Gardening with Life Changes: a reflection on growing in containers

Emily Clark WatersonLeave a comment
Calico cat resting inside a large pot with plants and colorful garden decorations on a balcony
Zelda the cat loves to lounge amongst the plants in the sun, despite the attempted deterrence of forks, chopsticks, and watering bulbs. Photo by: Emily Clark Waterson

I imagine for many gardeners, life changes may also come with garden changes. For instance, maybe you relocate and the sunny plot you once had is now a tree-covered shady oasis. Maybe the time you were able to devote to your garden shifts with the expansion of your family. New babies are a welcome addition, but boy, do they take a lot of time! Believe me, I know! That first week the weeds took over. Your job may change and now you have a longer commute or different work hours. You may decide to introduce a new pet that loves to dig or doesn’t respect that new shrub you are trying to establish. I have experienced many of these changes, which have allowed for a variety of gardening scenarios. Each life change has brought a new gardening challenge to explore and I welcome them all!

How it started…

I started my mid-Atlantic gardening life in 2011 with about 1/3 of an acre in a typical suburban neighborhood. I grew up in Northern New York (mostly zone 3-4) and then spent a few post-college years in the Southwest, so I found it exciting to learn about the planting palette of the Piedmont Region. At the time, I was working at a local garden center. That employee discount was a big bonus! I transformed a lot of turf and compacted construction soil into vibrant garden spaces. They showcased native plants, various edibles, and some fun non-invasive ornamental species. I introduced multiple trees to the barren backyard. I built some raised-bed veggie gardens and I finally found a happy spot for rhubarb to grow, after relocating it about five times. (Rhubarb prefers cooler climates but there are some heat-tolerant varieties if you’re like me and can’t live without it!) I also added the all-important gardener’s gold: a compost pile.

Two 4 by 8 foot raised beds in wooden frames sit along side a fence in a backyard with a path around them lined with bricks.
Newly built raised bed vegetable gardens waiting to be planted. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
Two toddler aged children sitting on the grass in a backyard holding beets
My forever garden helpers in 2017 with our beet harvest. Photo Emily Clark Waterson
A sunny garden bed with various trees, shrubs, and flowers with a fence in the background and grass in the foreground.
The full sun backyard garden bed was added to soften the corners of what was once a rectangular plot of grass. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson

How it changed…

A recent life change had me relocating to an apartment, resulting in a drastic reduction in my gardening space in 2023. But when life gives you a balcony, you start container gardening! I can’t live without dirt under my nails, or in this case, potting mix. Therefore, the balcony had no choice but to come alive with shades of green! It faced east and also received some shade from a large deciduous Magnolia. This was a change from the full sun, southern-facing backyard I was used to.

I scoured my local thrift stores for plant containers or something that could be repurposed as one. If I could drill a drainage hole, it would be fair game! Fun plates became container saucers to put underneath draining pots so they wouldn’t drip on my downstairs neighbor. Surprisingly, I found self-watering containers for a low cost at a dollar store. To further save money for plants and seeds, I used recycled food containers for seed starting. I optimized space by thinking vertically and splurged on a self-watering railing box. Adding hooks for some hanging plants was a must, too!

I’m a self-proclaimed native plant nerd, so there had to be some natives incorporated. I missed popping out my back door to my herb garden. Being able to clip whatever aromatic additive I wanted for an evening cocktail or our dinner was such a luxury. So, ignoring the eastern-facing orientation, I planted sun-loving Mediterranean herbs in various pots. I love fresh salad greens to harvest in the cut-and-come-again method. With the shadier location, this meant I was able to grow them all summer long in the railing box. Despite the lower light conditions, I tested a spicy pepper and a few cherry tomato plants as well. Guess what? They all grew!

