Container gardening perfect for those with small spaces

More than 40 percent of Las Vegas households live in apartments, condos and duplexes. Don't let that keep you from gardening. Your imagination is your only limitation on what you can grow on a balcony or small patio. Let your mini area come alive with vegetables, flowers, herbs, dwarf fruit trees and small shrubs. Here are some guidelines for creating your tiny garden:

1. Note how long your space receives direct sun. The amount of sunlight determines what vegetables you can grow. Generally, root crops and leaf crops tolerate partial shade, but fruiting vegetables need at least six hours of full, direct sunlight each day.

2. Evaluate the microclimate. If your exposure is open, will summer winds and scorching sunlight affect your plantings? You might need to protect them.

3. You might have to do some minor remodeling to make the miniature garden inviting to your plants and visitors.

4. You definitely need a water spigot.

5. Keep safety in mind. Most building safety codes require enough support to handle added weight. This necessitates using lightweight growing media and containers. There are many lightweight containers of all shapes and sizes that take up small amounts of space and are still movable.

Vegetable containers must be big enough to support plants when fully grown, have adequate drainage and be free of chemicals that might be toxic to plants and people. Consider barrels, flowerpots, water coolers, window boxes, baskets or cinder blocks.

Use different size planter boxes such as rectangles, squares or bowls suitable for shallow-rooted plants. They need to be at least 6 inches deep for adequate root development. Place trailing plants on the edges of planters to tumble over the sides to soften containers.

6. Use planting mixes from your nursery, because they are lightweight. You also overcome soil-borne diseases, nematodes and poor soil problems encountered with traditional gardening.

7. Now the fun stuff: selecting your plants. Along with vegetables, include herbs, maybe dwarf fruit trees and mix in some flowers. Anything you can grow in a garden you can grow on your patio or balcony.

8. Try annuals and perennials in large containers to be more successful. Include shade lovers such as ivies, evergreen boxwoods, impatiens or geraniums to brighten sheltered areas.

9. Grow vegetables such as carrots, radishes and lettuce, or crops that bear fruits quickly such as tomatoes and peppers that take up little space.

With increasing interest in container gardening, seed companies are developing vegetables specifically for the hobby. Google seed companies such as Burpee Seed or Park Seed and note the smaller vegetables now available.

10. For ease of care and to add interest, place plants on movable platforms to move around the space. This puts produce on display at its peak and maximizes available sunlight.

11. Plant container vegetables the same time you plant regularly. Follow directions found on seed packets and on transplant tags for proper plant development. Record the variety and date planted in your garden journal for future reference. Gently soak soil, being careful not to displace seeds. To obtain proper spacing, thin seedlings when plants put on two leaves. If plants need cages, stakes or other supports, provide it while plants are small to avoid root damage later.

12. Pay attention to watering. Because of the small amount of soil, containers dry out quickly. Daily and even twice daily watering might be necessary. Water them until it runs out drainage holes. Place water saucers under plants to catch any runoff, especially if you live above someone.

13. If you are away a lot, consider an automatic drip emitter irrigation system.

14. Fertilize plants biweekly with a water-soluble fertilizer at recommended rates. An occasional dose of fish emulsion will provide those trace elements.

15. One popular way to display plants in small spaces is to tier them. Place tall-growing plants on a trellis to add height. Plant bushy, medium-height plants in front of the taller plants and on down.

16. If you are still cramped for space, grow your veggies in hanging baskets or doorsteps to expand your productive container garden.

EXPERT HELP

Come let Susan Kent, a container gardening expert, show you many of her innovative ways she grows plants. She has hundreds of plants in her small home and yard. She'll prove you "can" garden by exploring a variety of unconventional containers to add style to your garden. The program is at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. For reservations and cost of admission, call 822-7786.

Linn Mills writes a garden column each Sunday. You can reach him at linn.mills@ springspreserve.org or call him at 822-7754.