Small space? Small Container Growing!

Small space? Small Container Growing!

Gardeners, or people who grow plants and crops, typically use a part of land on their property. But for many people having a bit of land is just a dream. Some people have limited ability to move around. Others might be scared because they are new to gardening.

There is a solution to these barriers. Jessica Damiano is an expert and educator in all things gardening. She invites people to start with small gardens. Even for people with a lot of land, if they start with small container gardening, they can avoid weeds and just care for a few plants.

Many people who produce plants have decreased the size of plants we eat for food. That is because of the gardening renaissance¹. People are gardening on the tops of their homes, in fire escapes and on small outdoor areas for sitting. These places are best for planting vegetables in containers.

Damiano suggests looking for small varieties of your favorite vegetable. Even though they are small, the plants will produce a lot! Crops that have the words little, mini and baby, like Patio² Baby eggplants, Sugar Baby watermelons or Kitchen Minis tomatoes, will be perfect for small containers. Plants that grow towards the sky, and most herbs, also grow well in pots.

After you select the type of crop you want to grow, you must consider the container, the type of soil or potting mix and where your plants will grow. This is an important step.

Unlike plants that are grown in the ground, plants grown in containers need more water and fertilizer³. Use deep pots made of metal or plastic to hold in the water. This can decrease the amount you have to water the plants. Be sure the containers have holes in the bottom to drain⁴ the water.

Dirt from your land is too heavy and may house disease⁵ or insects. Instead, you can choose excellent, organic⁶ potting mix that does not have soil mixed in. You should also mix in organic fertilizer that can be used with water if the mixture does not include it. Keep using the fertilizer every week to 10 days throughout the time you grow. After planting, use mulch on top of the potting mix to decrease evaporation⁷, keep the soil temperature even, and prevent weeds from growing.

Most plants that grow food need at least 6 hours of sunlight a day, but if you have an area with little sunlight, try growing a plant that prefers less sun, like carrots, greens, or beets⁸.

Depending on what you are growing, use different size pots. Small varieties of plants do well in anything from 2 gallons to 5 gallons depending on the size of the plant. Cucumbers⁹ and peas require 2-gallon containers. Small carrots and peppers need 5-gallon pots. Larger plants like watermelons need 8-to-10 gallons. For potatoes, you can use a plastic liner¹⁰ with holes and small rocks in the bottom for water to drain.

Herbs do not need extra fertilizer throughout the growing season, but they do need the smallest size container, no less than a half-gallon.

The best way to check for water in the soil is by pushing your finger about 2 inches into the soil and if the soil feels dry by the roots of the plant, add water. Watering the plants less often, but more intensely¹¹ at one time is better than watering a little bit every day.

With these ideas, a little planning, and the correct plants, your small space can grow a lot of crops!

Words in This Story

weeds – n. unwanted plants or flowers surrounding the main plant

renaissance – n. a rebirth or renewal¹² of something

fertilizer – n. a substance that is added to plants to help them grow

organic – adj. produced or treated without chemicals

mulch – n. natural materials that is used for covering plants

1 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

2 patio   

n.庭院，平台

参考例句：

• Suddenly, the thought of my beautiful patio came to mind. I can be quiet out there,I thought.我又忽然想到家里漂亮的院子，我能够在这里宁静地呆会。
• They had a barbecue on their patio on Sunday.星期天他们在院子里进行烧烤。

3 fertilizer   

n.肥料，化肥

参考例句：

• Fertilizer enriches the soil.肥料使土壤肥沃。
• Get some more fertilizer for the garden.给花园再多施些肥料。

4 drain   

n.排水沟，阴沟；消耗，负担；v.排去，放干

参考例句：

• Drain off the rest of the wine from this barrel.把桶里剩余的酒排出去。
• First,you have to drain the container of all the old oil.首先，你得从油箱中把所有的陈油都抽去。

5 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

6 organic   

adj.有机的，有机物的；有组织的

参考例句：

• Organic farming is expanding everywhere.有机农业正在各地迅速发展起来。
• The organic fertilizer shall keep the soil in good heart.这有机肥一定会使土壤保持肥沃。

7 evaporation   

n.蒸发，消失

参考例句：

• Be careful not to lose too much liquid by evaporation.小心不要因蒸发失去太多水分。
• Our bodies can sweat,thereby losing heat by evaporation.我们的身体能出汗，由此可以蒸发散热。

8 beets   

甜菜( beet的名词复数 )； 甜菜根； （因愤怒、难堪或觉得热而）脸红

参考例句：

• Beets are Hank's favorite vegetable. 甜菜根是汉克最爱吃的蔬菜。
• In this enlargement, barley, alfalfa, and sugar beets can be differentiated. 在这张放大的照片上，大麦，苜蓿和甜菜都能被区分开。

9 cucumbers   

n.黄瓜，胡瓜( cucumber的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She steeped the cucumbers in brine. 她把黄瓜泡在盐水里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cucumbers are crisp and refreshing. 这黄瓜脆生爽口。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 liner   

n.班船，定期班机

参考例句：

• They sailed to America in a large liner.他们乘坐一艘大客轮航行到美国。
• The liner flew straight to Nanjing.客机径直飞往南京。

11 intensely   

adv.强烈地

参考例句：

• I was intensely curious to know more about him. 我迫不及待地想更多地了解他的情况。
• Her parents were intensely ambitious for her and her younger sister. 她的父母对她和她妹妹有着很高的期望。

12 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。