Container Garden Workshop

Today I went to a workshop on container gardening presented by one of our church members. He has created an awesome garden using specialized "barrel troughs" of his own invention. I won't be more specific on this blog because he has requested that we remain fairly confidential while his patent is pending, but his idea is awesome. The pictures of his own garden were incredible, especially the size of his cabbages. I intend to make a few of my own at some point. So stay tuned, but don't hold your breath, it could be a year or so.

He also had a guy from our local feed and seed store make a presentation on soil quality. As part of his presentation he showed some of the organic fertilizers, insecticide, and soils that he personally sells. I'm really excited about this because I've been wanting to check out his store, and now I know I will be buying his soil mix and some other stuff very soon. I can't wait to have time for a little field trip (with my Dad's pickup). {Edit: I just figured out it's not the same place, but I know where to find it!}

I thought I would record a few of the notes I took since he had some nifty info on plant specifics, etc.

Soil:

• Organic matter & draining well are necessary qualities, but equally as important is a neutral pH.
• Test your soil at several spots to get an accurate reading.
• Nutrients won't even work if soil is too acidic or too akaline and trace elements will become toxic.
• Acidic soil - add lime. Alkaline soil - Add sulfur.
• Be sure not to over lime in raised beds. Test, test, test.

Planting:

• Peat pellets work very well for starting seeds.
• Can soak seeds overnight for faster germination, but not necessary.
• If starting plants early, put koozies over them during the night to protect from frost.
• Daylight is the best time for watering. This prevents mold growth & water evaporation.
• Plants with a big rootball (i.e. broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes) can be grown individually in half barrels (whiskey barrel size - about 20 gal. of soil).
• As spring stuff finishes in midsummer, succession plant with carrots, leeks, peppers, melons, onions, or something else that needs long growth for fall.
• Can use irrigation ring in barrel containers with hole drilled in side for hose to go through.

Plants:

• Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes: Start the 2nd week of March with 4 inches of soil at the bottom. Place seed potatoes on top, evenly spaced (no need to cut). Cover with soil. As they grow, continue to cover. Don't let them leaf until well hilled up and safely out of frost season. Harvest, when flowers die. Wrap with newspaper and store in cool place for winter.
• Onions: Need space to bulb. Scrap out soil to the roots for it to bulb. Break top over before it goes to seed. Pull up gently with fork. Leave roots on bulbs for them to store longer.
• Leaf lettuce: Put seeds in coarse pepper shaker and shake over area. Gently tap in with rake. Clip with scissors to continually harvest. Should be able to get about 4 harvests until mid June (then will be too bitter from heat).
• Tomatoes: Plant 75% under the soil. Mulch with grass clippings, but keep them an inch away from the stem. Clip suckers up to 3 feet. Cage them using concrete reinforcement wire.

Freezing Vegies: Blanch in boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes, then dip in cold water. Use vacuum sealer.