A few weeks after planting/transplanting seeds and seedlings, this is what I had:
Not bad! I was a little surprised that the marigolds hadn't done better but I'll do some research for next year. I wanted to intersperse them with the veggies to keep pests away but that may have been to their detriment as far as light and soil needs.
I also realized that the eggplant is going to get WAY big. Like small tree big. Sorry, neighbor plants. No sun for you.
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| 3 months after planting, we're having some crowding issues |
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| The vining plants obviously want to escape. |
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| The eggplant TREE doesn't want to stay up but does want to steal everyone else's sunshine.
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The tomatoes, which are all along the back row are either going crazy (cherry & "Mortgage Lifter") or pouting ("Cherokee Purple"). Perhaps next year I will consider a raised container for Mr. Pouty Purple.
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| The zucchini and squash are both going totally insane and I'm trying to train them to go over the railing of the container.
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| The cucumbers and (surprise, surprise) cantaloupe are vining like they have somewhere to be for dinner.
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I need to build some sort of cushioned retaining area so they don't get all over the ground, which is certain to have all sorts of chemicals on it.
What I learned:
- Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Peppers get SUPER TALL. Put them in the back or side edges.
- Cucumbers and Cantaloupe will vine out a lot. Plant them next to some sort of trellis so that they can be trained to go up. Cantaloupe will need a hammock or other support once they have fruit growing
- Zucchini and Squash will crowd out all other plants and will take their sunshine. Plant away from short, full-sun-needing plants.
- Basil and Mint do very nicely as container-sharing buddies.
