Living in Southern California we are always looking for solutions to conserve our water, and save money on our watering bill!  In fact, our community has implemented several strict water restrictions around timing of watering, using the hose, and fixing leaky faucets.  In my opinion whether living in SoCal or a water in abundant location, people should be conserving water.

I don’t use the hose to water my plants.  Dragging the hose to our patio would be cumbersome and not to mention the water that would be wasted in the process.

I water all of my container plants using a watering can. This weekend I figured out a solution to store water on my back patio so that I don’t have to run back and forth to the kitchen sink to filling watering cans.

I cut a hole in a recycled bottled water container, and use the “faucet” on the plastic bottle to fill my watering cans. These 2.5 gal. containers are great for storing water.  I’ll also place an old nylon sock over the refill hole to keep out the critters.  I understand that this idea seems super basic and simple, but I figured I would share because it works for me!

Here is a picture:

Recycled water storage container

Recycled water storage

There are several on-line resources with information and tools for conserving water. I am sure there are more that target individual states and communities, but here are my favorite sites:

http://www.saveourh2o.org/
http://www.unicef.org/wash/index_43106.html

Water Wise Landscaping:

Are you following the basic principles of water wise landscaping in your garden?

Use less-than-thirsty plants in your garden. Keep turf grass (the thirstiest plant of all!) to a minimum. Look for plants that are well-suited to regional and local conditions.

Group plants thoughtfully. When selecting trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennials and annuals for your garden, look for those that naturally grow together and use about the same amount of water.

Use water wisely. Water plants only when needed, not by the clock or calendar. Water at night, when evaporation is much lower and air is calmer. Avoid runoff and overspray.

Improve your soil. Routinely cultivate your soil, incorporating organic matter such as compost. Doing so improves the soil’s ability to resist evaporation and retain moisture. Aerate heavy or compacted soil around trees.

Mulch. A two- to four-inch layer of mulch also evens out temperature extremes, keep soil cool on hot days and warm on cool days. It also prevents soil from crusting, allowing better water penetration. Take a cue from nature and choose one of many organic mulches that add great visual texture to your landscape, such as shredded bark or chips, wood grindings, compost, aged sawdust or even low-growing ground cover. Inorganic mulches, such as gravel or rock, let the most water in and are frequently used with plants susceptible to crown rot.

Plant trees. Trees help to lower air and soil temperatures, reducing plant and soil moisture loss.

Group container plants. Arrange containers so they shade one another. During droughts or periods of drying winds, place them in the deepest shade they can tolerate. Wet the entire rootball; double pot by setting small pots inside larger ones with a layer of sand or gravel between. Top-dress pots with a layer of mulch over the soil.

Many people that I have spoken with in urban areas are under the impression that they can only grow herbs in a kitchen window!  You don’t need a large plot of land to grow fresh vegetables. I have grown many vegetables in containers.  We also have made some space for planting in the ground, but I’ll get to that later.  With a little extra care, many vegetables thrive in containers located in a sunny spot on a step, porch, window box, etc.  I’ll provide some ideas in selecting bush or dwarf veggie varieties, but almost any vegetable can be adapted to growing in a pot. Lettuce, root veggies, or crops that bear fruits over a long period of time, such as tomatoes and sweet or hot peppers, are perfect for container vegetable gardens.

Containers and Pots for Vegetable Gardens

Selecting Containers: Containers for your vegetable gardens can be almost anything: flower pots, pails, buckets, wire baskets, bushel baskets, wooden boxes, nursery flats, window planters, washtubs,  large food cans.  I recently visited a nursery here in California that was willing to get rid of plastic planters that trees and bushes arrived in.  These are perfect because they are large enough, and have drainage. 

Drainage: Any container that you choose should have holes at the base or in the bottom to permit drainage of excess water.   If you place containers on your wooden deck, you should raise them on a brick or something similar so that you don’t get permanent “ring stains” on your deck…If you care about that.   Some gardeners swear by using only terra cotta planters however can be expensive.    If you are using plastic or terra cotta containers, I suggest watering in the morning hours to give the soil a chance to dry out before the evening.  Otherwise, you may get moldy roots, or other plant diseases that we will discuss in another post.

Size: Container size is important. For larger vegetables like tomatoes and eggplants, you should use a five gallon container for each plant.  If you plant in containers that are too small, you run the risk of the roots getting too big for the planter, and your plant will need to be repotted.   Replanting a 3’-4’ tomato plant would really be difficult!  

Soil and Fertilizer

You can use soil in your container vegetable garden, but the synthetic mixes are much better. Peat-based mixes, containing peat and vermiculite, are excellent. They are relatively sterile and pH adjusted. They also allow the plants to get enough air and water.  I mix one-part mushroom compost to two parts planting mix will improve fertility.

Using a slow release or complete organic fertilizer at planting will keep your vegetables fed for the whole growing season.  My favorite is “Tomato Tone”.    It is organic, and has worked for me every year.

 The tomatoes above are from the 2008 season, so here is a picture of our newest addition. Heirloom varieties on our porch.  Notice, one plant per pot!  The first year I started container gardening, I placed two plants in a pot.  Trust me, they grow very large!   If you place more than one plant per pot, they will become root bound, and die early…Which is disappointing!  Take the time to mix compost, add fertilizer, and use extra pots if needed.  It will pay off in July/August when you will have the biggest tomato booty on the block!   Also, remember that if you plant more than four or five plants, you will be sharing tomatoes with your family and friends.   Be mindful of what you will realistically use or donate.  Rotten tomatoes are a pain to clean from the deck, and can attract rodents.