Limited Space? Try Container Gardens
It you enjoy gardening but live in
a limited area where there is not a
lot of room for a garden, try con
tainer gardening.
Living in an apartment or condo
minium is no excuse for not gar
dening. since many kinds of veg
etables can be grown in containers
with little effort, says Larry Bass,
agricultural extension horticulture
specialist at N.C. State University.
Container gardening is simple if
you follow a few basic rules.
First, you must choose the proper
container, use a good soil mix. and
follow the proper planting and spa
cing requirements. Also, you sho
uld provide adequate water and fer
tilizer for your plants and place the
containers where they will receive
at least five hours of full sun each
day.
Containers come in many differ
ent sizes, shapes and materials.
Bass said. All containers?whether
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should have an adequate number tit
holes in the bottom for proper
drainage. If the containers do not
provide fast drainage, punch addi
tional holes in the bottom. Setting
the containers on a solid surface,
like a cement or tile patio, will re
duce the drainage. To remedy this
problem, raise the containers one to
two inches oft the floor by setting
Many kinds of
vegetables can
be grown in
containers with
little effort.
them on short pieces of wood.
The vegetables you grow will de
termine the size of your containers,
Bass explained. As a rule, most
vegetables that can be grown in the
ground can be grown in containers
as long as ample space is provided
for root development.
Shallow-rooted crops like let
tuce. peppers, radishes and herbs
will grow best ir. a container that i>
at least six inches in diameter with
an eight-inch soil depth. Bass said.
Tomatoes, squash, pole beans and
cucumbers will grow well in bushel
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tubs.
The ideal planting medium for
containers provides fast draining
and sufficient water retention to
keep the root zone evenly moist,
the specialist said, adding that a
"soil-less" potting mix works best.
In addition to draining fast, soil-less
mixes are lightweight and free from
soil-borne diseases and weed seeds,
Bass explained. The mixes can be
purchased from garden centers.
The planting and spacing re
quirements can be found on the
seed packet or plant tag. When us
ing containers, it is important to
limit the number of plants based on
the container size and the eventual
size of the plant at maturity. Bass
recommended planting more seeds
than needed in each container be
cause there is seldom 100 percent
germination.
After the seeds have sprouted
and the foliage of the seedlings is
touching, thin the plants to the de
sired number.
Concerning fertilization. Bass
recommended following a regular
fertilization program using a com
plete fertilizer since soii-less mixes
contain few nutrients.
Watering is one of the most im
portant jobs a container gardener
will perform. Bass said. Some veg
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day, depending on the container
size and weather conditions. The
best way to water is by hand, using
a watering can or a garden hose
sprayer attachment.
If the hose sits in the sun. be sure
the water has run long enough to
cool before applying it to the veg
etables. Hot water does not stimu
late root development.
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10 Most Frequently
Asked Questions?
And The Answers
When the telephone rings at the Brunswick County Agricultural
Extension office, Master Gardener volunteers and extension agents
deal with an incredible array of one-of-a-kind questions relating to
lawn culd gai den C3FC.
But some questions are asked so frequently they qualify for the
"Top Ten". Here are the questions?and their answers, courtesy of
Extension Agent David Nash and the Master Gardener program at
the Brunswick County Cooperative Extension office at Bolivia.
Q: How much lime and fertilizer do I need to add to my lawn
or garden?
A: The only way to tell tor sure is to take a soil sample. Soils in
Brunswick County vary greatly in the amount of lime or fertilizer
needed. Also, different plants have different requirements for nutri
ents and for pH.
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A: Soil tests are provided as a free service to residents of North
Carolina. Soil sample boxes and information sheets are available
from the Brunswick County Cooperative Extension Office, at many
lawn and garden stores, and from branches of the Brunswick County
Public Library.
Q: How do 1 control moles in my lawn?
A: Moles inhabit lawns when there is an adequate food supply
such as grubs and other soil organisms. By eliminating their food
supply, moles will usually move on to another location in search of
food. Several pesticides are available for grub control. Contact the
extension office for specific pesticide recommendations. It is against
the law in North Carolina to use poison bait for mole control. Spear
type traps may be used if a permit is obtained from the N.C. Wildlife
Resources Commission.
Q: When is the best time to prune crepe myrtles in the land
scape?
A: If severe pruning is needed, crepe myrtles should be pruned in
the winter when dormant. Pruning of faded flowers or seed pods
during the growing season will result in new flushes of flowers and
increase the length of the blooming period.
Q: What type and when do I use pesticides on my lawn?
A: Pesticides should only be used after the pest problem in your
lawn has been properly identified. Sometimes there are other control
measures available without using pesticides. These include proper
plant selection, cultural controls, etc. If pesticides are required, one
should read the label before purchasing and applying the product.
Q: When is the proper time to fertilize my lawn?
A: Several different types of turf grass arc used for home lawns in
Brunswick County. Most require some fertilizer on an annual basis.
The type of grass in your lawn combined with soil test results will
determine the type and amount of fertilizer needed. Lawn mainte
nance calendars are available at the extension office.
Q: How do I control fleas and ticks in my lawn?
A: Fleas and ticks can be controlled by applying an insecticide
containing Dursban. Make sure that the product you purchase is la
beled for home landscape use and follow all label directions.
(J: When is the best time to prune azaleas?
A: Azaleas should be pruned after blooming. This would also be a
very good time to fertilize them.
Q: My azaleas have tiny blaek spots on the bottom of the
leaves and the tops of the leaves appear yellowish white. What is
causing this problem?
A: These injury symptoms are normally caused by the Azalea
Lace Bug. This insect can be controlled with Orthene insecticide.
Read and follow all label directions.
Q: How often should I water my lawn and garden?
A: Most lawns and gardens need one inch of water per week dur
ing the growing season. When adequate rainfall has not occurred, ir
rigation water should be applied during the early morning hours. In
sandy soil irrigation may be required every two to three days to sup
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