condo porch container garden

Sibil

I've never been on this board before b/c I've always lived in places where gardening wasn't possible.  However, in a week, I'm moving to a place with a great porch, direct sun in the afternoon, so I'm hoping to grow veggies and stuff, especially herbs.  I have the blackest thumb ever, so are there any resources for idiots like me who are completely new to this?

I live in Hawaii now, so I don't have to worry about seasons.  If I can't successfully grow something here, there's no hope for me.  TIA

Tweetysvoice

I'm a huge HGTV fan, so i'll direct you to their website:  http://www.hgtv.com/topics/container-gardening/index.html

I grow lots of herbs and tomato plants in my containers. All others are in the "real" garden. It's nice having the tomatoes near the front porch, so I can grab and eat on my way out the door.. LOL.  I think the main thing to remember about container gardening is to keep and eye on the water. They tend to dry out much faster than if planted in a garden bed.  

Sibil

Thanks, but, um, when do I know when to water?  I've seriously killed more than 1 cactus.  Even though I aced botany in college, I can't actually grow anything

dirtyred

Water when the soil starts to get dry.  Stick your finger in the pot to check until you get a feel for how quickly or slowly the pot dries up.  Then water.

Overwatering is the number one killer of potted plants, so you don't want to keep the soil soggy.

Temp534591562502098

Since you are in a tropical area, I'd start with seeing what others in your area/neighborhood have on their porches/balconies if at all possible. That will give you an idea of what works best/easiest. For pots, make sure they have a drainage hole, and a layer of pebbles in the bottom to keep the soil from coming out the bottom and to allow water to drain out better.

 

Also make sure you have lots of soil in there, since it will dry out faster with insufficeint soil. Really, its all a matter of having A) fertile soil, and balancing the moisture. 

If you put the pots in an area that isn't covered but doesn't get straight sun all day either, you might be able to not have to water much. That's what I go for in the summer when I put my pots outside.

Lastly, I remember from my brief visit to Hawaii that they refer to the directions of the island differently  - so like not north/west/east/south but more like "towards the beach" or "towards the mountains" - they use the Hawaian words but for the life of me I can't find them on google. Anyway, I remember that the weather tends to flow the exact same way almost all the time, so that might take some investigating or talking to others about to figure out what works best in your specific neighborhood.

 

ETA: found it!

http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/tours/tidbits/tidbit-1.htm

 

Sibil

Thanks, sugr.  It's makai (ocean) and mauka (mountain) that I'm guessing you're thinking of.  My lanai has an oceanview, but it's covered, so I don't think weather is an issue.  Plus, I live on one of the drier spots on the island.

So, why do you put rocks for drainage when you want to keep the soil wet?  Is it to prevent sogginess?

I think most people here do palms and things, but I'll stick with what I can use in my kitchen, unless I don't kill too much in which case I'll go for decorative.  

My last roommate had tons of plants, and I didn't kill anything when she was on vacation  We had a deal with the community garden where she'd tend it, and I'd cook it.  I need that here!