# container broccoli/brussel sprout garden?



## lunagardens (Jul 17, 2005)

We are moving to south eastern ohio in a month. there is no garden area prepped yet but I would like to plant some cold weather crops in containers until the garden area is made. What size containers would be appropriate for growing broccoli and brussel sprouts? How deep would they need to be? how will the temps affect the above ground growing? The plan is to grow them next to the south facing cement patio, which gets wonderful sun exposure. i thought a trough style wood frame with their growing soil down the length of the patio, but not sure how deep/tall to get the wood for making the trough container.
Once land is ready for the tilling, i will continue to use the trough garden for lettuce/herbs. Can i grow it in the same spots of the above veggies without any negative effects?
Thank you for your help. i have had the same garden area for 7 years, so the new place is throwing my mind lots of curve ball questions. LOL.
~Tammie


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

I'd guess that 25 gallons would be suitable size for each Brussels sprout plant. Smaller varieties of broccoli might do OK with 15 gallons. If you don't believe that they need that much, just remember how tough their stalks and roots are. They don't get that way from a few gallons of dirt. During normal growth, both eventually send roots to 5' depth and 3' horizontally. 

Martin


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## Seeria (Jul 21, 2006)

We did broc in a variety of sizes last year. 

Six plants to a tub (think those are 18 gallon, $5 bucks from mart stores(target, kmart, etc) did really well but be sure to put in air holes on sides, LOTs on bottom and some above soil lvl for rain drainage. Two had 9 to a tub and they didn't grow nearly as big as the sixers.

Ones in 5gallon pails did okay. 1plant to 1 5gln pail. Ones in 3gln pails were small. Ones in anything less than that struggled big time.


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## Grandmotherbear (May 15, 2002)

Mine are in 5 gallon containers and are frequently fed with manure tea and osmacote. If you don't get the plant well centered the container will be likely to tip easily in any sort of wind. If you keep on container gardening you can keep the containers for the same plants year after year- just swap the dirt around. I started with 3 gallon containers but the tomatoes and brassicas really weren't happy with so little space.
I lose about a thrid to half my dirt each year from my containers. I do mulch heavily so that could be the organic stuff decomposing. 
I used the 18 gallon tub that had been my tadpole pond for potatoes. The cracks that developed in it didn't go but halfway down so I threw a couple inches sugar sand in the bottom and then the good dirt and the potatoes. Florida is still in a drought so I don't anticipate them getting water logged. Maybe next year I'll use it for broccolli.

Containers are a LOT easier to keep weeded than a "ground" garden.


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