From Seed to Sizzle!

From rooftop terraces in Manhattan highrises to dooryards in Tuscan hill towns, container gardens can flourish in small spaces. The keys are to use containers that suit your geographic area, good planting soil, plant fertilizer, and plants that do well in small spaces. You can have vegetables and herbs that you love with a miniature garden that pleases the eye.

• Containers. Choose pots of a material that works with your climate. Avoid metal containers in hot climates, terracotta (which can crack if left outside) in cold climates. Make sure the pot has good drainage holes in the bottom and is large enough to allow the plants room to grow.

• Soil. Soil in container gardens can get compacted more easily than that in the garden, so use planting mixtures or good quality dirt mixed with sand for good drainage.

• Fertilizer. Choose natural compost to mix into the soil or follow the package directions on an all-purpose water-soluble plant fertilizer (usually an equal blend of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium).