It’s been awhile since I did an update on my container veggie garden. I planted Black Seeded Simpson lettuce seeds earlier this week as some of you may know in my salad bowl container. And I have teeny tiny seedlings sprouting in masses. Once they get somewhat larger I will have to thin them out a bit. My tomato plant has seen better days earlier in the season, but seems to be producing yummy little cherry tomatoes in spite of the drought, blossom rot and some type of wilt on part of the plant. I had to remove some of the foliage & I gave it a good dose of calcium with a few eggshells mixed in the soil. The squash is struggling through some removal of leaves that were diseased and is getting blossom rot at times too. I gave it the same treatment as the tomato. The tomatoe cage was an okay idea but maybe some type of trellis system would work better. Hopefully they will hold out for the remainder of the growing season. This has been my first attempt with squash and I haven’t grown veggies on a consistent basis ever. Next year I hope to have a designated veggie bed or two. It depends on how many I can talk hubby into building for me. 😉 I am the idea person and he makes the actual project come to life. But all this container vegetable growing has inspired and challenged me to try new things next season. Plus watching all you bloggers show off your harvest has been encouraging too. It’s nice that we can inspire and encourage each other in new endeavors in gardening.
Perennial Garden Lover 
Posted by Anna on August 25, 2008 at 4:55 am
I tried the tomatoes in pots–but they just didn’t do well. I think my mushroom compost is the ticket for growing stuff in the ground. I’ve never had such hefty harvest.
Posted by DP Nguyen on August 25, 2008 at 5:42 am
I hope your hubby builds some veggie beds for you next year. Growing vegetables is so rewarding! I’ve never grown any vegetables in containers. I don’t think containers and I like each other; all my mints have seemed to die in the containers, lol. Our grape and cherry tomatoes seem to be growing the best out of all the other tomatoes, and they keep producing, which is encouraging!
Posted by beckie on August 25, 2008 at 6:45 am
I tried cherry tomatoes in a container and they are not doing well. I have tried to water consistently and they are in plenty of sun, but I guess there is just nothing like the good earth to get them to grow. The lettuce looks great so far and should do alright, but it’s too bad about your squash. I’m sure your husband will be happy to fix you veggie beds next year if you show him some of the harvest that the bloggers are having. All the veggies look so tempting don’t they?
Posted by OhioMom on August 25, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I recently read how you can put a teaspoon to a tablespoon of epsom salts in your container when you plant your tomatoes and peppers that will stop blossom end rot … maybe some of the gardeners here could comment on this idea ?
Lettuce is looking good !
Posted by Balisha on August 25, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Now you have “planted” an idea in my head …to plant some lettuce in a container. I have a flat planter…now to find seeds. It wouldn’t make sense to travel to the big city and use all that gas for a package of seeds….would it?
Posted by Perennial Garden Lover on August 25, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Anna- I grew Cherry Tomatoes one year tucked in amongst my roses. They did really well. Somethings do well in pots like looseleaf lettuce.
DP Nguyen- I know he was telling me today that they should be fairly easy to slap together. My best experience with tomatoes was Cherry tomatoes in the ground. The squash was doing okay until recently and lettuce is great in a pot.
Beckie- that has been my experience so far too with the tomatoes. I will get him busy soon so I can have a crop next year. 🙂 Looseleaf lettuce is easy in containers. The squash was doing well until recently. 😦
Great tip Mom. I will keep that in mind for next season. I’ve never had this blossom rot in the past. It’s been a weird season. 🙂
I wouldn’t burn gas to buy seeds Balisha. But they are easy to grow in a container. The loose-leaf variety. I’m glad I could inspire you! 🙂
Posted by Meadowview Thymes on August 25, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Ohio mom has a great idea I am going to write down!
Your veggies are looking good to me. We did not plant much this year, and all we have left are banana peppers. I don’t enjoy vegetable gardening in the extreme heat. I thought Aunt Debbi’s post about shopping in her backyard was so cool. Bet you will be able to do some of that too!
Posted by tina on August 25, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Yes, learning and inspiring is a very rewarding part of garden blogging for sure.
Posted by Love My Cottage Garden on August 25, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Yummy, great vegies! I am the same way when it comes to dreams and ideas. I think them up and my hubby makes them come true. We are lucky to have such wonderful mates. I collected stone from all the vacant lots around me this summer and my hubby is now in the process of making our 2nd vegetable garden. I cannot wait for it to be completed and then fill it up with fresh compost.
