Step 1: Determine placement of pot. Most fruits and vegetables need 8 hours of sunlight to thrive.
Step 2: Assess how your pot will drain. It is essential that your pot has either drainage holes or is made out of a permeable material. *Roots will rot and plant will die without drainage
Step 3: Fill pot with potting soil. See recipe below or purchase soil. You can try using soil from your backyard, but you may experience drainage problems.
Container Gardening Mix for Annual Vegetables
+ 2 parts compost
+ 1 part coir (coconut fiber) or well-rotted leaves
+ Handful of perlite
Step 4: Either direct seed or transplant into pot.
Step 5: Create watering schedule. It’s easy to overwater pots. Seeds need to be kept moist to germinate. For established plants, the top 2-3 inches of soil should be dry.
*Photo credit: Liz Platte-Bermeo