My Container Garden
posted by virtual chef on Jul 2, 2009 | Wait To Be Seated, Pls! |
Ever since my post on Edible Flowers, I kept thinking about starting my container garden as soon as I get to San Diego. It wasn’t until a month ago that I was able to do that and even then, it took me a couple of days to get my stuff together and plant my seedlings. I have 4 Earthboxes and several pots with herbs. My earthboxes contain squash, zucchini, cucumber, purple cauliflower and of course, tomatoes. Here is a picture of my earthboxes a month ago.
I didn’t really have a lot of space to do any vegetable gardening although I have tried planting bok choy and chinese mustard years ago in another part of the yard with much success. Anyway, I used the “bench” part of our front yard to park my earthboxes and other vegetable containers. If I get just one fruit/produce, I’d be very happy. I check my vegetables everyday and it seems that only the leaves are growing and the produce are elusive. But then, I don’t really know much about vegetable gardening! Niki and I were walking around the neighborhood the other day and met this old man a couple of blocks from our house. He was tending to his “box garden” which was set up along the trail where Niki and I were headed. We stopped and chatted. I told him I admire the squash plants he has which has humongous leaves and plenty of produce. He was nipping some flowers and then transferring the pollen to another flower. When I asked, he explained to me how he had to “force pollinate” them because there weren’t enough bees around to do the job. He explained and pointed out the male and female squash and zucchini and what needs to be done to produce large and tasty fruits.  Well… I have a lot of bees in my yard so I didn’t need to force pollinate. I guess I just have to be patient. Here is how my plants look like today.
This morning, I checked the plants again and I am not sure how I missed it but right on top of the soil underneath the large umbrella of leaves sits this beautiful zucchini waiting to be harvested. So what if it was only one? Who cares? I got a produce!!! Woohoo!
As I inspect the rest, I see that I have at least 4 squash that will be ready in a couple of days. Â I harvested the lonely zucchini, pondering what to do with it. It is enough for lunch for two people. Or perhaps made into zucchini muffins or zucchini bread. Oh well…I am just happy that my container garden is thriving.
Maybe I’ll get some tomatoes pretty soon. My bokchoy will be ready in a month and the okra plant looks healthy and showing blooms.
I’m jealous of your Zucchini. I have plenty of bees for pollination, but still no fruit. I’ve got Bell Peppers, Banana Peppers, even Tomatoes and Green Beans setting fruit, but no Zucchini or Squash.}:(
I’m about to give up and just eat the flowers like I used to as a kid.}:P
I haven’t been here in a while so I have some catching up to do! Your ‘bench’ garden looks like it’s doing really well and congratulations on your first zucchini of the season! We had so much last year that I had to shred and freeze most of it to use over the winter. This year, we really cut back and are only growing herbs, 4 tomato plants and 1 jalapeno (we also planted sunflowers but rabbits ate them as they sprouted). Hope the rest of your plants start yielding some great stuff soon!
I’m jealous. I wish i had space to start a container garden. Heck I’d even be happy with a little herb box.
Pretty exciting to see plants in container bearing fruits. I wish I could do it here.
Congrats for that beautiful and healthy zucchini!
So exciting!!! My roomie is doing a container garden on our patio, nothing ready to eat yet though
Hi!
It’s my first time here. I’m really impressed with your container garden. I wished I have green thumb like you. I have tried container gardening for the past two years, but I’m limited to the kind of plants that I can plant here.
I enjoyed looking at the photos. I was salivating looking at the food pics.
Farming (even on a small scale like yours) is the only one really honest living. You produce something of true value for everyone using only water, earth and effort. Nothing is as sincere as a garden!
ex-banker
It looks great. I wish I could have a container garden but my lot is too shady.
Must be so exciting. Jelous of you… I bought some zucchini flowers last weekend from an open market here, but unfortunately they ‘died’ as they waited 2 days in the fridge. I didn’t know that they are that fragile.
Lucky you! You have that garden. Congratulations!
Wolf: I forgot about peppers but i am pleasantly surprised that my zucchinis and squash plants are producing so much!
TN: Long time no hear!
i wish mine would produce a lot but I am happy if it gives me a dozen produce! LOL
Jenn: Never hurts to start an herb box. I find that chives do very well and is always useful in the kitchen.
Tita Beng: yep…plenty of bunga..and lots of food for Matt and Nikita!
Steph: would love to see pictures of your container garden. what did your roomie plant?
Juliana: not sure about the green thumb. it think i killed a lot more than I grew! thanks…glad you enjoyed the photos.
Carlos: Amen!
Ninette: I find that there are a lot of herbs that grow in the shade. maybe you can try them.
Zerrin: hey, there! yep..i harvested some of my zucchini flowers and i realized the same thing. i left it on the kitchen counter and before i knew it, they dried up. the next batch, i placed in the ziploc bag and refrigerated them. it lasted all of three days! can’t wait to have more so i can make deep fried zucchini blossoms!
Woohoo! Me, i have to replant because the rains did the plants some damage. Plus the big snails attacked my vegetable plants, huhuhu.
Oh, have you tried using used coffee grounds as fertilizer? It is very helpful. I get mine from Starbucks
Its free!
Oh wow, you got zucchini already! Here in Maine it has been quite rainy and wet, I have given up hope on my vegetable garden. I rototilled yesterday and it was still clumpy muddy! Good thing I planted two varieties of tomatoes in topsy-turvy planters (my first time to experiment with such) which are now growing much bigger than those I planted on the ground. My sweet potatoes are now dead. My regular potatoes are fighting to survive. I planted two rows of cukes quite late because of the constant raining and finally I have them growing to about 3-5 inches as of yesterday. We did not anymore plant any corns; did not have the “dry” opportunity in time. My MIL plans to re-plant peas.
I wish we had more sun here! Lucky you!