- If you are planting a container garden or preparing just the topsoil of your garden, plants with shallow roots will do well with sufficient spacing. Lettuce and spinach roots extend just a few inches into soil, so they prefer long, shallow pots. Blackberry and raspberry brambles also have short root systems. All of these crops need enough space to stretch their branches and get adequate sun. Many ground-cover plants such as ivy have shallow, sprawling root systems that will spread across a garden bed.
- Some plants have root systems that extend deeply, requiring tall containers or well-tilled garden soil. Alfalfa, sweet clover, corn, safflower, sunflower and sugar beet are included in this category. Squash is a vigorously growing crop that needs plenty of root space, while bush varieties of squash can be grown in large containers. Both crops will suffer, though, if their roots are restricted. Spacing requirements range from a few inches to a few feet.
- When preparing a garden bed, you should plan for at least 8 inches of root space, but amending the soil deeper will yield more productive crops. Some garden experts suggest a deep-bed method, with soil depth increased to 18 inches. Somewhat shallow-rooted crops like carrots can push their roots further and grow vigorously if given the chance. The process requires deep tilling and breaking up the subsoil. You can also create a raised bed by building up topsoil into a mound or frame.
- Select a container and soil amount based on the size of the plant and its roots. Bigger tends to be better; just avoid containers that are too large or too small. The height of the plant should be about three times the diameter of the pot. As a general rule, tomatoes, squash and eggplants require 4- to 5-gallon pots. Smaller vegetables like peppers and chard will grow well in 1- to 2-gallon containers.
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