I am in the same situation- apt. living in a cold area (Northern Utah) and needing to container garden. I did some research before starting and found a WONDERFUL book on container gardening- the supposed "Bible" of it, actually. I checked it out from the library, and have been reading it religiously ever since. It is called "The Bountiful Container" (one of the author's last name's is Stuckey, if that helps in locating it) and it teaches about different ways to build a container, how deep the containers and soil must be for different plants, how to improve aesthetics and design the garden with good looks in mind (if you want), what to grow together, soil and sun requirements (with instructions on how to create the perfect soil for different plants), how and when to prune, early/mid/late season crops and how and when to rotate them, fertilizing schedules, and even ideas of different types of container gardens (the Paul Simon garden, the Romeo and Juliet Garden, and the Asian garden, just to name a few!). It has tons of instructions for different plants- you just have to look up what you want to grow and there will be a few pages dedicated to that plant. It's been invaluable to me... I'm actually going to go out and buy it. Super interesting read, as well. I now have a dwarf apple and peach tree growing on my deck (they teach which kind to get for container gardening), as well as sugar snap peas, blueberries, raspberries (I did this one on my own- book didn't recommend), strawberries, and a host of herbs, lettuces and other things (baby watermelon and tomatillos, for example) starting or ready to start indoors for transplating as the season goes on. My neighbors are very excited about the garden as they know they'll get to share some of the goods (they've promised to help water if we travel, in exchange!). I HIGHLY recommend it. Good luck to you- it's a fun adventure!!

I really got into olla's about the time this thread appeared originally and I had posted comments then. I don't garden anymore, we travel more these days and it just does not work to be away from home and try to grow a tomato in Phx. That said, I eventually found that refilling the olla's was just as much work as simply watering the garden with a hose. The only really good way to keep up with watering is with a drip system on a timer, which I have now for landscape plants, but did not then. The only way I see the olla's working is to have a gravity system with a large barrel that you can easily fill - stick the hose in the barrel and turn it on - then you would need to rig up something like a funnel going to each olla to be replenished. I just could not make it work with the time constraints I had at the time. If anyone local, sorry Paula that you are in SoCal, wants to try this I have about a dozen olla's made from 2 qt terra cotta pots glued together, cork in the bottom, incoming water to the top. Come and get them and they are yours. The other downside I found was the olla itself takes up a lot of real estate in the garden. To get a system that will work adequately, you need a very large garden area that has room for the veggies and all the olla's. You might also look into sub-irrigation watering systems and/or wicking systems. A water supply is below the garden and the soil above wicks up as needed. I don't remember all the details, it's been a while. Finally, (sorry this turned out so long....) an in-ground bed retains moisture WAY better than raised beds. Keep us posted on your progress. I'd love to see this board more active with gardening buddies again. mm

Hello All, I am a "come-back" gardener from South East Idaho. I love it here, and have lived in Idaho for the past 23 years. I grew up in Nothern California, so this is much different than where I knew gardening. But, I have been here long enough to call it home, and I love the gardens here in the Rockies!! I was in a car wreck 4 1/2 years ago that left me with a broken neck, and not able to garden like I once did. My husband and I, along with three teenagers, just bought a home in SE Idaho on 1/2 an acre with huge trees and a lovely lawn. That was it. No flowers, no flower beds, no garden. That was okay for a while, during re-couperation and physical therapy, but now I am ready to try it again. My wonderful husband built me a raised bed garden and I love it. It is unique in design, (he is very clever:) and I am really excited to start up again. It still causes pain to sit and look at my plants, but how can you not??? I just love watching the seeds pop. I am very much the "constant gardener". I never leave it alone;) Here is my garden: As you can see, I can't fit it all in one shot. I am standing on my pile of new (but rocky) topsoil. Don't tell anyone - I am not supposed to do those kinds of things. But, at 41 yrs old, who's gonna tell me no. Here is a ground-level shot. I especially love the corners, they are soooo unique. To the left is where my corn and pumpkins are gonna go. I just wish we could get it done so I can plant them. I don't think they will be knee-high by the 4th of July if I don't hurry. Idaho can be very finiky when it comes to weather. I am at the mercy of my son, he lifts and carries everything for me. Oh, what do you think of the red stain on the closest small container (those two will be strawberries soon)??? I think I like it. Well, this is a great forum, I didn't even know was here. I am usually over in the Square Foot Garden Forum, so I am sure I will see some of you there as well. Happy Gardening!! g

OK - I went on the site tonight to find different varieties of tomatoes to grow in our next season... and I am just rolling on the floor! Sumilea2008 - I can't wait to see a pic in another month.. and Mrpotatohead - nice shot! I am positive I have looked just like that on multiple occasions! In Phoenix we supposedly get two 'hits' per year for the tomatoholic multiplegardenvisitism 'syndrome' as I prefer to call it - and thank you god for that! My name is Shannon and while I might need an intervention no one will help because my so called 'friends' want more tomatoes! Enablers, all of them! This was my first year growing anything and I just went with two 'easy' ones - early girl and roma... (hey - nothing is easy about growing tomatoes in Phoenix...) and while I was completely successful in my book... now... now... now..! I will be building homemade earth boxes with a different variety in each one!!! I will build a better moustrap (cage), I will use a different fertilizer, and I shall grow the best damned tomatoes out of anyone!!! Cough, cough. It's just a phase and my parents say I will grow out of it. Personally - I don't think it was a choice - I think I was born this way.