A Garden on the Windowsill and Balcony: Container Gardening
Container gardening is very useful for city dwellers who dream of having their own produce but do not have access to a plot of land.
There are many benefits of container gardening, and they go far with free plant ID apps for Android beyond just saving space.
Total Control over the Environment
Unlike a traditional garden where you depend on the soil quality of the land, in containers, you can create the perfect growing medium yourself.
You can choose a soil mix that is best for a specific plant, making sure it has the right composition and structure, and this also helps to avoid problems with heavy clay or poor sandy soils, and it reduces the risk of diseases and pests that often live in the open ground.
Choosing Containers: Materials, Sizes, and Drainage Holes
Materials
The choice of materials for containers is huge, and each one has its own features.
Plastic pots are light, long-lasting, and hold water well, which means you do not have to water as often, but black plastic can get very hot in the sun, which can hurt the roots, so it is important to choose good quality food-safe plastic.
Clay pots are made from porous material that lets the roots breathe, but because of this, water evaporates faster, and the plants need more frequent watering.
Over time, white salt stains may appear on the pots, but this can be a part of their charm.
Wooden boxes and tubs. Before using them, it is a good idea to treat wooden containers with special non-toxic products to make them last longer and protect them from rotting.
Metal containers like galvanised buckets can be used, but you need to be careful; metal gets very hot in the sun and cools down quickly in cold weather, which can harm the roots, so it is better to use them in the shade or to make double walls to protect the soil from direct contact with the metal.
Fabric pots or grow bags are they provide great air circulation for the roots, stop them from getting too hot, and help a strong and healthy root system to form.
These bags are light and easy to store, but they need to be watered more often because water evaporates through their porous walls.
Sizes
For small herbs, salad, and radishes, you can use wide but not deep pots, about 15−20 cm deep and with a volume of 5−10 litres.
For bush peppers and eggplants, you need containers with a volume of at least 10−15 litres.
Cherry tomatoes and cucumbers are larger plants that need a lot of soil; for these, it is recommended to use containers with a volume from to 40 litres, because the bigger the container, the less you will have to worry about watering and feeding.
Some apps can make it easier to care for your plants and solve problems that you can have.
App Name | What it Does | Why It's Useful |
AI Plant Finder | This app uses AI to identify a plant and tell you if it has a disease | to find out what's wrong with your plant so you can fix it |
PictureThis | It helps you find out what a plant is just by taking a photo of it | if you find a plant you like and want to know its name |
Gardenia | It helps you to know when to water your plants and gives you care tips | for new gardeners who are not sure about how often to water or feed their plants |
Planta | It gives you a watering schedule for your specific plants and reminds you when to water | for busy people who might forget to water their plants on time |
Choosing Soil: Special Mixes for Container Plants
For container gardening, you must use special soil mixes that you can buy in a store or make yourself:
Light and loose for good air circulation and root growth
Well-draining, so that extra water can easily leave through the drainage holes
Water-retaining, to hold enough water for the plant's needs
Nutrient-rich, with all the necessary macro- and microelements
Components of a perfect mix:
Peat or coco coir, unlike peat, is not acidic and is a more eco-friendly option
Perlite or vermiculite make the soil loose and stop it from becoming compact, and they also help to hold moisture
Compost or vermicompost make the soil richer, improve its structure, and help good microorganisms to grow
You can add a small amount of sand for extra drainage, especially for plants that do not like to sit in water
If you do not want to make the mix yourself, just buy a ready-made universal soil mix for seedlings or vegetables; usually, it already has all the necessary parts in the right amounts.
List of Plants: What Vegetables and Herbs You Can Grow
Cherry Tomatoes
Varieties: Choose dwarf or bush varieties, such as 'Balcony Wonder', 'Pinocchio', 'Room Surprise'
Requirements: Tomatoes love the sun, so they need at least 6−8 hours of direct sunlight a day, and the container should be about 20 litres or more
Care: Regular watering is necessary, especially in hot weather
Cucumbers
Varieties: 'Balcony', 'F1 Courage', 'Masha F1', 'Heracles F1'
Requirements: Cucumbers need a lot of sun and a big container from 20 litres
Care: Cucumbers need a lot of frequent watering and regular feeding
Peppers
Varieties: 'Bell', 'Little Orange', 'Orange Wonder', 'Decorative Hot'
Requirements: Peppers love warmth and sun, at least 5−6 hours a day; containers with a volume of 10−15 litres are good.
Care: Pepper plants do not need a lot of pruning but may need to be tied up
Radishes
Varieties: Any type is good.
Requirements: Radishes do not like very hot weather or long hours of light, so it is better to plant them in the spring or autumn, or to put them in a partly shaded place in the summer.
The containers can be not very deep (from 15 cm).
Care: The main thing is to water them regularly; do not let the soil get dry, or the radishes will become hard and bitter. You can collect the crop in just 3−4 weeks.
Lettuce and Other Herbs
Varieties: Leaf lettuce, cress, arugula, spinach, dill, parsley, basil.
Requirements: Most of these plants do not need deep containers, and many of them can grow in a partly shaded place.
Care: Lettuce and herbs love water, so watering should be regular.
Collect your crop by cutting the outer leaves so that the plant can continue to grow.
Other Plants to Grow:
Bush beans: 'Saxa', 'Petunya' need containers of 10 litres or more
Carrots and beets: 'Minicor', 'Karotel'
Onions and garlic: Easy to grow for their green leaves
Special Care: Regular Watering
The success of container gardening depends a lot on having the right care, which is different from caring for plants in an open garden.
Regular Watering
Watering is the most important and demanding thing to do in container gardening because in a small amount of soil, water evaporates much faster, especially in hot or windy weather.
How to know when to water? The most reliable way is the "finger test." Put your finger into the soil about 2−3 cm deep; if the soil is dry at that depth, it is time to water.
How often to water? On hot summer days, some plants may need to be watered twice a day, in the early morning and in the evening when the sun is not as strong.
In cooler weather, once a day or even less often is enough.
How to water? Water slowly and a lot until water starts to come out of the drainage holes at the bottom.