I’ve tried the hanging tomato planter for a couple of years now. It’s a great way to grow delicious, fresh tomatoes without a lot of the problems associated with bad soil, pests, etc. Next year I’m planning on trying the hanging strawberry planter and see how that goes.

What is vermicomposting? Vermicomposting is an accelerated form of composting employing the use of worms. In fact, the use of worms results in a process which is about 30 times faster than a typical compost pile without worms.

Not just any type of worm is suitable for vermicomposting; for instance, your garden variety earthworm can not withstand the temperatures that occur in a worm composting bin. There are a few species of worms that can handle these temperatures, including Eisenia foetida and Eisenia hortensis. These are more commonly called red wigglers and European night crawlers, respectively.

Even though European night crawlers and red wigglers are both raised for fishing bait, the prolific nature and voracious appetite of red wigglers make them the ultimate composters. Given the fact that the Eisenia foetida can reproduce at such a rate that they double their population approximately every 2 months, you will always have an abundance of worms. These excess worms may be used not only for bait, pet food, or a nutrient-rich supplement to your organic garden; but, they may also be used to expand your composting system or sell for a profit. Eisenia foetida sell for about $20 to $30 per pound, which consists of approximately 1000 worms. Their ability to consume as much as their own weight each day, means that they can process large amounts of household waste, which they transform into the ultimate organic compost. Read the rest of this entry »

Over 95% of the plant’s structure consists of water. This is why you must be very careful in properly watering your plants. In order to achieve a healthy garden and have strong plants, you will need to have your container garden properly watered and exposed to sunlight. Water will help you accelerate your plant’s growth and health.

Using water from rainfall is also quite effective, you can purchase a tank to store your rain water in, since this will save you a lot of money in your watering bill and can also be a lasting method of providing watering for your garden. An irrigation system can also provide you with the adequate amount of water for your garden.

The most natural source of water is not the most sufficient in your container gardening efforts. The precipitation and underground watering system is not the most recommended and sole method of watering for your garden.

The kind of soil you will use on your container garden will affect the water retention of your plants. The soils that are created out of clay are usually recommended since they have the excellent ability to hold onto water and this can be a great thing, but many people are cautioned to watch out that they do not end up over watering their gardens. Adding organic compost will also enable the soil’s ability to hold onto water.

There are other factors that you can use whenever you water your garden. For example, during the colder weather, your plants can become easily over watered and then start wilting. Make sure that your plants get enough water, especially when they are exposed to sunlight for extended time periods. Factors such as the air, wind and movement of the plant can affect their ability to retain water and appropriate levels of moisture.

If you have older plants, you will also find that they have more difficulty retaining water than younger plants. Whenever you water your plants, you should make sure that the soil is soaked well before you do other things such as add organic compost. Plants may look more wilted in the night, this is naturally occurring and doesn’t mean that your plants need more watering. If this occurs during the daytime, then you will need to water your plants in order to avoid them from becoming completely wilted.

You can also water your garden through the use of a sprinkler, or through the use of a drip bottle placed in the soil, this can be especially useful if you intend to travel or are forgetful in watering your garden. You will need to ensure that you water your plants on a consistent basis.