Home Grown: Enjoying the great outdoors from inside

A Master Gardener's tips for a successful container garden

YUMA, Ariz. (KECY/KYMA) - April is a National Gardening Month and what better way to celebrate than by starting your very own container garden. 

In this week’s Home Grown, I sat down with one master gardener who shows us that you can still have the joy of the great outdoors, even while urged to stay indoors. 

Not yet an avid gardener or new to planting? 

You do not need to have a big yard to get started. 

“I’m a container gardener,” said Mary Thode, master gardener with University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.

Many types of plants and vegetables can be grown in containers allowing even the most space-challenged folks the opportunity to grow their food. 

I asked if she considers container gardening an apartment-friendly method for people who are interested in starting a container garden.

“Sure, if you have a balcony that would work. You can put trays down to catch the water so that if you’re on a second floor you’re not watering down on the next patio,” said Thode.

“You could have an herb garden in one corner or you can...tuck them in with your other plants like petunias,” she continued.

There are many advantages to gardening with containers in the desert Southwest. 

For example, almost any space with access to sufficient light can be used for a container garden, no matter how small. 

“You could use two by sixes and actually make a 4 x 4’ bed. It doesn’t have to be very big. And you would put down landscape fabric on the bottom on the ground, and then put your soil on top of that so that you have a barrier between the weeds and your new bed,” said Thode.

Weeds and other pests are also more easily managed in containers. 

Using containers makes gardening accessible to all people, including those with limited mobility and flexibility. 

“If you put something in a bucket or a pot and you noticed that the sun is starting to get a little hard on your plants, you can move that to another area. That’s why I like container gardening because you can move your plants around and have them do a whole lot better all through the summer,” said Thode.

Different plants in separate containers can be grouped together for novel color and texture combinations. 

“They have starter plants. They might be 6 inches tall already, so you can get squash, bean plants, something great for summer is green peppers or red peppers,” said Thode.

Plants with different irrigation requirements can be managed separately but within the same small space.

“If you take the plant that’s already started, and you put it in your pot, then you just have to keep an eye on it right now. We are at a delicate balance between temperature and the intensity of the sun,” said Thode.

Another benefit is that almost anything around the house can be used as a container!

In a time when you may not be able to go out and shop for a nice pot, consider giving a second life to objects that might otherwise be discarded.

“It doesn’t have to be pretty ceramic pots if you’re just starting out. You can plant in coffee cans, you can plant it in old buckets that have holes in them, or poke holes in an old bucket, you can plant in boots and old cowboy boot,” said Thode.

The material that the roots grow in is called the planting medium. 

You can purchase a pre-mixed planting medium from a garden center or nursery, or make your own, depending on the type of plants you are growing. 

Different plants have different light requirements, especially considering the heat Yuma experiences in the summertime. 

I asked Thode to give examples of beginner plants that you can easily start yourself?

“One thing people need to do now is to do a little bit of research on what do you want to put in next November,” said Thode.

“Go for a little drive in your neighborhood or walk around the block and look at what is doing well in people’s yards,” she continued. 

Most houseplants are tropical, understory species that are adapted to very low light conditions and do well indoors. 

If placed outdoors in direct sunlight, they quickly sunburn, dry out, and die. 

A sunny, south-facing windowsill will likely provide enough light to grow many vegetable crops. Leafy greens can grow well under partly sunny conditions. 

Understanding the needs of each plant and placing it in the right location where it gets the proper amount of light is crucial to the success of your container garden. 

“Just make a cover over it so that the air can go on the sides, but just something over the top of it if it’s a bed because you can’t move that,” said Thode.

If the container is outdoors in full sun, the planting medium and roots can get very hot. 

Try to keep the container in the shade, while allowing leaves access to light.

“This gives them a fighting chance for some plants that really will survive,” said Thode.

“If you’re stuck in your house right now and you want to get out, what better way than to be outside improving some little spot that you have. It’s a lot of fun to be outside,” she continued.

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has a helpful resource for landscaping plants for the Arizona Desert, you can find an online version of the booklet here. 

“This is the time to start building compost, to let it cook over the summer. It’s a time to pick out areas and make layouts for where you want plants in your backyard,” said Thode.

Whether you dream of kickstarting a new hobby that can be done indoors or saving some money on your food budget, April is your opportunity to start.