A rectangular plastic container filled with soil with small seedlings emerging, sitting on a railing.
A repurposed food container and lid growing arugula seedlings. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
Green lettuce plants growing in a black oval planter with soil and wood mulch on a balcony railing.
Having fresh green lettuce growing along the balcony railing was great to snip leaves off and have it grow back. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
A view of a balcony with many potted plants and a tree in the background
A midsummer view of all the plants in the balcony garden. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
Tomato plant reaching over a balcony railing to the roof line, held up with twine.
Due to the lower light conditions, the tomatoes grew a little spindly, but still produced. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
A hand holding 3 red cherry tomatoes with a tomato plant in the background displaying many green tomatoes.
Tomato harvest with more on the way! Photo: Emily Clark Waterson

Challenges

Every gardener knows there is always something to learn from. Here are some challenges I faced:

Every gardener knows there is always something to learn from. Here are a couple of challenges I faced:

  • Cats – We love our cute kitties, who we rescued from a sewer drain at 4 weeks old, but cats and potted plants are a tough combination. Living in 900 square feet, it was important stimulation for them to explore the balcony and get some outside time in a safe setting where they couldn’t hunt wildlife or get hurt. Link liked to eat radish tops, and Zelda nibbled all the Carex (sedge) in my native plant container. (Yes, Link and Zelda – named by my 2 pre-teen boys who like to play video games.) Any open soil became a convenient litter box, so I learned to keep it blocked or covered. Chopsticks from the occasional takeout became repurposed soil blocking stakes. Any container not large enough or heavy enough had the potential to get knocked over (and many did). We learned to live with the nibbling, and I grew lots of wheat grass for them to keep them from eating MY plants. It didn’t totally work, though.
  • Heat and watering: Containers dry out much quicker than soil in the ground. I used many watering bulbs or those terra cotta watering spikes with bottles to help keep plants watered on the hottest days of the summer. If you have access to a hose bib, you can invest in a small drip irrigation system set on a timer, which would be more regulated for water hogs like tomatoes.
  • Plant waste: Where does it go to decompose? I didn’t want to add more waste to the garbage bags we had to haul out to the dumpster, and for environmental purposes, composting is preferred. I ended up using a 5-gallon bucket to collect spent potting mix, leaf clippings, and deadheaded flowers. On occasion, I added old potatoes, moldy fruit, or veggie scraps to balance the greens and browns. They slowly broke down, and if it didn’t get reused, at least it was easier to carry down 3 flights of stairs. My city had a compost collection service that you can sign up for, but unfortunately, they didn’t pick up from the apartment complex.

How it’s going…

Another life change has now brought me back to a yard. Since we are renting for now, I will continue container gardening, but with much more space! [Insert grow bags!] And just in time for our Grow it Eat it Year of Container Gardening! I’m excited about what this growing season will bring!

Thus far, I have overwintered spinach from the balcony garden; how it survived multiple freezes and probably fully frozen potting media, I have no idea, but that’s why plants are so cool! We’ve planted arugula and some mixed salad green seeds that are starting to show signs of life, peas that can climb our porch railing, and plenty of culinary herb transplants from the local garden center. I needed something instant to harvest!

A container sitting on porch steps showing a small Thai basil plant in the back and basil seedlings in the front.
Thai basil transplant and basil seedlings are popping up. April 18, 2026 Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
Herbs in a container with a road in the background.
The sage overwintered but we just added thyme and oregano. Chive seeds were planted in the empty space. April 18, 2026 Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
Overwintered spinach made the move with us and is reviving its growth in the railing box. Arugula seedlings are just starting to come up as well. Date: April 18, 2026 Photo: Emily Clark Waterson

We have a bit more sun now, and the kitties are confined to their screened-in “catio”, so some challenges have been addressed. My native plant container that Zelda liked to lounge in succumbed to heat and lack of watering while on vacation and then the freezing temperatures over the first winter, so I replanted with more drought-tolerant native shade perennials late last fall. Happy to report that they all survived and are returning vigorously! I’ve added a container variety of thornless raspberry, Bushel and Berry® Raspberry Shortcake®, to experiment with and excite our kids. Tomatoes, carrots, Thai peppers, and container-sized cucumber varieties are to come! We’ll see what our yields will bring and what interesting native plants I can add to aid in pollination and beneficial insect populations. Now, to just keep the cats from eating the house plants….

