Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 70 5/24/17 11:05 AM
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete
700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 71 5/24/17 1:01 PM70 chapter 2DESIGNING WITH
EDIBLE PLANTS
Containerized fruits and vegetables are often
grown in a very utilitarian manner, with very
little thought put into the container’s design
and layout. Many gardeners tend to be more
concerned with productivity than appearance
when it comes to container vegetable gardening,
but they can have both function and form in
one pot.
Containers of fruit and
vegetable plants deserve to be
beautiful, too. Tomato plants
don’t have to be plunked in a
big pot all by themselves. You
can utilize all five design styles
for growing vegetables, just
as you do for ornamentals. In
fact, by following the guidelines
outlined above, you’ll have an
edible container garden that’s as
gorgeous as it is productive.
For example, the thriller, filler,
and spiller concept also works
for edible plants. Good thrillers
can include large-statured
veggies such as tomatoes,
peppers, or eggplants. Or, the
thriller could also be an obelisk
in the center of the pot covered
with pole beans or cucumbers—
or even a fig tree or blueberry
bush. Around these, plant bush
beans, basil, lettuce, chard,or root crops such as carrots and beets as the
filler layer. Then, fill in the outer edge of the pot
with spillers such as thyme, strawberries, sweet
potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), or cascading cherry
tomato varieties.
Later in this chapter, you’ll find a table of
excellent vegetable varieties for container culture.
Flat-backed style works for vegetable container
gardeners, too. Select crops that fit each heightThis fabric container filled with
vegetables and edible flowers
utilizes the thriller, filler, and spiller
design concept.Text Black Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete#175 Dtp: 229 Page: 70^700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 70 5/24/17 1:07 PM
Designing and Planting Your Containers 71Monoculture-style vegetable containers are filled
with a single species of edible plant, and though
they’re certainly utilitarian, there’s not much room to
flex your creative muscles.
This featured specimen style container of edible
plants includes a citrus tree surrounded by a skirt of
low-growing thyme.niche and build your layers just as you would
build them for ornamental plants.
Excellent edible plant choices for containers
designed using the featured specimen style
include columnar or dwarf fruit trees, large
tomato plants, figs, papayas (Carica papaya), citrus
trees (Citrus spp.), bananas, a trellis of hardy
kiwi vines (Actinidia arguta) or pole beans. Then,
surround this focal point with a low-growing crop,
such as mixed herbs, a combination of lettuce
and other greens, or a skirt of edible flowers like
nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.), marigolds (Tagetes
spp.), and pansies (Viola tricolor va r. hortensis).
One important word of caution when it
comes to designing containers of edibles: be
careful not to overcrowd them. Veggies need lots
of air circulation to reduce the risk of fungal
diseases and plenty of room to grow and produce
their best. Take the time to create beautiful
combinations, but don’t jam too many plants into
any one container. Pay careful attention to the
pot size guidelines offered in Chapter 1; they’ll
help you determine how many vegetable plants to
include in any given container.Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete#175 Dtp: 229 Page: 70 (^) Text Black Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete #175 Dtp: 229 Page: 71
700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 71 5/24/17 1:07 PM