Summer
Starter Collection
Collection Contents
Base
Early-Bird $70
($75 after Jan 31)
- 2 Tomatoes (one cherry, one slicer)
- 2 Peppers
- Greens (a mix of 6 salad greens and 3 clumps of Swiss chard)
- 4 Bush-style Green Beans
- Scallions
- 3 pollinator-friendly flowering plants
- $6 Plant Sale Credit
Add-Ons
Individually Priced
Some great flowers, herbs and specialty vegetables such as eggplants, husk cherries, Holy basil, and zinnias.
Some Thoughts on Container Gardening...
Just because this collection isn't called a "Container" collection and the varieties aren't mini or dwarf sizes, don't think you can't grow your plants in pots and containers!
Read more to find out the 4 Keys to a Successful Container Garden. See our plant guides for details about container requirements for each of our plant varieties.
#1 Container Size & Style:
Each plant has different root shapes and sizes. Some grow a deep taproot and some have surface spreading roots. The size of the pot also has a lot to do with how much nutrition and water will be available to your plants.
Containers should always have great drainage out the bottom. If the holes in the bottom are small and likely to get clogged, add an inch or so layer of gravel, stone or horticultural grit to the bottom.
Your container’s material has an impact on the aeration in the soil, the soil temperature and the rate your soil will dry out. A black plastic container will get very hot on a sunny day. This might be fine for a hot pepper but it may actually burn the little roots of a lettuce plant. My favorite pots for outdoor container gardening are made of heavy-duty fabric. The fabric prevents roots from getting potbound, it allows for soil aeration, it keeps soil at a reasonable temperature and it moderates water loss quite effectively.
#2 Water & Drainage
The soil mixture you use is of utmost importance when it comes to watering your containers. Depending on the mixture you use, water may soak through quickly (like for most mediterranean herbs) or may be more like a sponge (like for a water hungry squash). I usually do somewhere between [half potting soil : half compost] or about [2/3 potting mix : 1/3 compost] for most plants. For plants that want more drainage, add a couple handfuls of perlite or horticultural / poultry grit.
Each plant needs a different amount of water to perform at its best. Most plants are happiest when they are watered deeply and allowed to dry between watering. The amount you water a container is generally more frequent than an in-ground plant. Plants in the ground can send their roots WAY into the earth looking for water; your container plants can’t do that. This means that on a hot, dry day when you might water an in-ground garden once, you’ll probably have to water your containers at least twice.
Your plant has good drainage if when you water for about 10 seconds, the water pools on top and then slowly soaks in. If the water stays on top for 30 seconds or longer, you need to help it drain better to prevent your plant from drowning.
#3 Nutrition
Just like water requirements, each plant has very different nutrient needs. When we plant in the ground, we usually add some compost and maybe a little nitrogen (like alfalfa meal) and then let the plants get their nutrients from the natural soil layers. In a container, it is up to you to add everything the plant needs. This really doesn’t need to be complicated, though, don’t worry!
“Heavy feeders” are plants that do best when they have lots of organic material and sufficient minerals. It’s a good rule to remember that fruiting plants like a lot of nutrition. That means: tomatoes, peppers, squashes, cucumbers and others. Large brassicas, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts also want extra nutrition.
Plant your seedlings with good helping of compost. This will feed your plants for the first month or so. I use a seaweed / fish emulsion diluted and watered in about once a week starting in July and for the rest of the season. For fruiting and flowering plants, there are great nutrients to help with this stage of life. Neptune’s Harvest is a great product to look for.
#4 Structures
Most tomatoes are very top heavy and need some structural help from a tomato cage. Beans and peas could use a simple pole trellis. Cucumbers and squashes will sprawl over the sides or can be trained up a sturdy trellis to use space more efficiently.