Spring is here! Or at least, it feels like spring in Greenville. I’m sure we’ll have another frost or two before we technically enter spring, but this means it’s time to start seeds. Cue “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year“. Here is an in-depth review of my garden plans specifically for my container garden. (I am a spreadsheet gal, so I’ve organized my garden plans in Google Sheets and included screenshots in this post)
The GreenStalks
Use my referral link for $10 off your purchase with GreenStalk! (here)
I have two wonderful GreenStalks this year. One is a 3 tier Original planter, and the other is a 7 tier Leaf planter. Honestly, I may get a third because of how convenient they are. They are also significantly cheaper than building more raised beds. As an added bonus, we get to take them with us when we eventually sell this house and move.
Between the two planters I have, there are 60 total pockets, meaning I can plant 60 starts just in the GreenStalks alone. I’ve had to think long and hard about what I am planting this season, because really, the choices are endless!
I have a lot of strawberries on my list because I use them almost every day. Organic strawberries are expensive! Having at least 18 pockets of strawberries should help cut that bill down, and I will have healthier, home grown, delicious berries! These will be on the top 3 levels in my 7 tier Leaf planter.
Below that, in the next 2 tiers, I will have a variety of peas. In the GreenStalk, certain plants can be doubled or even tripled in each pocket. It is recommended to plant up to 3 pea plants per pocket. 12 pockets x 3 plants = 36 pea plants!
In the following tier down, I will dedicate that to herbs. 2 basil plants, rosemary, sage, thyme, and mustard greens. Lastly, I will fill the last tier completely with bunching onions. I had great success growing these a few years ago, so I will be glad to have a designated space for them.
The original 3 tier planter allows for plants with deeper roots. On the top and middle tiers, I will fill them completely with Bush Beans and Lima Beans. Each planter can hold 3 plants each, allowing for 18 of each type.
Lastly, on the bottom tier, I will plant my brassicas. I’m not sure how well these will do in the GreenStalk, but it’s worth a shot! I’ve heard these do best in cooler weather, so I’m hoping to get a harvest before the peak of summer heat hits. I have not had success with brassicas before (starting from seed AND buying starts), so this is something new for me.
The Gardyn
Want $125 off? Use coupon code rfdiana44753 at check out!
Does this really count as a container? I’m not sure. But I’m including it anyway. We just received our Gardyn, which is a very futuristic looking, indoor smart garden. The company sends you pods to click into place, and smart technology (cameras, monitors, grow lights, a watering system, and an app) does the rest. When you make your initial purchase, you receive 30 pods to fill the 30 slots. There are peppers, tomatoes, herbs, flowers, mini cauliflower, and lots of lettuce. They also have other options like strawberries on their website.
The great thing about this device is that it’s indoors, so pests aren’t really an issue. You can also grow year round! I am not a big salad eater, but we’re planning on getting ducks in the near future so we can save on feed for them by growing lettuce and other greens throughout the year.
In theory, this sounds like it will be an amazing experience. I’ll be sure to track the price breakdown and how much I’m actually harvesting from this thing!
Other Containers
If you’re anything like me, you’ve accumulated so many plastic pots over the years and you can’t seem to get rid of them. Well, luckily for me, I have started way more plants than I have room for in my garden. Time to use up those pots! Some of them I’ve already filled (see below) and some are still sitting waiting to have soil added to them. The great thing about containers is that they’re movable. Is there a freeze happening that we didn’t expect? Throw them in the greenhouse! Did I pick a spot that ultimately gets no sun? No problem, just pick up the pot and move it.
Fruit trees/bushes – We have a few fruit plants that we have had in containers for a while. Some are newer than others, but we chose to put them in pots for various reasons.
Blueberries: We have two blueberry bushes in two pots. Blueberries require acidic soil, so we figured having them in their own spot would help us regulate the soil pH. Additionally, when we sell this house, I would love to bring them with us! We got a few blueberries last year, so I’m hoping for a more abundant harvest this year.
Blackberries: Our newest addition to the garden is four blackberry bushes. They are a thornless variety, and grow straight up. My husband built a trellis that they can grow on, possibly providing us with a mini privacy panel. We chose to plant these in containers because blackberries are extremely invasive, so for the sake of our neighbors and future owners of this house, they will stay in their pots.
Lemon tree: This one was an experiment. We get some really cold weather here in Greenville, and we weren’t sure if a lemon tree was going to hold up. I’m not entirely sure if this tree is dead or not, but I will update once spring rolls around!
Olive tree: What started as an indoor plant, our olive tree needed the outdoors. It was on the brink of complete death when we decided to let it live outside. We have not gotten a harvest from this tree yet, but I’m really hoping for some olives in years to come!
Peppers – Almost all of our pepper plants will be going into pots this year. Since most peppers are perennial in ideal conditions, planting them in containers will allow us to move them into the greenhouse when temperatures drop.
JalapeƱo: A few years ago, when we were living in Florida, we had an abundant crop of jalapeƱos. We had no idea what to do with so many, so most of them sadly went to waste. Knowing what I do now about preserving food, I am so excited to grow more of these!
Habanero: The same thing happened with our habanero harvest – we just didn’t know what to do with so many peppers. I resorted to finely chopping and freezing them, which caused major freezer-burn and ultimately a wasted crop.
Cayenne: I am really excited to grow these in our garden! Now that I have a dehydrator, I will be making dried pepper flakes as well as various pepper powders for cooking.
Wonder Peppers: We have two varieties this year (Yolo and California Wonder) that we have never grown before. I’m not a huge fan of bell peppers, but I would love to make these into a powder as well for a more mild flavoring.
How I’m Feeling
I am really excited to have a larger space to garden this year. We have containers, raised beds, and in ground beds prepared for planting. I’m hoping that with such a large growing space, we will be able to grow food that we actually use to nourish our bodies (and cut back on our grocery budget!). I’m also looking forward to documenting the whole process for reference in future seasons. Happy gardening!