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Tomato Container Gardens by Mary Hanna

Tomato container gardens are an alternative to a traditional tomato garden. Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables, well in this case fruits, of people around the world. They can be used in so many ways, in a salad or to make a sauce for pasta and a myriad of other ways in your culinary pursuits. Sadly in some places tomatoes are being priced at three dollars per pound or more. Fortunately, everyone can grow their own tomatoes, even people that live in apartments. The answer is to grow a tomato container garden. You can grow them on a patio or balcony or in a bright sunny room in your home.

The number one essential is sun. Tomatoes require a lot of light and will not thrive without out it. The materials you will need to gather for your tomato container garden are simple. You will need containers that are about five gallons in size. Only plant one tomato plant per pot. You will need soil, tomato seedlings and stakes or a wire cage to hold the plant upright. String, or products called twist-tie or sturdy-tie will be needed to tie the plant to the stakes or cages. You will need a plastic tray for drainage; good drainage is essential to the health of your tomato container garden. Last need on the list is fertilizer.

There are some species of tomatoes that will do better in your tomato container garden. The bush varieties of tomatoes work well in containers and are popular with container gardeners. Cherry tomatoes and Christmas Grape tomatoes work well also because of their size and many gardeners grow them when space is limited. Other varieties that will flourish in a tomato container garden are Celebrity, Early Girl, and Sweet 100′s. It really depends on which variety you want to grow and for what purposes. If you will be growing them mainly for salads the cherry varieties are the way to go.

As mentioned before, sunlight is a requirement in order to grow your tomato container garden. Scout out the area you are planning to use for your tomatoes. The spot for your tomato container garden must get at least four to six hours of sunlight. The more light the better since the sun promotes healthy, steady growth. The two most important elements for success in tomato container gardening is sunlight and water.

By growing your own tomato container garden you will know that there were no pesticides used on your plants. With all the controversy going on about pesticides knowing that yours is pesticide free is an advantage for you and your family. Here is a good natural pest deterrent:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.

Other pluses to this type of garden is you no longer will be paying high prices for tomatoes, your containers won’t take up much space and one plant usually yields enough tomatoes to feed your family. The cost of a tomato container garden is minimal and the feeling of accomplishment is great. So why are you waiting to plant your tomatoes? It’s time to choose the variety of tomato you want to grow, pick up some containers and start your tomato container gardens today.

Happy Container Gardening!

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at Gardening Landscaping Tips Gardening Outside and Indoor Herb Garden Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles

The Frugal Gardener: by Rachel Paxton

Gardening can be expensive. When you’re on a tight budget, garden projects seem to fall way to the bottom of your list of spending priorities.

I love the outdoors. And I love spending time at home in our yard. We’ve never been able to spend the kind of money I’d like to for landscaping, but over the years we’ve found some ways to make a little bit of money go quite far.

Shop end-of-season sales. It’s easy to remember to do this when shopping for clothes and other household items, but I forget the same goes for plants. You can get a great deal on outdoor plants and trees shopping at the end of the season. Even annuals that are almost out of season are a good buy. They won’t bloom again until next year, but for the savings you’re getting it’s worth it to plant them now and wait until next year to enjoy them. You can also get a great deal on fruit trees at the end of the season. Don’t forget to check out the sidewalks of grocery stores and neighborhood markets. They mark down the prices of plants significantly at the end of the season.

Divide and transplant. It doesn’t take long for plants to start to take over your flower beds. I grow some herbs and daisies that seem to creep inches through the flower bed each week. Instead of letting plants like these take over the flower bed, transplant them to another part of the yard. Flowers like daisies are easy to dig out in big clumps and move around wherever you want them. In several years time, the investment of a few dozen flowers or flower bulbs can multiply into many times the amount you recently purchased.

Give and receive. It’s fun to trade plants with friends and family. I’ve landscaped much of my yard this way. Iris bulbs from one friend, grape vines from another, it adds up fast! And all from people who were looking to get the excess plants out of their yard. After your yard has had a few years to get established, you will be able to share also. This is the best way to plant your yard with no expense at all.

Look for unexpected opportunties. One of our neighbors gets free sod from several local curb companies. After a job, they just unload the sod at his house. When he doesn’t have a need for the sod, he gives it to us free of charge. We’ve put down several hundred dollars worth of sod at no cost to us.

Creative container gardening. I like to plant in containers a lot, but planters can be so expensive. Get creative about your garden containers. People use wheel barrows, tool boxes, kitchen sifters, colanders, old boots, children’s wagons, baskets, and many other things for creative container gardening. Just make sure there is adequate drainage so the water can find its way out. See http://www.gardenguides.com for more container gardening ideas.

Weigh the alternatives. It’s easy to get carried away in the vegetable garden. I get all caught up in having a little of this, and a little of that, often spending more than I had intended to and growing vegetables that cost next to nothing at the grocery store when they’re in season. For example, green peppers in season you can get for 4 or more for $1. That’s maybe not worth it to me to grow them. Tomatoes, on the other hand, are definitely worth the effort and will save us a lot of money throughout the summer.

You don’t have to have a lot of money to have a nice garden. You just have to be creative and look for opportunities. Make the decision that you will only spend what you can afford, and you will still end up with a beautiful yard you can be proud of.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.