How to Plant a Salad Garden in a Container

You can grow a fabulous little salad garden even if you don’t have a lot of space. Enjoy the fruits and vegetables of your labor by putting together your favorite salad ingredients in one big container. As long as each plant has its own space to grow you can put several different plants together in one container. Add a couple types of lettuce like arugula and Lolla Rosa, a small cherry tomato plant and if you like cucumbers or peppers, you can add those, too. You can even add a few herbs, like basil and parsley, for flavor .

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A Large Container like a Galvanized Tub or Wooden Planter
• Good Quality Potting and Garden Soil
• Gardening Tools
• Small Rocks
• Peat Moss
• Small Plants: Lettuce, Cherry Tomato, Cucumber, Bell Pepper, Herbs like Chives, Basil and Parsley
• Small trellis, stakes, and/or cage for tomato plant
• Drill to add drainage holes in the bottom of your container if you do not have any in it already

Plant a Salad Garden in a Container

1. Gather all necesary supplies. Get a container big enough to fit several plants in yet still be mobile enough to move. Get rolling plant stands if necessary.

2. Drill several small holes in the bottom of the container if it does not already have drainage holes.

3. Place a layer of small rocks across the bottom of the container. This creates space for water drainage and circulation. It is not necessary to cover the entire bottom of the container.

4. Add some peat moss, garden soil and potting soil. Mix the peat moss, garden soil and potting soil together for a good soil mixture that will help the plants grow strong. Fill the container about three quarters of the way to the top.

5. Put a tomato plant in first. It will need the most space and sun. Put a small trellis or cage around the tomato so it climbs up instead of spreading out. In the future, keep it trained and trimmed so it doesn’t outgrow the container or overshadow other plants. Position the tomato along the edge in the back of the container. Gently remove the tomato from its container and carefully loosen the roots and soil ball. Place in the soil and cover with more dirt. Pack soil firmly around the base of the plant.

6. Next add cucumbers and peppers. They can be next to or slightly in front of the tomato but they need their own space. Peppers are good plants for containers because they don’t need much staking or training. Cucumbers like to spread out and may need a trellis or cage to climb on. It needs to be something strong enough to support the cucumbers once they start growing.

7. Now add herbs to your salad garden. Remove them from containers, loosen dirt/root ball and place in a hole in the soil filled container. Pack more soil around the roots.

8. Toss some lettuce into the salad garden. These are the shortest plants and should go in front. It is fine if they end up shaded somewhat by the other plants because they like cooler temperatures.

9. Water the container garden thoroughly. Soon a fresh salad garden will be growing.

Tips & Warnings

• Lettuce and some herbs like cooler temperatures so start them in early spring long before the other plants.
• Don't let the larger vine plants like the tomatoes take over the whole container. Keep them under control with cages, stakes, or small trellises.