Edible Containers - the latest outdoor Accessory!
Why be stuck growing only flowers within a small patch of land? While a conventional vegetable garden is still preferred by many, edible gardening does not require a large, dedicated area of space. With more and more people moving into cities those who live in apartments simply don't have the room and container gardening is a simple solution to not only growing your own food but another way of living green. Your edible garden can be anywhere - a rooftop, balcony, patio, all you need is a few square feet!
And as a bonus, edible planters can be made into stylish accessories for your outdoor living space. The huge selection of pots now available make it easy to create a variety of themes in your garden - from traditional to contemporary. The variety of colours now available makes it easy to create accents in your garden. And the latest cultivars of vegetables bring a colourful painter's palette to your pot composition. But first things first, how do we get started?
Getting Started
Plants in containers require more attention than those in the ground. They rely solely on the gardener for a good environment. While container gardening isn't complicated, it does require a stable foundation on which to flourish.
 Make sure to take care of the basics; a well drained soil mix with a balance of plant fertilizer is required. Buy a good commercial mix - garden soil will not suffice. It also takes the guess work out of figuring out what kind of nutrients your plants will need. These mixes are specially formulated to provide lightweight solutions for your pots. This is an important consideration for those living on decks in apartments where weight can be a factor.
Also, these mixes ensure proper drainage, as well as being free of weeds, insects and other pests. The soil won't compact into a solid mass during the hotter months, so water will always be able to penetrate. Look for mixes that have added wetting agents. This allows the soil to hold water longer than conventional mixes. It also reduces the need to water constantly during hot weather.
Your pots should also hold a reasonable amount of soil. While you can get away with growing a patio tomato in the equivalent of a 1 gallon pot, you will constantly be watering and fertilizing it all summer. Therefore, use pots that are sized to easily sustain a crop the whole growing season. Assess the kind of plants you would like to grow and match the pot and soil volume with its needs. In the case of the patio tomato, look at using pots that can hold the equivalent of 5 gallons of soil. Although edibles such as strawberry plants and most herbs have shallow root systems and could be happy in a one gallon pot remember, the less soil you, the faster the pot will dry out during the hot summer months.
It's important to note that no matter what kind of container you're using, you must have holes or some sort of drainage system at the bottom. Not only will this drainage help save your plants, the runoff will nourish other living organisms in the surrounding area. If you can't provide drainage holes in your pots then a generous layer of course gravel will provide a storage area for excess water and keep it away from plant roots.
Finally, place your containers in areas which will cater to the amount of sun your edibles requires. Putting planters on moving platforms or wheels allow you to move pots to take advantage of sun patterns. For example when you are going on vacation and can't be around to water for a week you can move your plants into the shade. As a general rule of thumb, most vegetables love full sun and heat. When considering perennial plants (they return every year) like strawberries or large annual edibles such as melons it would be wise to select a generous, permanent area that receives lots of sun.
However, not all plants prefer full sun. Iceberg lettuce prefers partial to full shade , as do many of the leaf lettuces. Pay attention to your sunny and shady spots on your patio and use your edibles to their best advantage. Now that we have the basics down pat, it is time to think like a designer!
Your Edible Style
Pots are the latest garden accessory and edibles are functional and compliment your garden look. Make sure that the colour and finish of your containers compliments the theme or image of your backyard. The latest pots made in pottery, fiberglass, plastic, and wood now come in colours ranging from black and silver for that contemporary look. Rich reds electric blues, and ochre yellows will add vibrancy and excitement to your garden! So now that you have the pots figured out, what about the plants?
What about the plants?
Edibles are not only great to eat but the latest cultivars of many plants have produced fruit, leaf colour and textures that can boldly contrast or subtly compliment your pots style and colour. In other words think of composing your edible containers like you would a flower arrangement. And if you don't want to go all out don't be afraid to weave edibles through your regular planters as well!
Look at mixing herbs and flowers with your vegetables. A vibrant combination is to use the foliage of in a black pot and add accents of red such as the red leaved lettuces or the fruits of cheery tomatoes, peppers or strawberries. Adding flowers like nasturtiums (also edible) will add a punch of colour to your pots. One of my favourites is the use of Swiss Chard 'Bright Lights' for creating fall planter pots, the combinations are endless.
Think of using dwarf or columnar fruit trees in larger containers. You can use them as patio trees to provide shade during the summer. Although bred to be dwarf in nature they will require larger pots. Eventually they may outgrow their space, so selecting a larger area for further planting should be considered 8-10 years down the road. In the meantime they can be kept under control with pruning and care.
As you can see if you think 'Outside the Pot' edible gardening is an easy way to create style and colour to your garden, friendly to the planet and good for your health!
Senga Lindsay, BCSLA,NPD, ISA
Principle - Senga Landscape Architecture
Senga is an award winning Landscape Architect and Horticulturalist with a practice in North Vancouver. Their firm specializes in Sustainable Landscapes. For more tips sustainable gardening and Eco-Chic landscape design visiting www.sengadesigns.com and her blog 'A Year in Sustainable Garden' http://www.sengadesigns.com/green-info-centre/sengas-blog.aspx
Why be stuck growing only flowers within a small patch of land? While a conventional vegetable garden is still preferred by many, edible gardening does not require a large, dedicated area of space. With more and more people moving into cities those who live in apartments simply don't have the room and container gardening is a simple solution to not only growing your own food but another way of living green. Your edible garden can be anywhere - a rooftop, balcony, patio, all you need is a few square feet!
