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By Eileen Mozinski Schmidt Special to Waukesha County Home A container, some good soil mixture and seeds. It's all you need to start trying your hand at some homegrown vegetables, according to Ann Wied, horticulture spe- cialist with the University of Wisconsin- Madison Waukesha County Extension. For beginners, Wied said using con- tainers is an easy way to start. "People can use any type of container as long as it has a drainage hole on it," she said. "If they wanted to grow some things to put in a salad, they could grow their own salad bowl, so to speak." Ideally, she recommends a 12-inch diameter container to grow plants between 12 and 18 inches. "You could put some lettuce seeds, some onion sets in there. You could throw a few spinach seeds in there. Plant anything you want to put in your salad," Wied said. Wied said when growing lettuce, the plant can be trimmed and harvested sev- eral times depending on how much is needed. A head of lettuce could be har- vested about three times, she said. A 12-inch container would also work a pepper plant or for onion sets, according to Wied. "You can plant a few things in the soil outside while the plant is starting to grow," she said. Container-based plants can work well for those with an apartment or a condo or a home where the yard does not have room for a garden, Wied added. "If people have never gardened before, it's a nice little way to start out just to put your foot in the water without spending a lot of money," she said. Plants in containers do require more watering than in-ground gardens, she added. Grocery industry shifts For some homeowners, this may be a year of increased interest in trying to grow their own vegetables, given higher food prices. And shelves stocked to varying degrees are also a phenomenon nationwide, according to one Wisconsin-based indus- try leader. C O N T E N T S To insulate or replace your garage door? Bringing the indoors out and the outdoors in Tips to prep your home for sale — even in a seller's market A publication of the Waukesha Freeman and Oconomowoc Enterprise • March 2022 Grow your own salad See VEGGIES/Page 2 With prices on the rise, consider planting your own vegetables Photo submitted by Ann Wied For novice gardeners, container gardening is a great start for those wanting to grow their own food. It's also ideal for those with limited space.