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Cool Weather Crops-Vegetable Planter Patio/Balcony Boxes
Introduction
Here it is the middle of September and I wanted to set up some "Grow Veges Planter Boxes that will allow me to grow a few Cool Weather Crops just outside my door. These Radishes are well onto 10 days old and growing vigorously. Hopefully, the weather is cool enough that the radishes will make nice sized bulbs instead of just grow a lot of Leaves. I will make a decision in a few more days. The weather here was still in the lower 90's and I'm afraid to hot to make radish bulbs. They are just now starting to put out True Leaves. If they only want to make leaves, then I will try again when the temps drop into the lower 80' or even 70'sI also plan to at least build another box for lettuce. And maybe a few for Spinach, Green Onions, and many other things that lack cool winter. We are in Zone 6.5 to Zone 7. Depending on Who makes the zone maps for planting times, etc. Here in South Central Kansas, We are just going into fall and the temperatures should soon be perfect for growing cool weather crops all the way into November. Even later if we turn the Boxes into Little Green Houses! A project I currently have on the Drawing Board! Stay Tuned.
ALL ABOUT SOIL FOR YOUR BOXES
In case you are wandering what I used for Soil, I use 1 part Vermiculite, 1 part Perlite, 1 part Compost, to 16 parts of Used Potting Soil. If you are worried about using Old potting soil, just spread it out on your driveway on a Sunny day as thin as possible. Leave in the Sun for 5 or 6 hours and it will be Sterilized by the heat and Ultraviolet Rays of the sun!
I would not recommend using Top Soil . It is just to heavy and dense for Box Growing! I purchased many bags of "Top Soil" from the various Big Box stores for my Garden and find that most just aren't good enough. Even the more expensive stuff. Either it is 50 % Clay or it is full of large half composted tree chips that still need a couple years. Potting Soil? One store sold "Professional Potting Soil" It was probably fine but when I ran it through a 1/4 inch hail screen to sift out any glass, pebbles etc, 1/3 of the bag came out to be little finger size or larger. Sticks! I paid for "Soil"...not Sticks!
LETS GET STARTED!
MATERIALS:
- Three - 6 ft CEDAR FENCE BOARDS 3/4 X 5.5 X 72 inches. - New or Old in Good Repair. Old fence boards must not have any holes and no warps, twists or bows. You my find the thickness and width to vary slightly but the length is pretty standard. While I'm there, I get some outdoor redwood oil stain. It will increase the life of your box tremendously. An Outdoor Paint of your color choice will be fine too. One Spray Can used for both inside and outside the box should be easy and fast and enough. My Total New Wood Cost was just short of $15. Of course Used Fence boards can be Free!
- Small Box COATED WOOD SCREWS - #6- 1 - 1/2 inch length. I use "All Purpose" or Dry Wall Screws - Usually Black Philips Slot Screws.
- Waterproof Wood Glue. I use Tite-Bond #3.
- 1/4 inch Drill Bit and Wood Drill.
- Good Outdoor Wood Stain or Paint. One Spray Can will usually do. Brush Paint will cost the same or More!
Later - May 21, 2020:
Do to health problems, I had to figure out a better way to garden other than getting down and dirty in a regular garden. My daughter helped me to set up a Patio, Box and Bucket Garden . Here you see chives growing (6th year on the balcony railing - my first Experimental Box. As you can see, it is a little worse for ware, but it still works.
A little about Composting around your plants
This year. I added a little Beaded fertilizer to the Chive Box. The soil was getting low also. So I just topped it off with a little Compost. "Cotton Boll" by Boca Brand that you can find at better Plant Nurseries.
About that. When I opened the sack, it was very warm in there! The Compost was still Composting. Too much of this added in this state will rob your plants of Nitrogen which is used in the composting process. I found that in a garden bed, fresh like this, it can slow production of your plants down in a raised bed. But the Same Bed - Next Year will have your plants Flourishing because the over wintered compost is Giving Back it's Nitrogen big time the second year.
Where it really comes in handy is in the fall when you have plants that are in the ground that have gone dormant for the winter. I raise what I call "Monarch Butterfly Wild Flowers for the Monarchs. A Brilliant wild red-orange wild flower that looks georgous in a large pot. My 18 inch pot has a mature plant that is in its 6 year. And has added an extra stem. They are slow to spread by the roots. I am hoping it will have seed pods this year as I am anxious in starting my own strain from the seeds. Anyway. When winter comes, the plant disappears completely. About 3 to 4 inches down in an enormous flower pot. I then cover it with 4 inches of Cotton Boll compost and it comes through the winter in flying colors.
This year I built two boxes for my Garlics and 2 boxes for Radishes. The first picture is the early planting of radishes and the second box is a Replant because the seeds got hit by a "Gully Washer " rain as they called it when I grew up on the Farm. The survivers are mature but the center of the box where I replanted is just catching up.
I built a second box that I just finished planting. You can put from 80 to 100 seeds in a box. Seeds planted in a box (because you have hands-on control) can be planted much closer than in a garden. Usually the seed package shows the depth seeds should be planted, distance apart in a row, and distance between rows.
Most people don't realize the row distances from each other are usually stated for Machinery Use! You will probably be working with a small trowel or hand implement to cultivate in your boxes. No reason for wide paths between rows.
As you may have noticed, you will see several small radish plants in a neat row down the middle of the 2nd Radish Box. These are Transplants from the first box. If I have to thin extra plants, why not poke them in where there is new room. I planted the rest of the box with a variety of radishes yesterday. We plant a variety just to test them out. Our Favorite Radish is the 2 inch X 1 inch "French Breakfast" radish. They are almost twice as long as the ordinary ball radish. And Very tasty!
