Containers and pots supply one method for squeezing more space into your vegetable garden. Most vegetable plants grow well in a container set in the yard or balcony or even in a basket hanging over a deck. Unlike those vegetables grown in beds, the plants don't have access to natural nutrients in the soil and require careful fertilization to grow and produce well. Although specific fertilization requirements vary among vegetables types, the basic guidelines for application apply to most vegetables.
Fill a bucket with the potting soil. Water it lightly and mix it with your hands until it feels evenly moist throughout.
Add ½ tablespoon of a slow-release fertilizer per gallon of soil. For example, a 5-gallon bucket requires 2 ½ tablespoons of fertilizer. Use a balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 variety.
Mix the fertilizer into the soil until it's completely incorporated. Fill the planting pots with the soil mixture and transplant the vegetables into the pots.
Apply soluble fertilizer at midseason. Midseason is when fruiting or flowering vegetables begin to form vegetables, or halfway through the growing season listed on the seed packet or plant label for leaf or root vegetables.
Dilute the soluble fertilizer in water, following label directions for the fertilizer type and the size of your container. Generally, fruiting and root vegetables require a phosphorus-rich fertilizer such as a 15-30-15 blend, while leaf vegetables require a nitrogen-rich or balanced fertilizer, such as a 20-20-20 blend.
Water the vegetables with the soluble fertilizer solution every one to two weeks for the remainder of the growing season.
Things You Will Need
- Potting soil
- Slow-release fertilizer
- Water-soluble fertilizer
- Fertilizer leaches out of containers each time you water the plants. Vegetables typically require weekly soluble application during dry or hot weather when you are irrigating daily. Apply soluble fertilizer every other week during cool weather when they are irrigated less often.
- Ryan McVay/Stockbyte/Getty Images