Incredible Edibles - Southern Region Student Wellness Conference

Welcome to
Incredible Edibles!
Container Gardening…No Room, No
Problem!
Leticia Salazar Allen, MPH
Health Education Specialist II
San Bernardino County Department of Public Health Nutrition Program
lallen@dph.sbcounty.gov
(909) 388-5660
Today’s objectives
• Learn the benefits of home/school/community
gardens
• Learn the basics of growing vegetables, fruits, and
herbs in containers
• Learn the basics of what to grow in containers
• Learn the recommended dates for California
Benefits of home/school/community
Gardens
• You have control to be FREE of chemicals
• Grow your own herbs, spices, vegetables, etc.
• Have fresher selection of produce
• Saves you money
• Gardening can become a fun activity to enjoy as a
group (home, school, or community)
• Gardening relieves stress
• And much more…
The 7 basic considerations in container
gardening:
1. How much sun is available?
2. What type of container?
3. What should you plant?
4. Seeds or transplants?
5. Preparation of the soil
6. Fertilizer
7. Watering requirements
Small to medium plant selection
• Herbs
– Rosemary, parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano,
mint, basil, dill, etc.
• Flowers
– Lavender, arugula, hibiscus, elderberry
• Tomatoes
– Cherry, heirloom, tomatillos, etc. (Determinate
vs Indeterminate)
• Berries
– Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries,
raspberries, etc.
• Onions
– Green onions and chives (the difference?)
What type of container?
– This is based on your choice of plant (small, medium
and large plants)
– Bigger plants mean more abundant harvest and
variety
– Smaller means more restriction on the type of
fruit/veggies you can harvest
– The larger the pot, the less watering because of the
volume of soil; smaller pots need more watering
– Containers vary, let’s see some samples…
Samples of containers
Medium to large spaces
What should I plant?
Plan Your Arrangement
– You can plant them based on your choice of plant (small, large
plants)
– Bigger plants mean more abundant harvest
– Vary your selections but check
that seedlings are compatible
What should I plant, seeds or
transplants?
• It is up to you!
• Plants good to start from seeds:
– Beans, beets, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, peas,
radishes, and squash
• Plants good to start from transplants:
– Eggplant, peppers, herbs and tomatoes
– Be sure to buy smallest size (roots develop better
under your control)
Preparation of the soil &
fertilizer
• Use a high quality soil mix
– One that drains well or quickly
– Purchase a soil that is loose
• Soil structure
– Soil provides plants with air, water, and
mineral nutrients
– Incorporate a 2 to 4 inch layer of compost
and manure
– Use your fruit and vegetable peels
Watering Requirements
• Watering - Containers dry out faster = more
attention
• How much H2O? Depends on several factors:
– Type of soil or potting mix used
– Amount of exposure to sun and average
temperature
– Most plants require about 6 hours of sun per
day (indirect and/or direct)
– The size of plant
Basic Gardening Continues
Check water often – two ways to check if
your plant needs water:
– With fingers
– Using a piece of newspaper
Harvest as soon you can:
– Cutting stimulates plants to produce more
– For herbs, snipping off any stems prevents
plant from going to seeds and plant will
continue to grow
Herb Varieties &
Lighting Requirements
Benefits of Fruits & Vegetables
• They are rich in vitamins
• They are low in calories
• They tend to be rich in fiber
• Reduce risk of chronic diseases
• Protect against certain types of cancers
Planting Demonstration!!!
• Review the items placed at each of your tables
• Place plastic to cover your table
• Select a container
• Select a plant of your choice
Lets have fun!!
http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/Grow_LA_Victory_Garden_Initiative/
Additional Information
Determinate Tomatoes
are bush types that grow 2-3 feet (60-90cm) tall, then the buds at the ends of all the branches
form flowers instead of leaves. They flower all at once, set and ripen fruit, then die.
Indeterminate Tomatoes
are vining types that need caging or staking for support, but will continue to grow and set fruit
until frost kills them. They’re generally later than determinate tomatoes, and produce larger
crops over a longer period.
Indeterminate tomatoes
set flowers on lateral shoots off the main stems. If trained to a single or double leader and given
support, many indeterminate tomato varieties can reach 8-10’ (1.5-3m) tall. For the home
gardener, mixing types of tomatoes spreads the fresh tomato harvest over the longest possible
season. Plant determinate or early indeterminate tomato varieties for early summer tomatoes,
and salad or beefsteak tomatoes for mid- and- late-summer harvest.