This year I am more intentional about and focused on container gardening. I collected lots of low cost containers, and I am trying everything. Some things I bought new.

To keeps things somewhat aesthetically pleasing, I grouped containers made from similar materials together. Here’s the rundown so far.

Metal Garbage Cans, Locker, Buckets, Tool Box

Long Metal Box, Filled with Layers, Planted with Pepper Seedlings

This is a neat looking grouping, which gets watered from lawn overspray. They are filled with all kinds of peppers, flaming hot, extra hot, hot, mild and sweet. I have high expectations for these: I never seem to have enough heat for peppers in the main garden. These metal containers should do the trick.

Enamel Ware Pans

Enamel ware pans mixed up with popcorn tins (John Derre) and regular pots

Close Up, Lettuce in Enamel Ware Pan

Drilling Holes

I LOVE these. I picked these up everywhere…thrift shops, yard sales, and so on. It wasn’t too hard to drill holes in the bottoms. I have been using them all spring, some are planted with a second crop of leafy veggies. The metal heats up during the day and seems to keep things warm!

Popcorn Tins   see above photo

I love these too. These and the enamel ware pans are an important part of my kitchen garden this year. They are right outside the kitchen door and next to the hay bales. I have harvested from this section for several months now.

Plastic Bins (booooo to plastic)

Red Bins Early in Year

Red Bins, Mature Pac Choi

These are my least favorite. One is already planted to a second crop and they seem to produce well, but they look yucky. The plastic is really cheap looking and fading already. The front bin has mature pac choi and peas. I just replanted the rear bin with space saver cucumbers.

This green plastic bin is a higher quality and looks nicer. You can see a happy tomato there, already blooming. This is a transplant from the AeroGrow (seeded in March)

Plastic Trashcans

Plastic Trash Bins, Eggplants and Petunia

These are sturdy and doing well, but plastic.  They come with snap down plastic lids, and I have used them in the past to store bird seed outdoors. I planted these with eggplants and green petunias.

Bushel Basket

Bushel Basket and Snake Gourd Seedlings

What the heck! I doubt these will last more than a season, but they were sitting around in my garage for several years. Thought I would use them, but never did. I didn’t have anyplace to put snake gourds, so they went in here. I lined with plastic then filled with garden soil. The basket is next to a wood pile;  I am hoping they will grow up and over the wood pile.

If you use an eclectic bunch of containers, have fun. Layering just like the no-till beds works great. Others are from yard sales or wherever. Don’t forget to drill holes

May your containers overflow with goodness!