After enduring bouts of frost and freeze, snow and wind through much of May, we can finally get outside more. As we are eased back into some of our pre-pandemic activities, we are still urged to spend time limiting our exposure to others.
Since we are mostly homebound, why not create a basic container garden? A little foliage adds a pop of color to to your surroundings. Not a planting expert you say? Well, niether am I but through trial and error, I've found what we easily can grow here in our Capital Region climate.
There are only a few steps to get your garden started and it requires very little time or living space.
Your best bet is to start with a small amount of containers and find out what works for you. You might then decide if you want to grow only flowers or try out your hand at some herbs and vegetables.
Of course we have to work around our fluctuating weather here in Upstate New York, so I’ll share some tips to help you out there too.
Here is a short list of annual flowers that I have found to do well in containers:
Sun Lovers:
- Petunias
- Geraniums
- Marigolds
- Pansies
- Violas
- Morning Glory
- Cosmos
Part Shade:
- Impatient
Shade lovers:
- Fuchsia
- Persian Shield
- Begonias
- Coral Bells
- Oxalis
There are many more…
Below is a list of easy to grow food items I’ve had success with in our climate and I am sure you can do the same. It's a simple garden of lettuce, pizza herbs, even catnip.
- Parsley
- Basil
- Chives
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Cilantro
- Sage
- Thyme
- Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes (all sizes)
- Snap Peas
- Yellow Wax Beans
- Sweet Peppers
- Hot Peppers
- Strawberries
- Catnip
Supply List:
- Bag(s) of potting soil
- Plant food (Optional)
- Small bag of garden lime to mix into soil, 1/4 cup per gallon of soil (Optional)
- Plant containers
- Watering can or hose
You can really get a lot done with a small hand held shovel or any tool you can lift a bit of dirt with. Other supplies listed below are good to have on hand but not necessary.
- Gardening gloves
- Trowel (optional)
- Hand cultivator (optional)
- Pruner or scissors
- Plant supports (for tomatoes)
- Plant labels (many times come with purchase)
You can find these items in a small gardening kit sold at most local home and garden stores.
My little above ground garden produced a nice little bounty last year. It was so nice to be able to pick and eat fresh lettuce any old time and the cats loved the fresh catnip plant that reproduced leaves all summer long.
Tomatoes are also fun to grow, although they can take until mid to late summer to show fruit. Cherry tomatoes are an easy place to begin, then you can work your way up to roma (great for sauce) and even larger heirloom varities.
Last year I branched out to growing zucchini, cantaloupe, and cucumbers. They grew as vining plants which need lots of room to meander. Vining plants may not be the best for container gardening.
I found broccoli surprisingly easy to grow, and it stayed confined to a single pot. Although, broccoli does take several weeks to bear food.
I find a good potting soil with plant food in it works best along with garden containers. I also have good luck with my gardens by using pre-started plants from the local garden store.
This year I started some snap peas and golden wax beans from seed. Vegetable and herb plants can be found at your local farmers market, garden store, or even the grocer; They only run you about three or four dollars apiece.
Now, being a native upstate New Yorker, planting season start times are variable. Whenever people ask me for a “safe to plant” date, I typically say not until AFTER Mother’s Day. Even though the calendar shows the last frost typically falls before that date, don’t always trust it. There are a few work arounds for planting problems.
If you do plant a garden and spring frost is forecast, you can easily move your containers to a warmer spot or cover them with a bag or cloth until the frost subsides.
Let’s just say it is solidly safe to plant your spring container garden now, and you don’t want to wait too much longer to get going.
The Cornell Cooperative Extension is a terrific resource for finding safe to plant dates and you can Click here to view the gardening schedule.
Remember, you'll want to keep your vegetable/herb pots in the sunniest spots possible (6 to 8 hours of direct sun) and be sure to water everyday. Keep an eye on your soil and be sure to not let it get too dry and becareful to not overwater. I have found that lettuce and tomato plants are the thirstiest of the group. Flowers should be positioned according to their sun preference. Remember to give all pots plant food every week or two in oder to yeild the best fruit and flowers.
If after a hot, sunny day, your plants may seem a bit droopy or as if they're wilting. Not to fret. You'll want to give those plants some extra watering. I bet you'll notice them perk up again once they are hydrated.
Some added benefits to planting above ground is that you can avoid outoor critters from eating your food. Container use also makes it easier for gardeners to control and prevent the spread of plant disease like tomato blight.
Small stiches aside, I think you'll find gardening to gift you with plentiful rewards like the frequent visits from bright colored birds and butterflies right outside your very own window, bonus! We have an incredible community of gorgeous winged creatures and they are drawn to potted plants. Sometimes they show up when you least expect them and that my friend can surely brighten your day.
I know gardening can be tricky, but if you start small and see what works for you, I'm sure you can expand your horizons by adding new plants as time goes along. So, why not, give it a shot and grow something today?
I'd love to see what you've got growing! Got photos? Please share them: Heather.Morrison@charter.com, @HeatherWxTv on Twitter, @weatheryfeather on Instagram, Heather Morrison on Facebook, and I’ll happily display them. Heck, you could even see your plant photos pop up on our Spectrum News TV Channel.
I'd love to hear your suggestions and gardening tips too!