A container with various green plants in different textures with a white picket fence in the background.
The re-planted native plant container features: Zigzag Goldenrod, Appalachian Sedge, Woodland Stonecrop, Christmas Fern, Alumroot, and a hidden Common Blue Violet. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
A close up of flowers on sedge blades with a ceramic green bird in the background.
The Appalachian Sedge in bloom! You can see the violet blooming in the background. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
3 containers with different young shrubs inm a corner of a yard against a white picket fence.
The new Raspberry Shortcake in the white container (right) and young native woody plants: Red chokeberry (center), and saplings of Spicebush and Redbud (left). Photo: Emily Clark Waterson

Takeaways:

  • Just because you don’t have a plot of land doesn’t mean you can’t grow something!
  • Lack of full sun does not equal zero veggies – I had that cherry tomato producing well into late October!
  • Challenges provide good, thought-provoking scenarios that keep you interested in growing! Don’t give up if a few plants die.
  • Cost doesn’t have to be a deterrent either – a gallon milk jug with drainage holes and the top cut off worked great for leafy greens.
A wicker basket with many red, orange, and green tomatoes, and 2 purple peppers.
The last harvest from the balcony on November 10, 2025! Photo: Emily Clark Waterson
An apartment building showing 2 balconies with a finger poiting to the top floor. Plants can be seen growing and trailing over the edge.
Our balcony was on the 3rd floor. The vine is a stowaway Creeping Cucumber that must have traveled with another potted plant and ended up growing down to the 2nd-story balcony! Photo Emily Clark Waterson

Wherever life takes me next, I know my garden will follow. We’ll continue to grow and adapt to our new environment, and no matter what, harvest something we can eat!

Happy Spring!

Additional Resources:

By Emily Clark Waterson, Certified Professional Horticulturist & Coordinator, University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center.

Spring Crops in Containers

EricaLeave a comment
Lettuce and arugula seedlings growing in a terracotta-colored rectangular planter
Salad greens like lettuce and arugula are easy to grow in various sized containters Photo: Erica Smith

Maybe your first thought on starting a container vegetable garden was “I can grow tomatoes!” Which is great—but tomatoes are a summer crop and it’s not time to put them outside yet. You can start your garden even earlier, though, with spring plantings.

Here are a few of the spring crops you can grow in containers:

The only spring crops I would hesitate to grow in containers are large brassicas like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, and even those could be planted in containers—it’s just that you would only plant one per pot, which might not be worth the effort, unless you have space for a lot of pots, no in-ground garden, and a real love of fresh-grown cabbage.

I’m also not a huge fan of potatoes in containers, because they don’t usually produce very much and it doesn’t seem worth the space and expense when potatoes are so cheap to buy. Nevertheless, I’m going to give it another try this year, just so I can report back here!

Here are some tips on planting spring crops in containers:

  • In some cases it may be more practical to start with transplants rather than planting from seed. This allows you to get the spacing just right and eliminates tedious thinning of extra seedlings. It’s also much faster. But seeding also works fine.
  • Consider the shape of the container when choosing a crop (or vice versa). Crops you want to harvest a lot of, like lettuce or radishes, will work better in a wider container. They also have shallow root systems, so the container doesn’t have to be very deep. Whereas if you’re going to grow carrots, make sure you have a container several inches deeper than the expected carrot length.
  • The usual container growing guidelines apply: use lightweight potting mix rather than real soil from the ground; water frequently; apply fertilizer as needed.

Here are some photos of spring crops growing in containers:

Pea plants in a black fabric grow bag with sticks for them to grow up
Chive plants in a rectangular container
Lettuce, arugula and chard in a raised planter with legs
Seedlings of lettuce and brassicas in a square white raised planter

Photo collage from left (click image to enlarge): peas in a fabric grow bag (a great inexpensive option for lots of crops); chives in a rectangular planter (herbs are wonderful container crops); lettuce, arugula and chard in a raised trough planter on my deck; various spring greens in a keyhole garden, which has an area in the middle meant for creating compost to feed the plants. Except for the trough planter, all of these are from the Special Projects area at the Derwood Demo Garden.

This does bring up a question: what counts as a container? The raised keyhole garden and raised trough planter in the photos are much larger than the typical pot or planter, and may be closer to a raised bed. There’s certainly a fuzzy line between the two types of gardening.

To my mind, a container is an object that holds growing medium more likely to be potting soil than real mineral soil from the ground, and that could sit on a deck, patio, or driveway rather than being situated in a typical vegetable garden layout. I definitely consider my trough planter to be a container, if a very large one. The keyhole garden is an edge case, maybe more of a raised bed the way we use it at the Derwood Demo Garden in Montgomery County, Maryland. But it could be a patio planter, so I’m happy to regard it as a container as well.

In any case, it’s time to get those spring crops growing if you haven’t already! Happy spring!

By Erica Smith, Montgomery County Master Gardener. Read more posts by Erica.

