Am I correct in thinking your 5'by 50' box was really a raised planting bed? Surely maintaining that soil would be more productive, plus cheaper, easier to maintain than growing vegetables in containers with potting soil. Al

Hi Al,

Yes, my property slopes down to a lake at an angle of approximately 20 degrees, thus the box. I just don't want to pour a bunch of pesticides into the soil...my cukes and squash looked beautiful on Sunday but were decimated by Wednesday, lost everything but two squash plants. Thought I'd try raising everything off the ground and plan on just pitching the soil after two seasons. Problem, I see a lot of folks stating success with veggie container gardens BUT pictures of successful gardens are few and far between.

Tom

Tom, what caused the recent problem with your plants? What is the soil contaminated with?

Sure appears to be squash borers....

Hi Tom,
I am in my 2nd year growing my garden in some self watering buckets, and my 1st was not good but now my fall garden is doing really good. I have enjoyed mustard, turnips and still have a lot more of both from some ready to harvest to some only 3 inches high, I have collards in 10 of my buckets that are now ready to eat. and each plant will be more than the wife and I can use in 2 dinners, so I hope the neighbors will help.
For your problem with your squash worms, plant some nasturtiums close by your garden to be blooming at the same time as your squash. A few marigolds will help too.
I wish I knew how to post pixs, Id show you my bucket garden.

DAN

Hi Dan, we really want to move above ground if possible. Could you:

1) Cut and paste some pics into a Word File and send as
an attachment?

2) Tell me about your containers and set up?

3) Tell me about your growing media?

Thanks

Why not try solarizing the soil. Dig a small trench around the perimeter of the bed, water if the soil is dry, cover tightly with clear plastic and tuck the plastic in the trenches covering with soil to hold in place. Let the sun bake it for a month or two.

This should kill off any pests residing in the top 6-12 inches of the soil. It will also kill weed seeds, nematodes and soil born disease, Unfortunately, it will kill off some of the good guys too so you'll have to inoculate with some good quality compost after solarization.

Also try some crop rotation. Planting squash in the same place year after year will inevitably result in high pest populations. Square and vining crops have extensive root systems and will likely require very large containers. You could section off the 5x50 bed and plant marigolds and nasturtiums to divide the sections and repel pests. With an area that size, you'll be able to grow so much than than in containers.

M

tomncath, I am new on the computor and dont know cut and paste so.

I am using 5 gal. plastic buckets that cooking oil came in and made into a self watering bucket. As soon as I learn how to post pictures Ill try to show you how it is made.

The soil I am using ia a mix of lawn grass and oak leaves composted together, and mixed with mushroom compost at 50/50 and I add comm. fert. to it and as the plant are growing I water them regular with 20/20 liquid fert. then wish for the best.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR, DAN

M

Thanks for the suggestions but the wife says we're definitely moving above ground...she's tired of weeding and I suspect the future holds a deck where the box is currently so I'll be forced into containers anyway. I was rotating crops but that wasn't enough....

Dan

Keep me posted. I've setteled on some 18 gallon tubs from Home Depot (Pioneer Plastics) and Sterilite #1626 baskets (Target) for a 4-5 gallon water holding reservoir...still trying to decide whether to spend the money and go soil-less, covered like EB or just use my local potting soil at $17 a yard, and top-water/fertilize as well as keeping the reservoir full...sure would be cheaper.

Happy Holidays to all

Tom, I have thughts your problems lie in the kind of soil you have given your plants. Vegetables require their soil to have organic qualities. To that, it is suggested that for each 5" depth of soil, 1 inch be a decent compost or other organic matter....well mixed in.
Potting soil of quality and peat moss for each one bushell volume, add 1 bushel of vermiculite, add 10 tablespoons of limestone, 5 tablespoons of superphosphate
(0/20/0) and 1 cup of garden fertilizer such as 6-12-12 or 5-10-10. Mix the material thoroughly.
The peat moss, to enable it to mix well, soak it with HOT water before adding it to soil.

Even in container gardening, such organics is recommended.
The containers must drain...so you may decide to add a 1" layer of builder's sand to however you mix and match.

You haven't said just what might have been planted in your raised beds. For instance, you mention squash...and with this vegetable cucumbers, eggplant, pumpkin, zucchini and melons would make a nice home for family members. They share familiar pests and can be treated with similar pesticides.
Nasturtiums, for example, should be planted with squash and melon and zucchini to fend off the squash beetle. Marigolds are also recommended to skirt your beds.

Othe similar families include pepper, tomatoes and eggplant.
Asparagus, rhubarb and artichokes should not be rotated...but always be planted separately in their own garden space.

Vegetable gardens should be kept clean of debris so that insects cannot make nests in the rotting matter.

The containers you have chosen should have sufficient rooting volume for the plant/s you select.
if you stick with squash, it should have at least 5 gallons of soil for proper rooting.

As far as fertilizer, there are ample numbers on the garden centre shelves expressly for feeding vegetables.
With containers, one thing that must be kept constant, that is watering, watering and also....watering.
That and warm sunshine....but even there, you should keep in mind to protect the roots from that hot afternoon sun by providing the needed shade to the base of the plant.

And one important thing to keep in mind....size.
The size of your vegetables should allow good air movement and sufficient volume of soil for each of their roots.
So don't squeeze them too much.