Kitchen Gardening In Containers

I consider myself lucky that I now have the room to grow my kitchen garden in raised beds and a greenhouse ...

... but I didn't always have this luxury.  I spent most of my life living in apartments or condos, yet I always managed to have a small garden on a deck or balcony or even a sunny window.  I still enjoy gardening in containers, especially when I can combine function with beauty.  One thing I have never been able to do without is a way of having fresh herbs for cooking ...

... this is the container that I have planted on my deck, close to the kitchen for convenient harvesting.  I have parsley, thyme and rosemary (the herbs I use the most often) interplanted with some flowering annuals to make a pretty display.

Salad greens are another must!  I enjoy searching out unusual containers.  Here I have planted a salad garden ...

... in an old wok :)

It's also easy to add some tomatoes for the upcoming salads.  Tomatoes are perfect for container gardening.  This is my first try with Micro Tom ... growing in a basket and already beginning to blossom!  Look how small the plants are yet they will hopefully give me a big harvest one day soon ...

A simple bowl becomes a pretty display and home to some cilantro that will be added to salsas later in the season ...

I used a diamond core bit and a drill press to make holes for drainage in the bottom of the bowl (oh the joys of being married to a tool connoisseur :)  I couldn't drill holes in the wok so I added a layer of styrofoam packing peanuts to the bottom before adding the potting soil to allow for a bit of drainage.

Here a selection of basil grows in a vintage packing crate ...

I am growing leeks in another packing crate ...

... as they get bigger I will pull some for use in summer soups and let the rest mature through the fall and winter ... and they will get big!  This is one that I have left unharvested from last years crop; I wanted to see how big it could actually get growing in a box ... as you can see, the answer to that question is "pretty darn big!" ...

Wine barrels make great container gardens!  Here are two planted with potatoes and another crate that I painted a pretty blue ... I'm still waiting for inspiration as to what to plant in it.

Wine barrels full of soil and plants are very heavy.  When using them on an apartment balcony it is a good idea to decrease the weight by filling them one third full with styrofoam packing peanuts and then adding soil and your plants.

And then there is the ultimate "garden container" ... they come in all shapes and sizes and many of the smaller versions will fit on a balcony or porch.  I have to admit that I am in love with mine ...

Enjoy!