Need advice re veggie container garden...

[evepet]

Hello everyone. It's been a while since I've checked in here... but I've caught the gardening bug again - and here I am for advice. I'm again trying my hand this year at container gardening on my balcony - a combo of vegetables and flowers this year.

I've got some zucchini and cucumber seedings (Bush Pickle variety that seems to be good for containers) and the containers I'm using for them are about 18" diameter and 24" in depth. Like my question in the thread about peppers in containers, I'm again seeking confirmation that I should only have 1 zucchini or cucumber plant in each container? Thx.

I also have a tomato plant on it's own in a container that's about 14" diameter x about 16" deep, which I hope will be ok. It's a 'Fresh Salsa Hybrid'.

Also, I've bought some organic fish emulsion, and noted that the directions say to use it diluted as per their instructions about every 15 days or so. I actually used it last weekend after I initially transplanted everything into their containers. Is using this type of fish emulsion sufficient on it's own for tomato, cucumber, zucchini, and pepper plants? Or should I be using something else as well? My soil mix is brand new this year and it was is roughly a 50/50 combination of container potting mix and some organic gardening soil which had compost and chicken manure pellets already in it. I also added some vermiculite to 'lighten' the soil for better drainage.

I probably should have sought out advice here before I potted everything... hope I haven't already done anything too inadvisable. Your advice will be appreciated.

[davefrombc]

Like the peppers , one cuke or zucchini per pot`. Your tomato should be fine.
The fish emulsion is likely all the extra you'll need to supplement your soil, but I'll let others advise better on that .

[evepet]

Like the peppers , one cuke or zucchini per pot`. Your tomato should be fine.
The fish emulsion is likely all the extra you'll need to supplement your soil, but I'll let others advise better on that .

Thx Dave.

[DonnaZn2SK]

You might want to research what zucchini varieties grow best in containers. I grow my zucchini in the ground, but last year, I had an extra started plant. I had it growing in a large growing container (the kind that trees come in). It didn't produce a single squash. It was almost like the blossoms weren't getting pollinated properly. Remember that you will have to watch the watering very carefully when container gardening.

[Dumbo]

Personally, I would stick at least two cukes in that pot. As long at you water the base of the pot and don't get all the leaves wet, you should be good.

The only thing I can think of is getting those leaves wet, staying wet over night for a couple of nights, and a fungus starts (since they are bunched together and don't dry out).

I might even go for 3 of them.

Just have a way to have them climb about 5-6 feet up.

I've done this with no issue.

The problem is getting the leaves wet and them having no way to dry out.

[evepet]

You might want to research what zucchini varieties grow best in containers. I grow my zucchini in the ground, but last year, I had an extra started plant. I had it growing in a large growing container (the kind that trees come in). It didn't produce a single squash. It was almost like the blossoms weren't getting pollinated properly. Remember that you will have to watch the watering very carefully when container gardening.

I've been reading online how sometimes you have to help the plant pollinate the female flowers so they produce fruit. Since I've already got my zucchini plant, I'll proceed with this variety. We'll see what happens. I'll be checking the male & female flowers and 'assisting' the process.

[evepet]

Personally, I would stick at least two cukes in that pot. As long at you water the base of the pot and don't get all the leaves wet, you should be good.

The only thing I can think of is getting those leaves wet, staying wet over night for a couple of nights, and a fungus starts (since they are bunched together and don't dry out).

I might even go for 3 of them.

Just have a way to have them climb about 5-6 feet up.

I've done this with no issue.

The problem is getting the leaves wet and them having no way to dry out.

I actually gave away one of the cuke seedlings today... my neighbor was busily planting her garden, and I gave her my extra cucumber seedling, as well as the second zucchini seedling and the extra pepper seedlings I had. Like you pointed out too, I was worried about the foliage of the cukes being too dense for air to circulate well and have it end up getting a fungus. I've been careful to water from the bottom (like tomatoes) - my zucchini plant too - but I think it's probably better overall to just go with the one this time around. Thanks for your advice though - I do appreciate it.

[Mygrandmeresgarden]

There's a really good resource on youtube.com from a girl called "The Garden Girl", she has all her garden in boxed containers and she explains how to really well. She's super interesting and explains also some of her vertical gardening. She has several videos that are well worth watching. So when you go to youtube, put the in the search line "The Garden Girl", her videos should all pop up.

[evepet]

There's a really good resource on youtube.com from a girl called "The Garden Girl", she has all her garden in boxed containers and she explains how to really well. She's super interesting and explains also some of her vertical gardening. She has several videos that are well worth watching. So when you go to youtube, put the in the search line "The Garden Girl", her videos should all pop up.

Thanks! I'll check that out.

[Paolo@ExtraShare.org]

This probably isn't much help now, since everything is already in the containers, but further to Donna's watering advisement: you could try sub-irrigation planters. They really help ensure that the soil stays hydrated.

Feel free to email me if you'd like a PDF with more info, or just go ahead and Google the phrase