Grow more

with less
less time,
less work
You will need:
Mulch Cover
Water
Fill
Tube
Aeration
Screen
Casters
City Pickers
Growing
Box
City Pickers Kit
contains:
INSTRUCTIONS
& PLANTING
GUIDE
Seeds or
Seedlings
Scissors or
Utility Knife
Potting
Soil
Liquid or
Powder
Fertilizer
Tips for a Successful City Picker Garden
Always keep the water reservoir full. Allowing the system to run dry stops
plants from taking in nutrients.
Add water (always through the fill tube) every couple of days when plants
are small/young. Increase to daily watering as the plants mature.
Always fill the reservoir completely. You'll know it's full when water runs out
the planter's overflow drain hole
Do not overcrowd the planter. Be sure plants are not planted too close to
fertilizer strip.
Warm-season crops like tomatoes should be positioned to get 6-8 hours
of sunlight daily.
Cool-season plants such as leafy lettuce and spinach prefer partial shade
Tall plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants etc.) and vines require supports
as they grow. Stakes or small cages can be inserted into the planter box
throught the mulch cover to support these plants as they mature.
"Let's get started"
know your terms shop smart
Growing Media / Potting "Mix"
(NOT Potting "Soil")
You can buy bags of pre-mixed material that work well. It's often
sold as "potting mix". . . do NOT use "potting soil." Check the bag
label carefully. The main ingredients should be sphagnum peat
and/or coir with the remainder as some combination of
vermiculite and/or perlite.
The following materials do NOT wick and will NOT work in
your City Pickers Patio Garden Kit: screened topsoil, forest
bi-products, bark, forest humus, saw dust or partially
composted something. If the bag lists any of the preceding
materials as the dominant material DO NOT BUY IT. Many
potting mixes available incorporate a water-soluble or
time-release fertilizer. This does not replace the fertilizer or
dolomite. The potting mix can be used for 4-6 growing seasons
before being replaced.
Dolomite
Dolomite may seem difficult to find. Often bags will NOT
say "dolomite". It might be labeled as "Agricultural Lime",
"Agricultural Limestone" or "Garden Lime". These are broad terms.
If it doesn't say calcium, magnesium or calcium/magnesium
carbonate or some variation of this, then it's not dolomite. Check the
ingredients label. Dolomite is lime that contains CALCIUM and
MAGNESIUM. "Hydrated Lime" is not dolomite. Hydrated Lime
is highly caustic and dangerous to handle or breathe. Also, it contains
no magnesium.
Use two cups (1 lb.) of dolomite for the initial planting and every time
you replant your City Pickers Patio Garden Kit. NOTE: When replanting,
mix the dolomite in the top 3-4 of the potting mix
before planting.
Fertilizer
For best results in your City Pickers Patio Garden Kit,
use a strip of common, dry, granular fertilizer or plant
food for vegetables.
NOTE: each of the three numbers on the label should be between 5
and 15. Use a fertilizer that does NOT need to be mixed with water
(water-soluble) or one that it is NOT time or slow released. You can
choose a synthetic fertilizer or an organic fertilizer. If using a
synthetic fertilizer, use two cups; if organic fertilizer, use three
cups. Do NOT add fertilizer during the growing season.
Liquid or
Powder
Fertilizer
Potting
Soil
FLOWERS 10 - 12
VEGETABLES
Beans, bush 10
Beans, pole 20
Beets 12
Broccoli 8
Brussels Sprouts 8
Cabbage 8
Carrots 20
Cucumbers 5/6
Cauliflower 8
Celery 8
Eggplant 2/3
Garlic 20
Herbs 8
Leeks 10
Lettuce 10
Melons 5
Okra 10
Plant Selection
Choose your favorites or try something new. Seedlings available
at your local garden center or nursery will grow in your City Pickers
Patio Garden Kit. You can use the small or large seedlings. Average
seedlings are 5-7" tall and in 2" wide pots.
You can also plant your City Pickers Patio Garden Kit with seed. We
recommend you choose plants that are normally easy to grow from
seed cucumbers, squash and beans. Do not overcrowd the box.
Whether planting seedlings or seeds, you may want to contact your
local County Cooperative Extension Agency for suggestions.
AVERAGE SEEDLING QUANTITIES
(Actual amounts may vary based on plant varieties.)
Onions 12/14
Peas 20
Peppers 8
Radishes 20
Spinach 12/14
Squash 5/6
Strawberries 8
Tomatoes 2/3
Turnips 12/14
STEP 1
Plan ahead Determine what type
and how many plants you need.
Gather materials
your City Pickers Patio Garden Kit
1.5 cubic foot bag of high-quality potting mix
water (you will need 3 or 4 gallons)
a sharp knife or scissors
dolomite and fertilizer
Choose a location
Select a sunny spot with a minimum of 8 hours
of daily sunshine for warm-season crops such as
tomatoes, peppers, eggplant. Select partial shade
for cool season crops such as lettuce, spinach,
or arugula.
PLANT AND FERTILIZER
PLACEMENT
Seedling
Fertilizer
Water fill tube
1 Row
2 Rows
3 Rows
STEP 4 Add a layer of moist potting mix
to within 2from the top of the box.
STEP 5 Add a thin layer of dolomite and
spread evenly.
STEP 2 Place screen, fill tube and casters
into your City Pickers Patio Garden. Securely and
firmly set the screen in the box. Make sure the
fill tube is placed through the corner hole in
the screen and pushed all the way to the
bottom of the City Pickers box.
STEP 3 Pack open corners of the City
Pickers box with moist potting mix to ensure good
wicking of the water to plants.
NOTE: Pre-moistening the potting mix by adding
small amounts of water until just moist NOT
soaked helps start the wicking action. If potting
mix is too dry, it repleats the water like a dry
sponge.
STEP 6 Add moist potting mix until level
with the top of your City Pickers Patio Garden. Mix
the dolomite you already placed with the top 34
of potting mix. Level the top again so its even
with the top of the City Pickers box.
STEP 7 Create a 2trough for the fertilizer.
To determine location of plant and fertilizer
trough, refer to City Pickers Placement Chart.
STEP 8 Place fertilizer in trough. Two cups
of synthetic or three cups of organic.
STEP 9 Mound additional potting mix
over the fertilizer and 2above the top of the
City Pickers box.
STEP 10 Secure mulch cover and cut
"X"s in the mulch cover for fill tube and plants.
Again, refer to City Pickers Placement Chart to
determine the number and location of plants.
Cut the "X"s to the same size as the root ball
of your seedlings.
STEP 11 Plant your seedlings/seeds.
Refer to the recommended planting instructions
that come with your seedlings or seeds. Gently
loosen plant root ball and place through mulch
cover.
STEP 12 Water regularly. Use the fill
tube to fill reservoir and keep full. The reservoir
is full when you notice water flowing from the
overflow hole in the side of the City Pickers box.
Simply add water every few days for young
plants. Add water at least once every day
as your plants mature.
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P.O. Box 151, Girard, PA 16417
814-774-3137 1-800-458-0839
Fax: 814-774-3463
e-mail: [email protected]
2010 Emsco Group D 215
For more information on this or other
EMSCO products, contact your sales
representative or call the national sales
ofce at 1.800.458.0839
NOTE: Above is an example. Refer to the
placement chart for your type of plant.