Related information:

Growing Vegetables in Containers and Salad Tables

Q: We have some welcome respites of very mild to warm weather in the forecast. When can I put some of the plants I overwintered indoors back outside? I’m sure they miss the better light.

Emily Clark WatersonLeave a comment
A vaiegated spider plant and some succulents in containers on a balcony.
Some houseplants are tougher than others but most are not ready for full sun or the cold nights of early April. Photo: Anna/Adobe Stock

A: It’s easy to get caught-up in the moment during those lovely spring-preview days and want to liberate your houseplants to bask in the great outdoors. I know I’m antsy to get mine back outside. Try to wait until at least our last frost, though, which for central Maryland averages about Mother’s Day. Some tropical plant species are more sensitive to cold than others, so you may be able to start the acclimation process for the tolerant ones earlier, if you pay attention to overnight temps and bring them back in when needed. In comparison, some may sulk if they’re exposed to temperatures below 60°F. If unsure, err on the side of caution; exposure to no chillier than 55-60°F is a good assumption.

All plants, no matter how sun-loving they are, need time to adjust to the brighter light moving from indoors to outdoors, so they don’t sunburn. Shade outdoors is usually much brighter than direct light indoors, even though to our eyes it doesn’t look that different. Put anything you bring out into shade first, gradually introducing them to greater amounts of direct light (based on their needs) over a few weeks.

Even plants that need bright light inside don’t necessarily want unobstructed full sun outside, even once acclimated. Potted succulents and air plants, for instance, tend to fare well if shielded from the strongest afternoon summer sun by some dappled shade from either trees or shade cloth, or by a passing shadow from a building or fence.

Various potted plants and herbs growing on a balcony with a railing and a large tree in the background
A cozy balcony garden filled with various potted plants and herbs in mid summer. Photo: Emily Clark Waterson, UMD Extension

By Miri Talabac, Horticulturist, University of Maryland Extension Home & Garden Information Center. Miri writes the Garden Q&A for The Baltimore Sun and Washington Gardener Magazine. Read more by Miri.

Spring Ephemerals Bring Hope

Maryland GrowsLeave a comment
Green fernlike foliage in a mass that produces stalks of white blooms with yellow centers. The flowers hang downward in a V shape.
Dutchman’s Breeches (Britches), Dicentra cucullaria, is a woodland spring ephemeral.The common name comes from the white blooms that hang downward in a ‘V’ shape, making them appear to be a pair of men’s bloomers or breeches. Photo: Judy Fulton

Spring ephemerals are a group of herbaceous plants that emerge and bloom in early spring, typically in forests or woodlands, often while sunlight reaches the forest floor before the canopy tree leaves out. These plants have a short life cycle, with their growth, flowering, and seed production occurring rapidly in the early spring months. They are called “ephemerals” because they appear briefly and then disappear, going dormant for the rest of the year before the summer heat sets in.

Spring ephemerals play a crucial role in early spring ecosystems, providing nectar and pollen for early emerging pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, flies, and beetles, which may have limited food sources during this time. They also improve the soil structure and enrich the soil’s fertility, adding nutrients and organic matter back into the soil when they decompose. Due to co- evolution, many of these native spring wildflowers have developed special relationships with the companions in their community.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of my favorite ephemerals:

A close-up view of white flowers with yellow centers, surrounded by large green leaves and a natural forest background.
Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum, blooming in a damp woodland setting, showcasing their characteristic umbrella-shaped leaves and hidden white flowers. Photo: Miri Talabac, UMD Extension

Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum, are perennial plants in the barberry family that emerge in damp woodland in early spring as a single stem about 12 inches in height with leaves folded into spirals. The leaves unfurl to expand into a deeply palmately lobed umbrella shape. They spread by rhizomes as well as seeds and can form large colonies.

Mayapples have two forms: a single leaf at the top of the stalk; and a stalk with two leaves branching off at about three quarters of the height. Only the double-leaf plants produce a single white flower that remains hidden under the leaf canopy. A pollinated flower will produce a yellow-green fruit about the size of a small apple. The common name for mayapples comes from the flowers that are reminiscent of apple blossoms and the apple-like fruit. The ripe yellow fruit is the only edible part of the plant; the root, stem, foliage (and unripe fruit) contains toxins to deter herbivores. (We do not recommend eating wild plants without proper training and identification.)

