How to Grow a Vegetable Garden on your Deck

You don’t have to have a large back yard to grow your own vegetable garden. Thanks to container gardening, you can grow your very own vegetable garden right on your deck. Here’s how you can grow your own tasty vegetables this way.

Set aside a space

Ideally, you’ll have a dedicated spot on your deck that gets enough sunlight to support the veggies that you want to grow. If you have a table or bench that you can put the plants on, even better. This can help keep kids and pets from accidentally knocking over your containers while they’re playing outside.

Use the right containers

Almost any container can be used to grow vegetables, providing you have enough space for the roots and drainage holes in the bottom for excess water to drain out. If you start with seedlings, remember that you’ll need to move them to larger containers as the plants begin to grow. Don’t overcrowd your containers or the plants won’t thrive.

Start with plants

Unless you are patient and have the space to start your plants from seeds, it’s probably easier to start with small plants from your local garden centre. These are usually hardy enough to survive being transplanted into larger containers, too.

Use good soil

You can buy potting soil designed for vegetable gardening from most home and garden centres. Look for ones that retain their moisture well since they’re more forgiving on the days you might forget to water the plants adequately. Don’t just use soil from your garden--it may not have all the nutrients your plants need to thrive. Potting mix, which is designed especially for potted plants, will give your vegetables a better chance to thrive.

Water regularly

It’s best if your deck garden is close to a water supply since you’ll need to water it often. If it’s not, you may want to invest in an extra garden hose to extend up to the garden. If you’ll be away for a few days on vacation, have a friend drop by and water your garden or set your hose and a portable sprinkler on a timer so your plants won’t die from lack of water.

For more ideas on how to use your deck this summer, visit Windows Plus today.