Planning my garden is actually harder than planting my garden. Why? My eyes — and my stomach — are bigger than my three raised beds. I’ve learned how to resist the urge to overplant, but I haven’t learn how to say “no” to my stomach. When it comes to homegrown eating, it is stubborn and insatiable.

I needed to find a Plan B for the overflow. If I can’t plant all my veggies in my raised beds, why not plant them in patio pots?

Every year, I plant something new in a container to see how — or even IF — it will grow. Greens, herbs, radish and beans were a snap. Tomatoes, peppers and potatoes were more challenging. The tiny seedlings quickly outgrew their pots and I quickly learned that bigger containers yield bigger successes.

This year, I decide to experiment with brussels sprouts. In April, I bought a 4-pack from Bachmans. I planted two seedlings in oak wine barrels and two seedlings in some 10-gallon containers from Ikea. If I can easily grow a jalapeno in these smaller containers, brussels sprouts should be easy, too, right? Wrong.

As you can see from the photo above, the brussels sprout in the wine barrel is TWICE the size of the brussels sprout in the smaller container. The bigger plant has great green leaves while the smaller plant are pale and discolored.

Container veggies need frequent fertilization, but I had no idea that brussels sprouts were such heavy feeders. Time to break out the fish emulsion and the coffee grounds!

So what veggies have you successfully grown in containers? Do you think it’s worth the trouble to grow a patio garden? Or you save your energy for your raised beds and buy your other veggies at the farmers markets?

I just planted my potatoes. I know, it’s really late. I was supposed to do it in March (yeah, right) or April. But I’m hopeful that they’ll still have time to grow, and that the delay will help foil the potato beetles that plagued them last year.

It took some time to get them planted this season because I had to do a little hunting and gathering project. Remember those cool potato barrels that GG reader Patty wanted to find in the States? I couldn’t find them either, but I liked their functionality and looking for them inspired me.

Since those pesky beetles are still hanging out in my garden plot (tormenting my tomatoes since I didn’t plant any potatoes for them there this season), I thought it made a lot of sense to plant my potatoes elsewhere this year. But where, elsewhere?

Why, in one of those potato barrels, of course. Strategically placed all the way across the yard from the garden.

Since I couldn’t find those sharp-looking Euro barrels, I started scoping for alternatives. I’d seen large round compost bins for sale occasionally on craigslist, and I bought one used. Turns out, this bin is offered new at a reduced rate by many counties, including Hennepin, Anoka and Dakota.

Not only is it huge, but it has two sliding doors at the bottom. So I planted two varieties in the bin, each accessible by a door, for harvesting of new potatoes or checking progress.

I liked it so well, in fact, I bought two more and am on the hunt for a final fourth potato bin (please don’t ask me why I have eight varieties of potatoes. I really don’t know what came over me).

What do you think? Will the potatoes have time to grow? Will the bins work? Will I foil the potato beetles? Can I even find a fourth bin to complete my collection?

Have you ever adjusted a time table for planting to accommodate something else or avoid a problem? Did it work for you?

When it comes to patio planters, I’m a total cheapskate — and a total snob. No plastic. No fiberglass. No cutesy designs. I like solid colors and simple shapes, and I also like a deal. My dream garden center would sell 30-inch glazed terracotta pots for $10. They’d be food safe and made in the USA.

I know, I know… Keep dreaming, Greengirl.

Truth be told, I’m a little behind in my planting. I could blame the weather, but I’m super disorganized and distractable this year. My seedlings, unfortunately, have received the brunt of my neglect. Standing in the garage, I suddenly realized that had too many pepper plants, not enough pots, and absolutely no potting soil.

Coupon in hand, I headed to the nearest garden center, the Bachman’s off HWY 169 and 55. I prepared myself for the Memorial Day weekend crowds and the long lines. I was on a stealth mission. Get in, buy six bags of potting soil from the nearest cashier, and then get the heck out.

Bachman’s has a great selection of very expensive and very heavy planters. I took a quick detour past what my bank account couldn’t afford and my back couldn’t afford carry. Then I came face to face with a near perfect solution to my patio pot problem — three pallets of oak wine barrels! They were huge, food safe, made in the USA and recycled from wineries. Ding! Ding! Ding!

I rushed to the register. A clay planter of the same size would’ve set me back at least $300. I got two half-barrels for $100. I was giddy. I felt like I was getting away with something.

Like most of my garden purchases, most of my research happens after my credit card is swiped (Remember my order of fruit trees and shrubs?). I learned that barrel planters are big on the west coast — and big enough for a lime or lemon tree. In our cooler climates, they are perfect for blueberries. Barrel planters make it easy to control the acidity of the soil and protect the berries from birds. Hey! I just bought some blueberry bushes…

In my enthusiasm, I forgot all about my pepper plants. I’ll give you three guesses as to what I am doing tonight.

Are you into patio gardening? What kinds of containers do you like to use? Are you on top of your planting or do you get as distracted as I do?

Seems like somebody flipped a switch on our summer. For most of May, June and July, we had too little water, now it seems like we’ve got too much.

For the most part, the rain is a good thing, as Martha would say. It’s helping to revive drought-stressed trees, wilting flowers and browned-out grass. But after the deluge, container plants may need a little TLC.

Be sure to empty the water out of the plates or trays under your container plants. Plants left sitting in water can rot. (If it continues to rain heavily and regularly, you might want to set the plates aside for while.)

Also, container plants probably could do with a little fertilizer right now. Heavy rain can leach the minerals out of the soil and leave plants hungry. So feed the annuals you have in pots or in beds, but hold off feeding perennials, trees and shrubs now. You don’t want to encourage new growth on perennials just when they should be slowing down.

Oh, and as long as you’re fussing with your containers, consider adding a few fall blooming beauties to your summer mix. Mums? Kale? Grasses? What are your fall favorites?

Every year I have more seeds, seedlings and volunteer sprouts than usable garden space. Some simply don’t get planted while others become experiments in patio container gardening. I like to think of it as “Research for Readers” (and apartment dwelling friends). But to be perfectly honest, I am dying to get my hands dirty by mid-march. Planting in patio pots prevents me from digging in the garden too early. (Not to mention, our patio tile is super fugly and I try to distract guest from the Menards 69¢ special with planters full of edibles and blooms).

Luckily, I’ve had more successes than disappointments. Greens, peppers and herbs — my biggest surprise last year was a tower of snap peas (Greengirl + Twine = Danger). I thought the fragile sprouts would shrivel in the slightest breeze, but the shoots quickly intertwined and were soon hardy enough to withstand a thunderstorm (Another advantage to planting in patio pots: A responsible gardener can move her plants out of unseasonable weather).

This year, I planted my snap pea tower in mid-April. The sprouts were a little sluggish at first, but they quickly climbed the twine.

Snap peas on May 17 (left) and snap peas in May 28 (right)

Then, this weekend I had my very first snap pea blooms!