The consumption of mayapple fruits by turtles is an example of a mutualistic interaction, benefiting both species involved. Turtles, of course, obtain a source of food, while mayapple plants benefit from seed dispersal services in soil that has been enhanced by the turtles’ waste. Since turtles can travel some distance from the parent plant, they aid in the colonization of new areas and genetic diversity within mayapple populations.

A lush green forest floor in spring before the canopy trees leaf out, covered with large leaves of Mayapples and patches of sunlight filtering through the trees.
A vibrant carpet of Mayapples, thriving in a woodland setting during early spring. You can see how they easily form a colony from the rhizomatous growth. Photo: Miri Talabac, UMD Extension

Spring beauty, Claytonia virginica, is one of the first flowers to appear in early spring. They are members of the Purslane family and have narrow, lance-shaped leaves with a solitary stalk up to six inches tall bearing small, delicate flowers that have five white petals with pink veins. Preferring moist part-shade, they grow happily in woodlands, meadows, and along stream banks. If allowed to grow, they will form a colony resulting in a large, lovely carpet of pink-white flowers blooming for about a month in April to May.

Close-up of delicate light pink wildflowers growing near a rocky surface.
Delicate spring beauty flowers, featuring pink-veined white petals, commonly found in moist woodland areas. They can often be found at the base of trees or along rocks. Photo: Miri Talabac, UMD Extension

Like many ephemeral wildflowers, the spring beauty plant closes its flowers at night in a process known as nyctinasty to protect its precious delicate pollen from cold and wetness and, since pollinating insects are mostly foraging during the daylight hours, there’s no benefit in staying open. The dry pollen is much more easily transferred to the stigmas on other flowers for successful pollination. While many bees and butterflies will pollinate the spring beauty flowers, its pollen and nectar are the only provisions that the small spring beauty mining bee, Andrena erigeniae, will collect to raise her young. Spring beauties take nyctinasty to an elevated level, closing in mid- afternoon and only opening again mid-morning (or remaining closed on cloudy days), so this busy little bee needs to work extra hard during her banker’s hours to forage for her nest provisions. Ripe seeds of the spring beauty are ejected up to four feet away from the mother plant, but the real dispersal to new areas is carried out by ants.

A forest scene featuring a muddy path surrounded by a field of white flowers and green grass, with tall trees in the background.
Spring beauties can also form a carpet across the forest floor, making early hikes a magical walk through the woods. Photo: Miri Talabac, UMD Extension
A close-up of a vibrant yellow lily-shaped flower with pointed petals and orange stamens, surrounded by green and brown mottled leaves.
A trout lily in bloom, showcasing its yellow flower and mottled leaves. The flowers are often pointed downward, so one needs to get low to see their pollen-filled stamens. Photo: Miri Talabac, UMD Extension

The trout lily, Erythronium americanum, is a perennial in the lily family. Non-flowering plants have a single lanceolate leaf about six inches long that is gray-green mottled with brown and thought to resemble the markings of our native brook trout moving through water. The flowering plants have two leaves and a slightly taller stalk with a nodding yellow flower. Like all lilies, the flower has six tepals, a term used when the petals and sepals are the same color, shape, and size; technically, lilies only have three petals.

Although trout lilies can form dense colonies through small bulbs called “droppers” budding from the main corm, they do not propagate readily from seed. The plant does not flower for about the first seven years and most of the plants in a colony will not bloom at all. The flowers of the trout lily produce the pollen that attracts the trout lily mining bee, Andrena erythroni.

For a colony to expand its range, trout lilies attract ants to disperse the seeds. What is it with these ants, anyway? Many early blooming ephemerals have developed seeds with a structure called an elaiosome (uh-LIGH-uh-sohm), which is a protein-rich, lipid-packed appendage specifically for attracting ants. The ants drag the seeds off to their colony where they will feed on elaiosomes, then ditch the seed in their trash pile nearby, planting the seed in a new location with plenty of nutrients to aid its growth.

