How To Grow Organic
Vegetables In Pots

Don't worry if you do not have sufficient space for a vegetable garden where you need to rotate crops every year.

You can use containers very effectively to grow organic vegetables in pots in fact, this method has good advantages as you can avoid soil grown diseases and pests such as nematodes.  

In addition, if your soil in the garden is poor you can effectively supply great quality organic soil for your container grown vegetables.

You need to look for organic soil for your pots and you should be able to get this from your local garden centre or similar supplier, why not take a look at your local organic farm on your next visit too. 

They may well supply organic soil and natural composted material at a very reasonable price.

I would start by growing vegetables that take up little space such as radishes, carrots and lettuce.  This enables you to get into the swing of things before you move on to other vegetables that need more care such as tomatoes. 

Don't forget that there are many varieties of fruit and vegetable to choose from also why not grow some herbs?  Whatever you choose try to opt for seeds or plants that have been organically reared so that you get the full organic benefits from your crops.

Personally I think growing fruit and vegetables yourself is a wonderful idea.  You can't get more fresh and wholesome than from container to steamer!

Container grown vegetables don't have to be hidden away in some remote part of the garden either.  You can grow many colorful plants such as tomatoes, peppers and strawberries to name a few.  They can have just as much impact as colorful flowers and some people recommend growing vegetables in amongst their other garden plants.

Please be aware that root and leaf crops can tolerate partial shade but will benefit from an area that receives at least five hours of direct sunlight.  Any crops that fruit will need more sunlight around 8 to ten hours is good. 

A tip for improving sunlight conditions is to add reflective material around your pots.  This will help reduce shaded areas and improve the qulaity of your crops.

There many varieties of pots available for you to choose from.  In fact the list is pretty much endless, if you go to a larger garden centre then you will see a dazzling array of possibilities.  But do try to choose pots that are friendly to the environment, usual choices are clay or wood.  Make sure you pot has drainage holes and if using wood you will find redwood and cedar to be the most rot resistant.

Further reading

Living an organic lifestyle

More organic food articles

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