h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've talked about my container garden here before. It's the middle of the summer, and the results have been underwhelming for two of my three crops. I won't know how my carrot-growing prowess was unitl I pull the dear things up in October or whenever. The peas were a disaster. They were forming pods during the longest hot spell of the summer [mid to late July]. Worse, I was away for nine days, and it appears that the neighbor who had promised to water them didn't. So, I got back and found a grand total of seven or eight dry-as-dust pods hanging from lifeless plants. The pole beans mostly survived, but they lost a week. So, right now I see two tiny bean pods hanging where there were blossoms a few days back. That seems like a late start to me, but I'll happy to get *anything* from them.

This was basically a learning year. Are there any experienced gardeners out there who can suggest how to do things better next year?

Well, there a number of things i could share but i think your major problem was the weather and the time awaywhen thegarden did not get enuf water.

You appear to be someone who would have researched how to grow a good container garden so you probably know a lot of stuff that will/would have assured your success.

Ideally we can have our gardens and travel too

Hiring a kid who needs and wants the money and establishing a relationship where they know there will be more work from you and more money if they do a good job (ie no dried up dead plants) is a pretty reliable pattern for success in gardening.

Hiring adults can work but they carry alot of baggage and can rationalize not watering everyday or rationalize forgetting.

The thing is that gardens are hard and one has to be invested in them to make them work... you are invested because you want the garden a d the wholesome food and the feeling of a job well done etc

a kid is invested because they get the money.. which is a big deal to a kid who cant just go down to the local cafe and wait tables or whatever...

and we are talking about 10 or 12 here...

otherwise, dont look to a neighbor so much as to someone who loves you if you are looking for an adult... someone who admires youand wants to make a good impression and so listens to your instructions

good instructions are important too:
watering is best in the late afternoon so the plants have all night to suck it up
and there is less evaporation.

having a watering setup for the helper is good too... say, 2 cans on each plant
or... water dribbling in little ditch for 10 minutes...

i am just guessing here because i dont know your situation
the heat this year was horrendous

I've already learned about the dangers of overcrowding the plants and not giving them enough fertilizer. I thought that beans and peas wouldn't need fertilizer because they have nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots. Maybe they lacked something besides nitrogen, though. I'll do a better job next year. The carrots are too crowded, too, but I enjoy the lush green of their leaves. They *look* healthy anyway.

Next year I want to use bigger containers. I get the sense that plant roots need more space than a small pot can accommodate. Plus, the larger container would store more moisture in case of drought or unmotivated gardeners.

You could make these containers with water reservoirs like


http://www.verticalveg.org.uk/containers-with-water-reservoirs/

I have one in my garden, I am not sure that it is exactly the same design as Spiller made it. It was a trial and now that we have trialed it I want more

wOw these look doable !

https://www.google.com/search?q=self+watering+planters&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3o4EUp24JMb4yAHV9YG4Ag&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=320&bih=356

>>watering is best in the late afternoon so the plants have all night to suck it up
and there is less evaporation.

Also, help your pots to retain moisture; plastic pots are better than permeable terracotta ones, although you could line a terracotta pot with plastic. A gritty mulch on top with help prevent evaporation.

I'll see if I can get something like that.