Cluster of yellow flowers with elongated petals growing near a tree, surrounded by green leaves and forest ground cover.
Trout lilies appear in clusters, often along stream banks. Can you believe we need to wait 7 years to enjoy these vibrant signs of spring? Photo: Miri Talabac, UMD Extension

Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginica, are in the borage family, also called the forget-me-nots. They can grow up to two feet tall with large, rounded leaves and nodding flower clusters on arched stems. Pink flower buds open to bell-shaped flowers that are a beautiful blue. Like most of the ephemerals, bluebells grow best in rich, moist soil. Bluebells also tend to form large colonies in the woods or along the forest edge rather than isolated plants. They are especially attractive to long-tongued bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

A luch forest scene featuring a carpet of blue flowers surrounded by trees.
A field of Virginia bluebells blooming in a woodland setting stretching as far as the eye can see. Photo: Miri Talabac, UMD Extension

You will often find Virginia bluebells growing with oak trees; the oaks are usually the last trees to leaf out in spring, giving the ephemeral a little longer to develop its seeds in the dappled sun before going dormant again in early summer.

These are just a few of the spring ephemeral wildflowers that play such a vital role in maintaining ecosystem function, supporting biodiversity, and enriching the natural world. They face several risks that impact their populations, such as habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, over collection and illegal harvesting, pollution, and climate change. Protecting and conserving these species is essential for the health and resilience of ecosystems and the well-being of both wildlife and humans. Strategies to conserve spring ephemeral wildflowers include habitat restoration, invasive species management, and public education.


Try to find some time to enjoy a casual walk along a path in the woods this spring and delight in the sights and smells of these precious plants during their brief visit.

A grassy area along a riverbank, featuring clusters of yellow and blue wildflowers: Mayapples, Packera, and Virginia bluebells grouped together.
A cluster of Packera aurea, Golden ragwort (spring blooming perennial), Virginia bluebells, and the foliage of Mayapples grows naturally along the waters edge, showcasing our native woodland spring blooms. Photo: Miri Talabac, UMD Extension

By: Sara Yosua, Master Gardener in Baltimore County. Sara also writes articles for her county’s Master Gardener newsletter, which gets published monthly. Find more articles or subscribe on their web page.

A container gardening cautionary tale

Erica3 Comments

In my last post, I mentioned that it’s important to select the correct container size for growing vegetables. In fact, I pointed out that the correct size is nearly always bigger than you think it should be. I think the common error of putting plants in pots too small for them is akin to the instinct that makes us plant them too close together in in-ground gardens. They are just so cute and little when we put them into the ground—how can they possibly turn into hulking monsters with thirsty and enormous root systems? Don’t be fooled! Size up your containers and make your plants happy. (HGIC has a handy set of guidelines.)

It’s not just the size in gallons that matters to successful container selection, though, as my next-door neighbor found out last year. She grows tomato plants in pots on her sunny patio, and has great success. In fact I would say gargantuan success—her plants are huge!

A large tomato plant in a black container, being held up by a wire cage. Many immature green tomatoes are growing on the plant making it even more top heavy.
Photo taken July 22, 2017 – but huge even earlier!

I’m not sure what she does to make the tomatoes grow so tall so fast, while mine are still about half the size in my community garden plot. Soil in pots does tend to be warmer in late spring when the ground temperatures are cool, and my plants catch up over time. Potting soil with plenty of fertilizer included gives plants a fast start, and regular doses of fertilizer keep growth chugging along. Fertilizers with a high percentage of nitrogen produce rampant leaf growth, so that may be part of the equation, though the nutrients must balance out over time since her plants produce plenty of fruit.

In any case, it’s been working out well for her. Until last year. Last summer we had several periods of high winds. The top-heavy tomato plants kept crashing over. In July our neighbors went on vacation and asked us to water their plants, but on the first morning I went over and found the tomatoes on the ground. I ended up creating an arrangement of string, stakes, and cinderblocks to keep them upright.

Three large tomato plant in containers. Cinderblocks are gathered around the containers to help stabilize them. String and simple stakes (like those from a camping tent) are leading from the wire cage to ground to keep the plants upright.

So, container volume isn’t the only consideration—shape matters as well. Containers that are higher than they are wide may not work well with plants that get very tall. My neighbor (who was very grateful for the emergency tomato intervention!) had basically two choices: get new containers (wider, heavier, with a lower center of gravity, like half-barrels), or grow shorter tomato plants.

