where credit is due

Our garden as it currently stands is the product of several influences, all embraced because they solved problems we experienced on our particular deck. We’d like to tip our hats to the following:

Mother Earth News: It was from M.E.N. that we first learned of the self-watering five-gallon bucket system, so even if they didn’t invent the concept we have to give them props! (M.E.N. credits Josh Mandel, so big props to him, too!) Attractive? Not exactly, but I don’t really notice the buckets anymore. Once the plants get going, that’s where the eye is drawn. Anyway, the loss of esthetics is more than made up for by the savings in water. (For which our poor, dripped-on vehicles would express thanks if they could…)

The Bountiful Container by Rose Marie Nichols McGee & Maggie Stuckey: This was the first book we bought completely dedicated to container gardening & have had it for a couple of years. It’s still the one I reach for most often (as evidenced by all the sticky note markers!).  The authors communicate great information and the tone betrays their own passion for container gardening.  Types of containers, supports, plants, techniques… it’s all in here!  Before finding this book, we’d purchased several others that were about container gardening in general – most included one chapter or maybe two about growing edibles in containers and generally confined themselves to tomatoes and herbs, so finding The Bountiful Container seemed like manna from heaven in print. (This is the book, by the way, that influenced us to grow potatoes!)

One of the things I love in The Bountiful Container (and would do in a heartbeat if our homeowner’s association would juuuust let us put an addition on our deck) are themed gardens. Have kiddos? See “A Kid’s Garden.”  Want to have all the greens for a salad at hand?  “The Salad Basket” has you covered. There’s even a themed garden for foodies who enjoy ethnic food cooking. Great stuff, and a wonderful springboard for your own ideas!

But what I appreciate most about this book is that it’s readable and personal, like good friends chatting about gardening over a good cup of tea. The authors cover technical things, but do so in a way that isn’t intimidating, which was just what we needed.

Vertical Gardening by Derek Fell: First, a confession: I judged this book by its cover. There was just something about seeing spaghetti squash growing up netting next to gorgeous tomatoes that sold me. The good news is that it’s not just a pretty cover – there’s a wealth of great info. While it’s largely written with standard, in-ground gardening in mind, it doesn’t ignore container gardeners and many of the structures can be adapted to containers. Again, the tone is cordial even as the author imparts technical information.

Wherever you find The Bountiful Container in my house, you’ll find Vertical Gardening (also laden with sticky notes, no less!).  It’s opened up new possibilities for maximizing the space on our deck, and improving the health of our plants. Example: Over the past couple of years we’ve grown Sugar Snap peas up both sides of a freestanding trellis, two buckets per side. They started out great and were productive but about halfway through the season, the leaves started getting spotty. It wasn’t until I was looking at this book, that I realized that by planting both sides of the same structure, I’d only been considering the amount of root space the plants needed – not the amount of airflow they’d require. While I hadn’t crowded the roots, the plants were scrunched together, like too many people in a stuffy elevator bumping elbows. Nowhere to go…

In Vertical Gardening, we saw a maypole, which inspired my husband.  He built four freestanding maypoles, with wooden disks on top. Into each are several eye-screws. Four buckets will surround each pole, each with holes drilled into the top rims. Strung between the holes and the screws will be twine for the peas to climb. Two of the poles will be surrounded by buckets containing Sugar Snap peas and carrots.  When the SS pea season is over, they’ll be replaced by cucumbers, which will also climb.

The Vegetable Gardener’s Container Bible by Edward C. Smith: I looked at Mr. Smith’s The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible several times online and always thought, “Maybe someday…”  When I saw he’d published a version for container gardeners, I knew it would eventually be part of our gardening library, and in fact, I ordered it at the same time I ordered Vertical Gardening. This book could easily go on our coffee table. It’s beautifully photographed, and as expected, it contains pearls of wisdom and experience. He also includes themed containers, supports for climbers, and self-watering options.  If I’m honest, I haven’t yet done more than leaf through this book casually, but what’s jumped out at me already from doing so is the way he organizes his information. Each of the types of veggies is organized under the following headings:

• Pick Your Pot: Optimal  containers for the particular plant
• Grow It: Tips on spacing, succession plantings, weather preferences, etc.
• Eat It: When to harvest!
• Bug Off: Which wily wascals want your crops and how to foil their dratted dastardly dining.
• Pick Your Plant: Information on varieties.

I’m looking forward to spending more time with this book.  Hmm – it’s raining. No time like the present!