Container Gardening
By Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (56953)
Canada
July 19, 2026 7:12am CST
I have taken on the challenge of container gardening a few years ago.
It is a challenge because when you have alot of space, it is easier to grow things, allow them to sprawl out, but with containers, everything is in a tighter space, yet you want the outcome to be similar.
Flowers are an obvious and easy start. Last summer I planted marigolds and petunias, both did well. I scattered the seeds as I deadheaded the blooms. This spring I was a little surprised to see them come back. I transplanted them and the marigolds are blooming. 
Honestly I cannot see a major difference between what I bought at the store last year and what came upon its own this year, just the size of the plant is smaller.
I'm also toying with tomatoes. This year's variety is Sunrise Bumbleberry. They are a small tomato, perfect to add to a salad. I find that they are great for containers as they only need some bamboo sticks to prop up the plant and they will produce nicely. I have about 7 that will be ripe this coming week.
I have as of yet to figure out a way to get the tomatoes to self seed. I know wthat it can be done, but I have had no success with it as of yet.
~Collage is mine
Honestly I cannot see a major difference between what I bought at the store last year and what came upon its own this year, just the size of the plant is smaller.
I'm also toying with tomatoes. This year's variety is Sunrise Bumbleberry. They are a small tomato, perfect to add to a salad. I find that they are great for containers as they only need some bamboo sticks to prop up the plant and they will produce nicely. I have about 7 that will be ripe this coming week.
I have as of yet to figure out a way to get the tomatoes to self seed. I know wthat it can be done, but I have had no success with it as of yet.
~Collage is mine8 people like this
9 responses
@LadyDuck (504921)
• Italy
22h
I had marigolds in a container in Switzerland, they auto seeded and there were more every new year. I am envious looking at the neighbor under our apartment, He is using his small garden to grow vegetables, he is eating tomatoes from a couple of weeks now.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
20h
I think that now that you know which sides get the good sun you will be able to achieve that also.
I bought this tomato plant already established and a good size, but in a cardboard container. I transplanted it into this pot in late May. It never really went into shock as some plants do. It is a nice and trim plant, not too big with too many branches, yet plenty of tomatoes. I like this variety.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (504921)
• Italy
20h
@Juliaacv - I knew since the beginning which side of the apartment gets the sun. I used the feature in my phone to check the sunrise before deciding to rent. I like the morning sun. Sadly I have no time for gardening now. My husband needs a lot of attention and often he prefers that I keep the shutters closed to rest on the sofa, I cannot go to the balcony.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (137632)
• Marion, Ohio
22h
They look great. Let a tomato start to rot and then spread that out on the dirt.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (137632)
• Marion, Ohio
14h
@Juliaacv I hope it works. I have decided I need to plant my green beans in a different area next year. They really don't like those troughs. I think it's a combination of how much water is held and how much heat builds on the roots
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (210888)
• United States
22h
They look lovely. The soil here is so poor that container gardener might be a solution for me. Most of my hanging baskets do well. The problem is most large containers don't have drainage holes. Do yours?
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
20h
The big pot with the tomatoes in it doesn't have drainage, but the soil is quite rich so everything that I plant in it does well. I change out that soil annually.
The little tiered planter has drainage on each tier, but I have to be quite careful, as it drains down to the next level and then at the bottom there is a dish, but it is shallow, and I have overflowed it a number of times.
But the soil in that planter has alot of bone meal in it and the roots love that.
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
20h
I think so, @Wolfgirl569 just gave me a really good suggestion.
I have attempted to grow tomatoes from seed inside during the winter months, but without any luck at all.
They grow alright, but they are thin and spindly and would never last outside.
2 people like this
@Traceyjayne (12307)
• United Kingdom
15h
Both the flowers and tomatoes look amazing.
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (12307)
• United Kingdom
15h
@Juliaacv we have a different variety of tomato this year ....larger fruits and not so many as last year ....
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
13h
@Traceyjayne We used to grow beefsteak tomatoes, which are rather large, but my husband grew tired of them, and we switched up to the small ones for salads.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (99166)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14h
Love the look of those tomatoes. Best of luck with them.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
13h
Thank you, they have changed colour quite a bit today.
We have plans to eat out for supper tomorrow night, but I know that there would be a couple of them ripe enough to eat.
My week's vacation is over and tomorrow I have to start back to work. I am taking another week off in 6 weeks, the end of August.
@almostoveryou (5141)
• Philippines
5h
I heard that marigolds help make tomatoes taste sweeter and may also shoo pests. I've switched to container gardening when we had to move to a small apartment with two balconies. I needed one balcony for drying clothes, so most of my plants are in cramped in the other balcony. I've been growing succulents, ornamentals, some chilis, and a few leafy greens.
1 person likes this