Posted by Perennial Garden Lover on August 25, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Thanks Linda, but they are having some problems (the tomato/squash) with disease & possibly squash borers. I can't wait to shop in my own garden for fresh produce. 🙂
Thanks Tina, that's how I feel exactly. 🙂
Yes, you're right we are lucky. I sometimes forget all the wonderful projects my hubby has completed for me. Thanks for reminding me. 🙂 Can't wait to see your new veggie bed with stone edging.
Posted by Susie on August 25, 2008 at 5:31 pm
P.G.-I don’t know if you have tried to grow Arugula before but I think that is pretty easy not that I have tried it. Lots of our customers have. It tastes wonderful with a hint of nuttiness. It looks alot like lettuce.
Also, I don’t know if you like onions or not but I did grow them this year and they are very easy. I grew red and white. They had no pest of any kind.
I’m glad to see you still have some tomatoes producing and your new veggies look great. I have pulled up almost all my tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and zucchini. I’m not sure if I’m going to plant veggies for fall or not. I guess I better hurry up and make up my mind.
Posted by Kathleen on August 25, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I have been inspired by many garden bloggers too especially in the vegetable growing arena. I may have to start dabbling in it next year myself. You are lucky to have a husband to bring your ideas to life for you. Wish I had a handy guy like that!!
Posted by Rowena on August 25, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I hear you on the “idea person” and the hubby for executing your ideas. My veggie bed is still waiting to be built. Good help is so hard to find these days! 😆
Posted by Eve on August 25, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Why not just do a couple of 4×4 boxes using the square foot method. Once you get the boxes set up, it is so easy to garden this way. And I just like how neat it all looks. I actually made 4×12 boxes for me but if I wanted to just put them around in the yard, I think I would use 4×4. Plant a few marigolds in with them and they look like flower beds.
When I first started my blog back in March, I posted on how we made mine.
Posted by Perennial Garden Lover on August 25, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Susie -I've never tried growing Arugula or Onions. I think I've tried Arugula. Thanks for the info, their on my list of stuff to try too! I think the tomatoes are okay still, but after I did this post I noticed the squash had problems. It has squash vine borer. Yuck! The stems got all mushy.
Thanks Kathleen. I guess me & you will be fellow newbie veggie gardeners. 🙂 I will let DH know you think he's handy. He'll like that. I am lucky, thanks for reminding me.
I hear you on that Rowena, lol. My hubby has that on his list of things to do still too. 🙂 But I'm lucky he's willing to help me out with these ideas of mine.
I will have to check out your post about that Eve. That is exactly what I want to make. I'm putting my alongside a fence though so I might only make them 2-3 ft deep so I can reach. Just gotta get the DH going that's all. 🙂
Posted by marmee on August 25, 2008 at 11:45 pm
growing my first veggie this year was a leap of faith with little knowledge and even less know how. but it has been very rewarding. we learned a lot of what not to do for next year so maybe that will be even better. but i must say i highly recommend it. good container growing!
Posted by Cynthia on August 26, 2008 at 12:04 am
The only real luck I have had with growing tomatoes in containers has been this year with the Tumbling Tom cherry tomato. Any other time and the results have been rather disappointing. Your lettuce is sure sprouting fast! I have to get started on my fall veggies!
Posted by Perennial Garden Lover on August 26, 2008 at 3:12 am
Thanks Marmee. We do learn from our mistakes in gardening. It’s been fun growing my tiny container veggie garden this year and next year I look forward to doing more.
So was that Tumbling Tom Cherry a good producer in the container Cynthia? Lettuce works great in containers, loose leaf that is.
Posted by Shibaguyz on August 26, 2008 at 8:52 am
Good for you!! So glad to see you strike out in the realm of the veggie containers. WOOHOO!!
If you want a list of plants that do well in containers, just check out our website and see what we’re growing. A little over half of everything we are growing is in containers.
On the subject of tumbler tomatoes: we grew them for the first time this year in a window box hanging from the balcony on our second floor and they are producing like crazy… again… see the pics on our blog for reference.
Can’t wait to see what you expand with next year!!
Posted by Perennial Garden Lover on August 26, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Thanks for your support guys, lol. I will need all the guidance I can get in veggie gardening, so I will definitely be checking out your blog for help. 🙂