Therefore, I have introduced her to the Dwarf Tomato Project, and will be growing seedlings for my own use and hers. These dwarf plants, bred for growing in containers, produce tomatoes with real heirloom flavor, but they stay short (heights vary, but most are under four feet). I only have a little experience with these varieties (I figured the Year of Container Gardening was a good time to get more) but like heirloom plants, they’re inconsistent in how many tomatoes they produce over a season; some are prolific and some stingy. So we’ll see how it goes. I’m trying three varieties: Uluru Ochre (which I’ve grown before), Rosella Purple, and Summer Sweet Gold. I’ll also get some full-size plants to mix things up, of course!

The other advantage to dwarf tomato plants is that you don’t need huge containers, but still—I’ll go with the largest ones I own. Other vegetables that grow best in bigger-than-you-think pots include squash (and its relatives like cucumbers and melons), potatoes and sweet potatoes. Size up for success! Also, look at seed catalogs for varieties intended for containers; they will be shorter with smaller root systems and may still be quite prolific while demanding less water. (But remember to water frequently nonetheless.)

Spring is coming, so have your containers ready!!

By Erica Smith, Montgomery County Master Gardener. Read more posts by Erica.

All photos by Erica Smith

Think Spring! Gardening Projects to Start in February

Maryland GrowsLeave a comment
A tree in front of a house set in a snowy landscape featuring a broken branch due to ice and snow.

Baby, it’s cold outside. Console your green thumb by tackling some February garden projects.  

Veggie Planning

Grab a sketch pad or some graph paper and plan your vegetable and flower beds.  You can work out crop rotation, placement and successive crops without getting your hands dirty. 

Beginning gardeners – and those that want a refresher – might appreciate this reference from our Seed to Supper webpages that take you from seed to harvest (hence the name!) Guides are also available in Spanish! ¡Las guías también están disponibles en español!

Weeding

Okay, if you want to get your hands a little dirty, pull a few weeds.  Winter weeds pop up here and there and many can be vanquished with a quick dig or tug in our soggy soil.  

Here’s a nice reference for weed ID and management: 

Groundsel is a winter weed that can be identified from its frilly leaves that are dark green to purple and yellow flowers that quickly go to seed.
Common groundsel is a winter annual weed you can manage now by pulling or digging.
Photo credit:  Betty Marose

Garden Bones

While you’re scouting for weeds, look at your garden’s basic structure – its bones.  Without the distraction of leaves, it’s easier to identify areas that could use an arbor, trellis or hardscaping.  

You’ll probably spy opportunities to liven up your winter landscape, too.  How about a sweep of native grasses, a winterberry pop of red, or bright yellow and oh-so-fragrant wintersweet? 

Carry a notepad to capture all your ideas. Wouldn’t a big container make a marvelous focal point there?  And that downspout is crying out for a rain barrel, isn’t it?  

a winterberry shrub full of red berries
Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata).
Photo: Stacy Small-Lorenz, UMD Extension

Pruning

January to mid-March is prime time for pruning most trees and shrubs.  Make sharp cuts at an angle.  Remove no more than a third of the plant.  And step back often to avoid overdoing it. Here’s a good pruning guide.

February also marks the season for grapevine pruning.  My collection of grapevine wreaths from trimmings ranges from petite 3-inch rings to 2-foot whoppers.

Starting Seeds

Get a jump on spring by starting some plants from seed under grow lights.  Now is a good time to start peppers, onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

Growing plants from seeds gives you more choices for plant varieties, organic growing options, and the satisfaction of growing your own food from start to finish.  Plus, you can save money.  Learn how on our Staring Seeds Indoors page.

I enjoy the glow of a friend’s grow lights as I drive by her home each winter.  I can see the tidy rows of sprouts in my mind regardless of the amount of ice and snow piled around me.  

Seedlings emerging from soil.
Starting seeds indoors jump-starts your growing season.
Photo credit:  Home & Garden Information Center

Ice and Snow Damage

Deal with that ice and snow gently.  To remove snow from tree branches without damage, brush up, not down.  If ice coats the branches, let it melt naturally.  

Should winter’s worst snap off a branch of a tree, make a clean cut now or in early spring.  Clean cuts heal faster.  Call on an arborist for jobs too big to tackle on your own.  

Broken branch on a tree in winter.
Make a clean cut on winter-damaged branches to minimize health impacts. 
Photo credit:  Home & Garden Information Center

Feeding Birds

Wintertime can be a tough time for birds, too.  To ensure their springtime birdsong and bug-eating services, keep their feeders clean and well-stocked.

