deck
Support hose for melons
Growing up on 35 acres in southwest Michigan, Plants On Deck gardening blogger Char Vandermeer spent her childhood weeding and tending her mother's one-acre garden plot. "My mother is a serious gardener," said Vandermeer in a phone chat. "She canned, and that garden fed the three of us year-round." A longing for fresh, homegrown produce nudged her into lining the roof deck of her South Philadelphia row house with containers to grow tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, tiny melons, lettuces and other edibles. Vandermeer began blogging about her experiences in May, 2009. "I learned how to grow from my mother," she said. "But container garden is completely different. I'm self-taught, so I started the blog as a way to take notes on what works, and what doesn't." Vandermeer offers a few tips to novice container gardeners, after the jump. "Vegetables need full sun. At least six hours of direct sunlight every day, and eight is better. Containers need to be watered frequently, and that means every day." "Basil and mint are almost impossible to kill. All herbs are pretty hardy -- sage and thyme are easy. I've had good luck with little Thai eggplants and small cucumbers like lemon and Spacemaster varieties. Radishes and lettuces can go in the ground now, and you can replant lettuces until July (they don't like heat). I wouldn't suggest starting with tomatoes, which are the bane of my existence. Anything that can go wrong with plants goes wrong with tomatoes." Vandermeer also recommends checking out Penn State University's excellent horticultural extension, as well as the horticultural websites hosted by many universities, for more education on container gardening.

Marie DiFeliciantonio
Posted 2010-04-19 11:29:21
glad you posted this...I want to start a garden and this is a great jumping-off point.

uberVU - social comments
Posted 2010-04-19 13:13:48
Social comments and analytics for this post...

This post was mentioned on Twitter by brownthumbgirl: Cheat Sheet: Container garden tricks from Plants On Deck http://bit.ly/aO8DbD...

container vegetable gardening | Gardening Tips Online
Posted 2010-04-23 01:46:19
[...] Cheat Sheet: Container garden tricks from Plants On Deck :: Meal … [...]

Eileen O'Connor
Posted 2010-05-10 22:21:50
I love the tip on supporting the melon.   Please check out my article too!

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