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Episode-2404- Container Gardens for Food Production

The Survival Podcast Posted on by

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Today we take a  look at a subject we really haven’t gone into for a long time, container gardening. I know many listeners have very small yards or no yards and are regulated to growing things on a balcony. Containers though to me are for everyone, they short cut soil prep time, offer many advantages and can be used in a variety of ways that improve your production regardless of your land or lack thereof.

Get ready and strap in, I am on fire today with information and resources, this is one of those shows that will overload and work your brain.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • Why containers are for all gardeners
    • Grow crops outside of your geographic zone
    • Use your land for plants that really need the space
    • Allows you to grow food anywhere you can find sun
    • Opens up new spacing opportunities
    • Turn some “annuals” into “perennials”
  • Advantages of Container Gardens
    • Very few weeds
    • Easy and fast to build fertility
    • Easy to work, harvest, etc.
    • Easy to extend seasons with
    • Easy to teach others how to do
    • Fits perfectly into zone one design
    • Lots of cheap and free container options
    • Protected to a degree from your lifestock
  • Crops that are ideal for containers
    • Greens of all kinds but here are some people over look
      • Swiss Chard
      • Celery Heart Regrow
      • Amaranth
      • Orach
      • Cress
      • Argula
    • Tomatoes
    • Peppers
    • Patio Blueberries
    • Carrots
    • Daikon
    • Herbs – Basil – Oregano – Parsley – Sage – Rosemary – Chives – Dill
    • Green/Bunching Onions
    • Beans
    • Peas
    • Nasturtiums and other flowers
    • Sweet potato (dual crop)
  • Self Watering Containers – AKA Wicking Beds
    • Perfect for water conservation
    • Actually a lite form of hydroponics/aquaponics
    • Easy to fertilize
    • Allow you to go a week or longer with out gardening
  • Getting really creative
    • No limit to container size
    • Companion planting and succession planting
    • Getting permission to use the space of others
    • Get started anytime of year
    • Growing from seed, why not?
    • Using vertical spaces to increase growing area
    • Expand as you so desire

 

Resources for today’s show…

 

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Comments

Episode-2404- Container Gardens for Food Production — 5 Comments

  1. Hey Jack,

     

    I was glad to hear your suggestion for using tires for container gardening. I’ve got two beds that I’m starting for the first time this spring in old rear tractor tires. We cut the sidewalls off one side like you suggested, and it actually adds quite a bit of planting area! We got the tires for free because they were just laying around my dad’s farm. We built a third bed out of old wood from tearing down some dilapidated sheds.

    Love the show! I’m trying to find something good to reach out for a listener call show.

  2. I used to race dirt late model stock cars so have plenty of old tires around, some of which I’ve used in the garden.  The late model and sprint car tires are nice and big but also light enough that they are easy to cut up for other uses.  Rear drag slicks would also be a good option.  Make friends with local racers and you’ll have all you need since they’re hard to get rid of and they wear out quickly.

    I’ve cut one side out and used them for planters, but they are also very useful when buried – they make a great rhizome barrier.  I have several buried (with about 2″ sticking up) and planted with raspberries.  The tires keep the plants where they’re supposed to be and I can easily run a string trimmer around them to keep things tidy.

  3. Stacking tires to grow potatoes in works well. Plant your starts in the first tire and continue to add soil to cover the green tops until you get about 3 tires tall. Harvesting is as easy as removing a tire. Be sure to put a piece of wire mesh under the first tire if you live in gopher country.

  4. Indeed but like I said if you want your life to be easy cut out the side walls. It is way easier to do then most would think. A razor knife cuts most side walls like butter. For hard ones a sawzall does the trick, just put something in the tires to reduce vibration when cutting.

    Also if you grow comfrey, wrap each seed potato in a leaf or two when planting.

  5. Yes I always cut one side wall out. I use the sidewall rounds to hold down tarps and cardboard flattened down for weed control.

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