Container Gardens to the Rescue

It always slips my mind, but when we know it so well: torrential rains and most crops don’t mix.

Take lettuce for example, local leafy green, a quick and convenient way to get some vitamins on your plate.

If I’m not growing lettuce at home I always have a bag, or two, on hand. Lately there’s none insight.

And don’t even mentioned imported lettuce – it’s just not in the budget. Besides, who wants to eat lettuce that’s travelled more in the last week than you’ve travelled in the last year? Not me.

Since the rains have slowed, and the weather is cooler, I’m preparing to get my container garden in shape. The first order of business is to get some lettuce seedlings sorted.

Right now my containers are under siege by weeds. Take my word for it. If you need to leave a garden bed or container unplanted, having soil expose is an invitation for weeds to establish themselves.

Instead, put down several layers of newspaper or commercial weed block and anchor the side or edges with rocks.

Weeds are a fact of gardening, but once they get out of hand in a container or raised bed ridding yourself of them won’t be easy.

Now I know what you are thinking: wouldn’t it be easy to zap those weeds with some chemicals?

Please don’t be tempted, pause and read the label on the product you are about to spray. After that if you are still tempted, go online and google the product name. There’s just no place for weed killers in the home garden.

I know that the soil in the container is good; that’s easily confirmed by the thriving weeds. As soon as I’ve remove the weeds, I need to be ready to promptly plant lettuce seedlings.

As weeds, no differently from vegetables, deplete the soil of nutrients, my soil will require a generous organic amendment.

As I’m going to plant my containers with various nitrogen-loving lettuces, I can easily add a good bit of composted sheep mature, along with vegetable craps and peelings that haven’t been composted.

Finally, I’ve got to continue to combat the weeds, giving the lettuce seedlings an opportunity to mature without competition. Easier said than done.

Once I’ve amended the soil I will lay down a thick layer of newspaper and poke holes to accommodate the lettuce seedlings. Remember that lettuce seedlings can be planted very densely; as they we begin to degrade and hopefully by then any weeds that may have survived won’t stand a chance against a burgeoning lettuce crop.

Taken from the Nation News Paper

Written By: Suzanne Griffith