Ok, so today I was GOING to make some plum jam, lavender jelly and hibiscus jelly. Made sure I bought more jelly jars, pectin, fruit, everything ready to go.....except I forgot to get lemon juice. Seriously? I think all that Chinese food we ate before grocery shopping poisoned my brain. I had my day all planned around making jam, and now it's thrown my whole schedule off. And I don't know what ya'll know about us ADD people, but we don't handle sudden schedule changes very well, lol. Bah. 

Tomatoes: Patio, Pixie, Tiny Tim, Saladette, Toy Boy, Spring Giant, Tumbling Tom, Small Fry  Peppers: Yolo Wonder, Keystone Resistant Giant, Canape, (Hot) Red Cherry, Jalapeno  Eggplant: Florida Market, Black Beauty, Long Tom  Squash: Dixie, Gold Neck, Early Prolific Straightneck, (Green) Zucco, Diplomat, Senator  Leaf Lettuce: Buttercrunch, Salad Bowl, Romaine, Dark Green Boston, Ruby, Bibb  Green Onions: Beltsville Bunching, Crysal Wax, Evergreen Bunching  Green Beans: Topcrop, Greencrop, Contender, (Pole) Blue Lake, Kentucky Wonder  Radishes: Cherry Belle, Scarlet Globe, (White) Icicle  Parsley: Evergreen, Moss Curled  Cucumbers: Burpless, Liberty, Early Pik, Crispy, Salty

You can also grow carrots, blueberries, blackberries, and even some dwarf varieties of corn in containers, too. Also good for containers are cherries,  figs, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, potatoes and plums.

There are a few things to remember when container gardening. One is pot size. You must make sure that each variety of vegetable has the right amount of room for proper root development. Any container will do; I've seen people use old nursery pots(although the dark color can cause problems with root development if they get too hot.), terra cotta planters, old pottery bowls, woven baskets, and even old furniture....a gal I know used an old book case. She drilled drainage holes in the back of the bookcase, and laid it on it's back, then filled the spaces with soil. Drawers, plastic bins, galvanized tubs...the list of possible  containers is endless. 

Cucumbers

Another thing to consider is location. If you plan on growing vining plants like runner beans, squash or cucumbers, consider planting them in a window box where they can trail, or placing their containers on the edge of a retaining wall, or on an old chair.
Lastly, keep in mind that plants in containers need more frequent watering than ones in the ground. Check your containers frequently to make sure your veggies are getting plenty of food and water.  On the plus side, vegetables grown in containers take up minimal space, have fewer weeds, and are less susceptable  to pests and disease.
so get going on your container gardens, and you will have fresh veggies all summer, and maybe even into the fall!


MandaMac

Bait and Tackle Salad

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• 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
• 2 small zucchini, coarsely chopped
• 2 small yellow summer squash, coarsley chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash and cilantro. In a blender, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. White processing, gradually add oil. Drizzle over vegetables; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

        

                            * www.allrecipes.com

*http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/container/container.htmL 
*http://containergardeningtips.com/vegetables-and-fruit-for-container-gardens/


Picture credits:
*http://www.healthy-green-lifestyle.com/vegetable-container-gardening.html
*http://containergardeningtips.com/vegetables-and-fruit-for-container-gardens/
*http://achingdebts.com/containers-for-a-vegetable-garden/
*http://goflorida.about.com/od/specialevents/ig/2008-Flower---Garden-Festival/Vegetable-Gardening-in-Pots.htm
*http://www.sunset.com/garden/fruits-veggies/container-vegetable-gardening-00418000067113/
*http://jimmycrackedcorn.wordpress.com/2008/07/30/potted-cucumbers/