And as a bonus, edible planters can be made into stylish accessories for your outdoor living space. The huge selection of pots now available make it easy to create a variety of themes in your garden - from traditional to contemporary. The variety of colours now available makes it easy to create accents in your garden. And the latest cultivars of vegetables bring a colourful painter's palette to your pot composition. But first things first, how do we get started?
Getting Started
Plants in containers require more attention than those in the ground. They rely solely on the gardener for a good environment. While container gardening isn't complicated, it does require a stable foundation on which to flourish.
 Make sure to take care of the basics; a well drained soil mix with a balance of plant fertilizer is required. Buy a good commercial mix - garden soil will not suffice. It also takes the guess work out of figuring out what kind of nutrients your plants will need. These mixes are specially formulated to provide lightweight solutions for your pots. This is an important consideration for those living on decks in apartments where weight can be a factor.
Also, these mixes ensure proper drainage, as well as being free of weeds, insects and other pests. The soil won't compact into a solid mass during the hotter months, so water will always be able to penetrate. Look for mixes that have added wetting agents. This allows the soil to hold water longer than conventional mixes. It also reduces the need to water constantly during hot weather.
Your pots should also hold a reasonable amount of soil. While you can get away with growing a patio tomato in the equivalent of a 1 gallon pot, you will constantly be watering and fertilizing it all summer. Therefore, use pots that are sized to easily sustain a crop the whole growing season. Assess the kind of plants you would like to grow and match the pot and soil volume with its needs. In the case of the patio tomato, look at using pots that can hold the equivalent of 5 gallons of soil. Although edibles such as strawberry plants and most herbs have shallow root systems and could be happy in a one gallon pot remember, the less soil you, the faster the pot will dry out during the hot summer months.
It's important to note that no matter what kind of container you're using, you must have holes or some sort of drainage system at the bottom. Not only will this drainage help save your plants, the runoff will nourish other living organisms in the surrounding area. If you can't provide drainage holes in your pots then a generous layer of course gravel will provide a storage area for excess water and keep it away from plant roots.
Finally, place your containers in areas which will cater to the amount of sun your edibles requires. Putting planters on moving platforms or wheels allow you to move pots to take advantage of sun patterns. For example when you are going on vacation and can't be around to water for a week you can move your plants into the shade. As a general rule of thumb, most vegetables love full sun and heat. When considering perennial plants (they return every year) like strawberries or large annual edibles such as melons it would be wise to select a generous, permanent area that receives lots of sun.
However, not all plants prefer full sun. Iceberg lettuce prefers partial to full shade , as do many of the leaf lettuces. Pay attention to your sunny and shady spots on your patio and use your edibles to their best advantage. Now that we have the basics down pat, it is time to think like a designer!
Your Edible Style
Pots are the latest garden accessory and edibles are functional and compliment your garden look. Make sure that the colour and finish of your containers compliments the theme or image of your backyard. The latest pots made in pottery, fiberglass, plastic, and wood now come in colours ranging from black and silver for that contemporary look. Rich reds electric blues, and ochre yellows will add vibrancy and excitement to your garden! So now that you have the pots figured out, what about the plants?
What about the plants?
Edibles are not only great to eat but the latest cultivars of many plants have produced fruit, leaf colour and textures that can boldly contrast or subtly compliment your pots style and colour. In other words think of composing your edible containers like you would a flower arrangement. And if you don't want to go all out don't be afraid to weave edibles through your regular planters as well!
Look at mixing herbs and flowers with your vegetables. A vibrant combination is to use the foliage of in a black pot and add accents of red such as the red leaved lettuces or the fruits of cheery tomatoes, peppers or strawberries. Adding flowers like nasturtiums (also edible) will add a punch of colour to your pots. One of my favourites is the use of Swiss Chard 'Bright Lights' for creating fall planter pots, the combinations are endless.
Think of using dwarf or columnar fruit trees in larger containers. You can use them as patio trees to provide shade during the summer. Although bred to be dwarf in nature they will require larger pots. Eventually they may outgrow their space, so selecting a larger area for further planting should be considered 8-10 years down the road. In the meantime they can be kept under control with pruning and care.
As you can see if you think 'Outside the Pot' edible gardening is an easy way to create style and colour to your garden, friendly to the planet and good for your health!
Senga Lindsay, BCSLA,NPD, ISA
Principle - Senga Landscape Architecture
Senga is an award winning Landscape Architect and Horticulturalist with a practice in North Vancouver. Their firm specializes in Sustainable Landscapes. For more tips sustainable gardening and Eco-Chic landscape design visiting www.sengadesigns.com and her blog 'A Year in Sustainable Garden' http://www.sengadesigns.com/green-info-centre/sengas-blog.aspx