Everything you need to know about container gardening in Wisconsin

Learn about what container gardening is, what you’ll need for a fruitful garden, and what grows best in Wisconsin.

While we love having all four seasons here in Wisconsin, it also means that the chance to plant outdoors is limited. Growing and harvesting your own garden is beneficial in a lot of ways (aside from the recent rise in groceries in general). Even though it might be a small amount of produce, gardening in general has tons of benefits, including producing truly organic fruits and veggies and improving your mental health.

They also provide portability, the ability to control the growing environment, and fresh produce even when it’s out of season. Thankfully, container gardening allows us to grow and garden all year round (regardless of whether it’s snowing or not). 

So, before you get started, read everything you need to know about container gardening in Wisconsin, including what supplies you might need and what the best kinds of plants to grow are.

Backyard patio and container garden using raised beds. (Brittany Dupuis)

What is container gardening?

Container gardening lets you take your green thumb indoors and grow to your heart’s content. It’s the perfect option for gardening enthusiasts who are short on space outside or have unpredictable weather (like here in Wisconsin) and want to enjoy fresh, homegrown produce all season long. 

Almost any type of container will do, granted there is enough space in the container to let the plant flourish. Also, it should be noted that container gardening can be done indoors and outdoors. It’s perfect for yards that have space for containers, like raised beds that don’t take up your entire yard.

When choosing your containers for this type of garden, you’ll want to remember what type of plant you’re growing and what environment the plant will need. For example, leafy greens and some types of beans and peas will grow well in partial sunlight. On the other hand, plants like tomatoes and bell peppers do best in full sunlight (six to eight hours a day).

The size and type of container garden you grow will depend on space and access to warm, bright areas. 

An indoor greenhouse. (Brittany Dupuis)

Container gardening supplies

Now that you know what container gardening is, let’s talk about what supplies and materials you’ll need to get a successful garden up and running.

Containers

As mentioned, almost any container will do to start off your garden. Pots and planters come in every shape, size, and material. Ceramic pots are popular, but they tend to dry out the soil more than others, and being left in the sun for an extended time heats up the pot and can dry out the soil. There also are stackable planters that can save even more space if you want to plant smaller items.

Potting soil

Now that you have the containers, next comes the potting soil to start planting. At the store, you’ll see a few different varieties, but getting the right kind is important. Potting soil is lighter and less compact, giving the plant’s roots room to breathe in the container. It also drains well compared to topsoil or regular dirt from outside—again, important for root health. 

Stakes

If you plan on growing any vined plants or ones that are top-heavy, you’ll want to add stakes to your shopping list. It’s best to add them when you plant the seed or seedling, and once it starts getting taller, tie it to the stake to keep it upright. 

Plant lights

Depending on how much sunlight comes through your windows, investing in a plant light makes a world of difference, especially for growing plants that need day-long sunlight. It is also helpful in the wintertime when there is less natural sunlight or if you have to move the plants away from frosty windows (which can cause a lot of damage). 

Cucumber plant on trellis in raised container. (Holly Garcia)

What to grow in Wisconsin

Fresh herbs

Whether it’s cilantro for tacos, parsley for potatoes, or fresh basil for pasta sauces and pizza, fresh herbs are easy to grow and fairly low maintenance. You can use the fresh herbs or dry them out to save yourself a trip to the store.

Potatoes

There are so many ways to prepare potatoes, and fortunately, they’re easy to grow. Grab a five-gallon bucket to get the ball rolling and the potatoes growing.

Strawberries

These berries are great for container growing because they won’t overgrow—meaning they’ll only grow as large as the container allows. Note that these plants come back year after year, even when they aren’t producing fruit. I’ve had the same strawberry plants outside in a Wisconsin winter (in raised beds) for five years, and they still produce berries every spring.

Tomatoes and peppers

Adding tomato and bell pepper plants to your container garden is the gift that will keep on giving month over month. Whether you keep the pants indoors or outside will depend on how much produce they yield and for how long. If the plants are being grown outdoors in a raised bed, you can expect a hearty harvest from the end of July all the way through September (even more if we have a warmer-than-usual fall). Indoors, they may not be as plentiful, but saving them from the frost means you can enjoy them all season long.

Early-stage cherry tomatoes in a raised bed outdoors. (Holly Garcia)

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.