Accidentally ordering the 50-quart instead of 25-quart potting soil from Walmart online ended up being a fantastic mistake. I have had plenty of dirt to play with for months.
Now that the cold weather has subsided I can really get growing with a new batch of plants. What will 2024 sprout?
One part of gardening is accepting defeat, seeing certain plants unable to thrive in my front porch semi-sunny environment. So far this season, I've had to say goodbye to rosemary, cilantro, pineapple, basil, and others I can't remember. Don't use egg cartons because replanting these when they are fragile is tough. I think there isn't enough room for roots to really grow.
My last patio garden had cucumber and sunflower plants that flourished. I used to have ginger bulbs (given to me by a coworker) that would grow beautiful and tall, but so far they haven't started growing again. I'll have to get some new ginger (not the kind you eat). I am going to try those again, along with some new ones.
Trial & Error Container Gardening Lessons I've Learned.
Start seeds in plastic bags with wet paper towels.
Replant in a growing tray or the little plastic pots you get when buying plants.
Always use plenty of water when replanting. Be very gentle with the roots.
Cover the seedlings with a lid to trap moisture. Cover that with a cloth to make the area dark.
Put containers outside once the seedlings start to reach out toward the sun.
Don't overwater. Don't underwater. Test soil by feeling the surface to measure dampness.
Removing most brown and yellow leaves seems to help.
Provide supports like plant stakes for any climbers or tall plants that lean too much.
Graduate to larger pots to accommodate more root growth.
Use plant food periodically to wake up sad plants.
I'll save my adventures with my hydroponic system another time. For now, here are some sneak peek pics.
