Last month I was asked to submit to a horticultural trade magazine some photos of a favorite fall container planting. Sure, this is a tough choice. There are so many combinations to choose from and build going into the fall. I ended up submitting a container filled with edible plants that add interest and food to the fall and winter garden.
Decorative and 100% Edible!
Shown on the right is the large, freeze-proof, wide-mouth container. Planted in it is a combination of edible flowers, leafy greens and evergreen herbs that will keep interest going even into the coldest Seattle months. As various food items are harvested and removed, others will continue to grow and fill out the container through the winter season. Come spring, many of the herbs will be harvested and moved into larger garden beds. New peas will be added as will spring and summer vegie starts.
Truly, this is a kitchen garden that highlights what’s available during the cool season. It works very well in a sunny location, ideally near the kitchen door, on a condo patio or at the entry to a restaurant or better grocery.
Plants include, but are not limited to the following. When the container is potted up, plants at different stages of growth are added. This ensures a continual harvest:
- Lettuce
- Rainbow Chard
- Purple Cabbage
- Winter Savory
- Rosemary
- Variegated Thyme
- Winter peas
- Edible pansies
Freshly Picked Rainbow Chard and Delicata Squash
The container was potted up in mid-September. By early October it was time to start the thinning by removing this large bundle of rainbow chard. As well, the peas were beginning to take off and needed a bit of gentle training on the recycled bamboo prunings on which they are growing. Parsley is in abundance as is the winter savory. I harvested a bundle of the herbs and included those in a pot of Oxtail soup over the weekend. Tonight, something with sauted chard awaits — probably something including late harvest tomatoes and some of the baked delicata squash shown here.
Interested in starting your own edible garden in a pot and need help? Get in touch for a focused garden mentoring session here.
