I am 100% new to this. I grew some basil & parsely last year but thats it. This year I want to do some organic vegetables and fruit. I need to build a above ground garden because I rent my home. I saw this site where you can do it out of storage tubes....has anyone done it?
http://www.ehow.com/how_2184407_create-ground-organic-vegetable-garden.html

Anyways, These are what I want to grow...strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, and green pepers. I dont know if starting out I can do all of those but what ever I can I would love to do it! Okay so heres my question....WHAT DO I DO???LOL. I have been doing some research. But my big question is on the fruit. I live in San Antonio Texas so in the summer we can have 30+ days of over 100. How do I not fry my veggies and fruit? How often do I water them? Do I need to do tomatoes in a pot or can I do them in a container as well?

I take it that you can't dig into the ground of the rental house? Re: the summer heat .... can you give your plants some shade in the hottest parts of the day? Shade from the house or trees or fence? Another thing you may want to assess is the micro-climate in your yard ... cement or reflective surfaces, wind/air cirulation. I think that container-grown plants are more sensitive to these factors than ground-grown plants.

I've used those containers sunk into the ground to foil gophers. I also have a row of black 15 gal pots sunk into the ground ... In both cases, because they are sunk into the soil, I don't seem to have the same watering problems that I do with my other container plants. I've had good success with tomatoes, beets,bok choy,squash,bell & hot peppers,garlic, bush beans in these containers.

anyway ... hope this helps.

FWIW, raised bed gardening is one of the easier ways of getting started - there are various kits on the market but you can easily make your own using inexpensive concrete blocks used to build foundations or retaining walls. If you want to start smaller, the tubs or any other plastic containers will work. Be sure to provide adequate drain holes and skip the part about adding a layer of gravel, rocks or broken pottery to the base -- it does nothing to improve drainage and can actually impede good drainage by elevating the PWT (perched water table).

There is a somewhat different approach involved with raised beds compared to planting in tubs - the tubs are containers, essentially a closed system and unable to share the advantage of melding with the actual garden soil. As such, there is a limit to what populations of beneficial soil organisms may be present and therefore, organically based fertilizers may not produce very satisfactory results. Just keep in mind that a 100% organic methodology may not be the best solution for a container garden.

You might want to visit the Container Gardening forum for additional information and recipes for a high quality potting soil.....you do not want to use garden soil or a cheap potting soil. Spend your money on the good stuff....if you are gardening in containers, a good quality soil is the most important ingredient.

not wanting to reinvent the wheel, you are welcome to visit our site we are sure there will be some ideas there for you.

len

blueberries: I grow a variety called 'Sunshine Blue' in a pot. Sunshine Blue is a smaller blueberry. It also has a low chill requirement which I need here in Florida and you may need in Texas. I use a pinebark/peat soil mix.

tomatoes: Unless you get one of those tiny patio plants you should get at least a 5 gallon container. The bigger the container the less often you will need to water it.

cucumbers and green pepers: can be put in a smaller container than tomatoes, but bigger is better.

Do not let your plants get full afternoon sun in the middle of summer. This is important. Things that like full sun up north do not like it here in Florida or in Texas either I would assume. That is what is great about containers. You can move them. You can place them to get the most sun in the spring and early summer and move them to morning sun in the hottest part of summer. Also you should know that tomatoes will not set fruit in really hot temperatures so check with on the Texas forum about when you should plant them.

Good luck and don't be heartbroken if you have a setback in the garden. It happens to everyone.

First of all, it was only last year when we had a lot of 100+ degree days. Normally it would take years to accumulate as many really hot days as we had last summer. This is not to say you can ignore heat. From April through November we will have plenty of heat.

Start by listening to the radio. Turn on AM 550 (KTSA) radio from 6:30 - 9:00 am every Saturday and again on Sunday morning from 9:00 - 11:00. Bob Webster hosts the best organic gardening show there is anywhere on radio or TV. I don't agree 100% with him but he's light years ahead of other radio personalities when it comes to gardening. He is 100% organic, so his only advice on garden chemicals is to stay completely away from them.

You can visit with Bob Webster or his people at his nursery, Shades of Green, on Sunset Road between I-281 and Broadway (north of the Quarry Market). Yes he has an interest in selling you plants, but nobody in town knows more about plants, fruits, and organic gardening in Central Texas. The plants he sells are adapted to the area...unlike what you'll find at the red, orange and blue box stores. Webster sells ideas and leaves the plant selections up to you. He also puts on free seminars at his nursery on Saturday mornings. Call, listen, or visit to get the schedule. Be sure to attend the one on Tomatoes and peppers. You might have to camp out overnight to get a seat. He IS that popular.

If you live on the southeast side of town, visit Fannick's Nursery on Holmgren Rd. If you live on the west side, visit Fertile Garden Supply on Loop 1604 south of Bandera Hwy. Neither of these people will steer you wrong.

If you live in the north east, or even if you don't, visit Garden-Ville, one mile off of Nacogdoches Road outside Loop 1604 at Cibolo Creek. They only sell soil amendments, but Malcolm Beck lives adjacent to the offices out there. You can visit Malcolm's gardens on a casual stroll around the place. Look to see what he's done with his raised gardens and his row crops. He's been 100% organic since the 1960s. If you're lucky you can visit with Malcolm or his wife, Delphine, while you're there. They're retired from owning Garden-Ville but are still active in the operation. If you see either one of them, show an interest in greenhouse growing. They might take you to the most awesome greenhouse I've ever seen (and I've seen a bunch).

Of all the things you mentioned wanting to grow, blueberries are going to be the biggest headache. They like acidic soil with a pH down around 5. Our soil is limestone with a pH up around 8.0. Webster can help you with an adapted plant variety and some soil that will get you going, but don't expect buckets of berries like you'd find in Labrador.

For potatoes, Malcom is possibly the regional expert. Be sure to ask about his potatoes if you get the personal tour. His methods are amazingly simple and productive.

Good luck!