Tool Maintenance

Are you looking sharp?  How about your tools?  If you didn’t sharpen your garden tools in the fall, do it now to have them ready for spring.  Here’s a reference that includes tool care tips.

See?  I told you there were a dozen different ways to keep your green thumb happy this winter.  Grab some graph paper, seed catalogs, notepad and pruners and get going!

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension. Read more by Annette.

Welcome to the Year of Container Gardening!

Maryland Grows3 Comments

2026 is Grow It Eat It’s Year of Container Gardening! Growing in containers (pots, planters, boxes, bags, etc.) is one of the best approaches for vegetable gardening beginners. It’s also a terrific way to sneak in a few more plants even if you already have a garden. The key word in container gardening is flexibility. Nearly everyone can find a place where they live to grow something edible in a container.

Different sized containers grouped together on a deck growing a mixture of edibles and flowers like pansies and marigolds.
Container plants on my deck

Maybe you live in an apartment, but have a balcony or patio, or even just a sunny window. You might have a small backyard with no room for planting, but you’ve got a deck, or a spot on a driveway or other paved area. Some people even put containers on an accessible rooftop! (Make sure it can support the weight of multiple pots full of soil if you’re going this route.)

The other big advantage of growing in containers is that you control the soil mixture. Don’t use soil directly out of the ground for containers; it’s too dense and will be full of bugs and weed seeds. You can buy potting soil at any garden center or big box store, or if you’re ambitious you can buy the ingredients and mix your own to order. Different plants may prefer different combinations of peat or coir plus compost, perlite or vermiculite, or other materials. Commercial potting mixes are usually pretty good for all common garden plants, though.

Because you’re not adding weed seeds to your growing mix, you will barely need to weed your containers, which is a great advantage. Pest problems may be lessened as well.

There are some basic rules to follow when growing in containers:

  • Use the sun. Most edible garden plants require plenty of sunshine. Find the sunny spots in your growing area and place your pots there. If you don’t have a spot with more than six hours of sun available, you should still be able to grow some spring crops like peas or spinach (especially if the lack of summer sun is explained by trees that don’t leaf out until late spring), and lettuce grows well in only a few hours of direct sun or indirect light all day. But look around! Maybe you have a sunny location you hadn’t considered.
  • Fertilize. Container plants need nutrients, and they will only find them in potting soils for a short while. Establish a regular feeding schedule according to package directions, and stick to it.
  • Water. This is very important! Plant roots dry out much faster in containers than in in-ground or raised bed gardens. Rain doesn’t always reach the soil through the leaves of plants. Check the soil regularly to see if it’s moist, and if not, give your plants a drink. On hot summer days, you may need to water daily or even more than once a day. If you go away, arrange for someone else to keep your container garden watered.

The other important rule is to use appropriate containers. They should be food-safe (designed to hold edible crops), well-drained (make sure they have holes in the bottom and are not sitting in a saucer unless you’re prepared to empty it), and large enough for the crop.

2 large plastic garbage cans growing large tomato plants. There is a Grow It Eat it sign advertising UMD Extension resources.
These containers are definitely large enough for tomatoes!

Get bigger pots than you think you’ll need. Guidelines will tell you to use a pot of at least five gallons to grow tomatoes; unless you are growing dwarf tomatoes, your plants will be spindly and minimally productive in that size of container. For an indeterminate tomato plant, ten gallons would be better. Grow eggplants or peppers in those five-gallon pots.

Different style containers with various plants (vegetables, herbs, and flowers) arranged in a trial garden space.
A variety of container types in a trial garden

Where do you find these containers? You don’t necessarily have to spend tons of money. Check discount stores; join freecycle/buy-nothing groups; source five-gallon food-grade buckets from restaurants and grocery stores. If you’re handy, you can build your own salad table or planter out of wood. Fabric growing bags are another great low-cost option; many online gardening retailers and garden centers stock them.

What plants can you grow in containers? Just about anything, if the container is big enough. You may want to seek out vegetable varieties that are bred specifically for growing in small spaces.

Start a new adventure this year! We’ll post more about specific container plants, techniques and methods, and solving problems as the year goes on.

Year of Cantanier Gardening graphic featuring the UMD Extension Grow it Eat it program logo, and some drawings vegetables growing in raised beds and pots with a background of a suburban yard with a fence.

By Erica Smith, Montgomery County Master Gardener. Read more posts by Erica.