This is the outline presented at the 3/1/06 PPO meeting, for those who did not get a copy or were unable to attend. If enough people are interested, I am willing to do a follow-up where we do "hands on" and actually PLANT some containers. Please indicate your interest in a response to this post so all the answers will be in one place, thanks! : ) Carla

Criteria
- Productive - good harvest
- Easy cultivation
- Most available as plants (rather than seed)
- Amenable to pot culture (mostly)

Growing conditions of participants
- Experience gardening?
- Garden space available?
- Sun exposure?
- Indoor only?

Growing techniques
- Pot
- Pot w/trellis
- Raised bed (see Organic Gardening magazine for more details)
- Ground (w/trellis if needed)
- Indoor lights

Pots
- Size
- Material (clay, plastic, wood, etc.)-
- Color (light v. dark)
- Temperature issues
- Watering issues
- Planting medium

Making your plant choices
- What do you like to eat?
- Sun requirements
- Water requirements
- Space requirements
- Pollination requirements
- Trellis
- Ornamental value
- Seeds v. starts
- Annual v. perennial

Recommended plants

Fruits
- Fig Negronne (OGW)
- Goumi (OGW, PDX NURS?)
- Blueberry Sunshine Blue (OGW)
- Strawberry Tristar (OGW, PDX NURS?)

Veggies
- Green bean bush-type Nugget, Dragon Tongue, Dwarf Bees (TER), Derby, Oregon 54 (seed NIC)
- Cucumber Armenian (many sources, needs trellis), Salad Bush (NIC), Marketmore 86 (TER, trellis?)
- Radish (seed only) Cherry Belle (TER, NIC) or other quick variety (less than 30 days to maturity)
- Pepper sweet Jingle Bells (seed TG), PDX?, various, Miniature Bell Red/Yellow/Chocolate (TER)
- Pepper hot - Early Jalapeno (various), Aji Colorado (seed only SC), Thai Hot Ornamental (seed TG)
- Tomato Stupice (trellis, various), Principe Borghese (trellis), Oregon Cherry (TER), Gardener’s Delight (trellis), Patio F Hybrid, Micro-Tom (all seed only, TG)
- Zucchini Sun Green (TER), Eight Ball (trellis?, NIC)
- Kale (various)
- Lettuce/mesclun/greens “mesclun” mixes, any “looseleaf” lettuce variety (various)

Herbs
- Oregano Greek (various)
- Mint peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, pineapple mint (best kept in pot)
- Basil Genovese, Sweet, Mammoth or Lettuce Leaf, Thai (various)
- Chives (various)
- Parsley Italian (flat leaved), Moss Curled (various)
- Sage Dwarf (various)
- Rosemary (esp. prostrate for pots)
- Thyme English (or just “Thymus vulgaris”) - check variety for hardiness
- Stevia (various)

Edible flowers
- Nasturtium
- Violet/Viola/Johnny Jump-up
- Sweet William (Dianthus)
Also flowers from strawberry, Dwarf Bees, radish, zucchini/squash, kale, mint, chives

Other
- Tea plant (yes, real tea! OGW, TER, NIC, various)
- Sprouts (many types, TER or local sources)

Plant preferences

Full Sun
Basil
Beans
Blueberry
Cucumber
Fig
Nasturtium
Oregano
Pepper
Tomato
Thyme (can take some shade)
Rosemary
Sage
Stevia
Strawberry
Zucchini

Part sun
Dwarf Bees ok
Chives
Kale
Goumi (needs at least ½ day sun)
Lettuce/greens
Mint
Parsley
Radish
Sweet William
Tea
Violet

Window sill or fluorescent light
Sprouts

Needs moister soil
Beans
Blueberry
Lettuce/greens
Mint
Radish
Stevia
Violet

Does not play well with others
Larger beans
Larger blueberries
Cucumber if not trellised
Goumi (room for groundcover only w/o pruning)
Fig (room for groundcover only w/o pruning)
Mint
Oregano
Tea (room for groundcover only w/o pruning)
Tomato (except Micro Tom, possibly Patio)
Zucchini

Sample pots

Salad pot - ½ whiskey barrel with assorted greens, chives, parsley, and violets (Eastern exposure w/afternoon shade good for this pot.)

Mediterranean pot - ½ whiskey barrel with fig (lowest branches pruned), dwarf sage, prostrate rosemary and thyme trailing over sides, could add red nasturtium for color. Place attractive 12" or larger pot of oregano nearby. (South or west exposure for this pot.)

“Tea” pot - 24" or larger pot with tea plant (lower branches pruned) with stevia and frequently harvested mints. Tea plant will give partial shade for mints. (6 hrs or more of sun good for this pot. Decrease afternoon sun if mints start to get crispy!)

References

Books/Magazines
Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon
The Maritime Nortwest Garden Guide by Seattle Tilth
The Bountiful Container by Rose Marie Nichols McGee & Maggie Stuckey
Herbal Remedies in Pots by Effie Romain & Sue Hawkey
Organic Gardening Magazine by Rodale

Seed/plant catalogues
Territorial Seed Company (TER) www.territorial-seeds.com
Nichols Garden Nursery (NIC) www.nicholsgardennursery.com
Seeds of Change (SC) www.seedsofchange.com
Tomato Growers Supply Company (TG) www.tomatogrowers.com
One Green World (OGW) www.onegreenworld.com (located in Mollala, open Fri. & Sat.)

Local nurseries
Portland Nursery (2 locations)
Buffalo Gardens Nursery (NE 30th & Alberta)

Network
Portland Permaculture Guild www.pdxpermaculture.org has many knowledgeable people and monthly informational meetings on all aspects of sustainability, including gardening