You can plant radishes 1 to 2 inches apart and the same Across from each other in the next row! Usually you can plant 2 to 3 X as many as in the same row length as in a regular garden. Green Onions (Scallons) can be planted the same way in the Boxes. Or lettuce before it gets hot. However, you should water about every other day because Boxes and Pots loose water faster than the ground.
We seem to have a very moody spring this year. To many cool and cloudy days. Plants need damp warm soil and plenty of spring sunshine to take off! This is my first year with large patio garden boxes and 5 gallon buckets for the Tomato Plants. So far I am happy with the results but Please God, give us more Sunshine and warm spring days! I also planted a Cucumber Plant with each Tomato Bucket plus starting them in buckets by themselves. I have 4 tomato plants (Roma) for canning and 6 or 8 picklers.
Do to health problems, I had to figure out a better way to garden other than getting down and dirty in a regular garden. My daughter helped me to set up a Patio, Box and Bucket Garden . Here you see chives growing (6th year on the balcony railing - my first Experimental Box. As you can see, it is a little worse for ware, but it still works.
A little about Composting around your plants
This year. I added a little Beaded fertilizer to the Chive Box. The soil was getting low also. So I just topped it off with a little Compost. "Cotton Boll" by Boca Brand that you can find at better Plant Nurseries.
About that. When I opened the sack, it was very warm in there! The Compost was still Composting. Too much of this added in this state will rob your plants of Nitrogen which is used in the composting process. I found that in a garden bed, fresh like this, it can slow production of your plants down in a raised bed. But the Same Bed - Next Year will have your plants Flourishing because the over wintered compost is Giving Back it's Nitrogen big time the second year.
Where it really comes in handy is in the fall when you have plants that are in the ground that have gone dormant for the winter. I raise what I call "Monarch Butterfly Wild Flowers for the Monarchs. A Brilliant wild red-orange wild flower that looks georgous in a large pot. My 18 inch pot has a mature plant that is in its 6 year. And has added an extra stem. They are slow to spread by the roots. I am hoping it will have seed pods this year as I am anxious in starting my own strain from the seeds. Anyway. When winter comes, the plant disappears completely. About 3 to 4 inches down in an enormous flower pot. I then cover it with 4 inches of Cotton Boll compost and it comes through the winter in flying colors.
This year I built two boxes for my Garlics and 2 boxes for Radishes. The first picture is the early planting of radishes and the second box is a Replant because the seeds got hit by a "Gully Washer " rain as they called it when I grew up on the Farm. The survivers are mature but the center of the box where I replanted is just catching up.
I built a second box that I just finished planting. You can put from 80 to 100 seeds in a box. Seeds planted in a box (because you have hands-on control) can be planted much closer than in a garden. Usually the seed package shows the depth seeds should be planted, distance apart in a row, and distance between rows.
Most people don't realize the row distances from each other are usually stated for Machinery Use! You will probably be working with a small trowel or hand implement to cultivate in your boxes. No reason for wide paths between rows.
As you may have noticed, you will see several small radish plants in a neat row down the middle of the 2nd Radish Box. These are Transplants from the first box. If I have to thin extra plants, why not poke them in where there is new room. I planted the rest of the box with a variety of radishes yesterday. We plant a variety just to test them out. Our Favorite Radish is the 2 inch X 1 inch "French Breakfast" radish. They are almost twice as long as the ordinary ball radish. And Very tasty!
You can plant radishes 1 to 2 inches apart and the same Across from each other in the next row! Usually you can plant 2 to 3 X as many as in the same row length as in a regular garden. Green Onions (Scallons) can be planted the same way in the Boxes. Or lettuce before it gets hot. However, you should water about every other day because Boxes and Pots loose water faster than the ground.
We seem to have a very moody spring this year. To many cool and cloudy days. Plants need damp warm soil and plenty of spring sunshine to take off! This is my first year with large patio garden boxes and 5 gallon buckets for the Tomato Plants. So far I am happy with the results but Please God, give us more Sunshine and warm spring days! I also planted a Cucumber Plant with each Tomato Bucket plus starting them in buckets by themselves. I have 4 tomato plants (Roma) for canning and 6 or 8 picklers.
Tomato Plants in 5 Gallon Buckets
I was only able to plant 4 tomato plants locally- due to the shut-down. So I am going to try to Clone at least 2 or 3 more plants. Hopefully, if they take, I will still have time to grow them before the season is over. I will probably be making these cuttings in the next day or two. I am trying the 2 liter Bottle method of getting them to root. Maybe I can show the results in the next Post. Stay tuned. I'll be here God Willing and the Creeks don't Rise! Thanks for stopping by.
My Two Garlic Boxes to be Harvested in mid June
as needed!
Same Radish box as above after the wash out a few weeks ago
Our Bucket Garden for Tomatoes and Cucumbers
Two Tomato Plants with Stakes and T-Shirt Strip ties.
they can set in and handle the direct sun. My own invention. And they Work! Copyrighted Robert Mader 2020.
You have permission to make for yourself, Commercial use to Sell Not given - Inquire if interested.
Always provide at least a 6 foot Stake
to tie Tomato Plants to. Indeterminate
varieties can grow up to 15 Ft or more!
Cutting of a Celery Root from Kitchen Waste
The Beginning of my First Patio Garden
My 1st 6 year old Patio Box with Chives
Varieties of Radish Seeds this year. Note the Special
Watermelon Radish that come from Hawaii. They are
about the size of Baseballs and are very sweet it says.
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