There is a common misconception among inexperienced gardeners and people who are living in places where there is not enough space in which to plant a traditional vegetable garden that it isn't possible to have any type of vegetable garden at all. There is good news, however. With a little bit of resourcefulness, practical thinking and creativity, there is no reason why you can't plant vegetables in containers and be able to harvest a decent amount of produce during the harvest season.

Obviously, it won't be possible to plant the amount of vegetables that you could plant if you weren't so limited by space. Nonetheless, there are ways to deal with space constraints, and there are definitely great opportunities for container vegetable gardeners to be able to grow a huge range of vegetables that they wouldn't have ever imagined was possible.

*Choosing specialty seeds -

One of the things that many people don't consider when deciding to grow vegetables in containers that the choice of types of vegetables they intend to grow need not necessarily be limited because they intend to grow the vegetables in containers. There are varieties, however, that have been created specifically to do well in containers. These varieties are more dwarf versions of traditional vegetables and therefore will be less likely to encounter some of the problems that lone might encounter with traditional nursery bought plants. The ideal source for seeds for vegetables that are to be grown in containers is Container Seeds.

*Planting seeds -

When growing vegetables from seed, the seeds need to be started roughly ten weeks before you intend to transplant the seedlings outside into the ground. This allows them a period of a week or two for hardening off. In the mean time, however, they can grow and mature into plants that will be roughly the same size as those that you would purchase from a nursery or garden center. A plastic greenhouse in which you can put individual peat plugs or peat pots is the perfect set up. The peat plugs or pots can then be planted directly into the pots when the plants are ready for transplantation.

*Choosing containers -

Choosing the appropriate type and size of container is essential. The size of the container can be a major factor in determining how successfully and how abundantly your crop grows. It is generally a good idea to err on the side of caution and to purchase containers that are a bit on the large size for most vegetables.

Lettuce and spinach will grow especially well in window box type containers. Other vegetables that are grown in rows can also be planted in window box type containers, but the depth of the container is an important consideration. Root vegetables, for example, will grow deeper into the soil.

Because containers have a tendency to dry out much more quickly than the ground does, choosing plastic containers over clay containers will help to keep the moisture levels in the soil more even. Self watering containers are ideal because they contain small reservoirs into which extra water will accumulate, and that will provide the plants with a small reserve supply of water.

For crops such as peppers, broccol and tomatoes, each plant will need to be planted in one pot. When it comes to things like peas, beans, lettuce, carrots, radishes, green onions, leeks and other similar crops, they can be planted in window box type containers. Carrots, radishes, leeks and green onions will all need to be thinned. They cannot grow well in cramped quarters because the fruits are produced below the surface of the soil.

*Container soil -

The type of soil you choose for your container vegetables is crucial. If the soil stays too wet, the plants will be susceptible to rotting conditions, and water will wash any fertilizer or naturally occurring soil nutrients out of the soil before the plants have the chance to benefit from those nutrients.

Another consideration is that most typical potting soils don't contain enough organic matter to allow for proper air circulation in the soil or to allow for even moisture absorption. The best thing to do is to purchase some additional Perlite, peat moss or soil amendments to add to the soil. Before actually planting your seedlings, mix the potting soil, peat moss, Perlite and some compost (or composted manure) into the soil and blend them all together. Then put this soil mix into the pots and plant the seedlings normally.

*Fertilizer -

Unless you are aiming to be completely organic in your growing methods, it is helpful to fertilize newly planted seedlings with a specially formulated vegetable fertilizer. Most of the commercial fertilizers such as Miracle Grow are not ideally suited to growing vegetables because the amount of nitrogen they contain will encourage a lot of foliage and stem growth, but not fruit production.

Phosphorus (the second part of a fertilizer combination,) is the mineral that is responsible for aiding seed germination, and for photosynthesis, but it is also essential for flower and fruit production on vegetable plants. Potassium helps plants maintain moisture balance, but it is also the mineral that helps food crops acquire their mature color, and it controls their ability to tolerate cold.

*Water -

While the seeds are germinating, as long as they are kept in a greenhouse like environment, they will stay quite moist on their own. It will be obvious when they need to be watered again. Once the plants are planted into the containers, it may be harder to determine how often to water them. One way is to stick a finger deep down into the soil. If the soil is moist down below, then the plant won't need water imminently. If it is dry deep down, it will need to be watered deeply enough to allow water to soak down into the dirt.

Certain vegetables like lettuce and spinach will need water very often. Without it, the leaves of the plants will wilt. Tomatoes need regular and even watering and without it, the quality of the fruits will suffer. Other vegetables will need to be watered regularly as well.

This is just some basic information about the most necessary things you will need to know about growing vegetables in containers. Obviously, there is considerably more involved. Knowing how to plant seeds, what kind of soil to use, the types of pots that are best suited for growing vegetables in containers, and how frequently to water the plants is some of the most crucial basic information. It is possible to grow a wide range of delicious vegetables in containers, and you will be able to get a fairly substantial harvest from your container grown vegetables.