What if I told you there's a fall vegetable that... 🪴 Doesn't need a huge container 🌱 Is easy to grow ✂️ Can be harvested a little at a time ❄️ Doesn't mind cooler weather 🍳 And can find its way into breakfast, lunch AND dinner? Say hello to green onions! Also called scallions or bunching onions, these skinny little vegetables may not be the showstoppers of the fall garden... But they might be among the most useful things you grow. And for container gardeners? They're practically perfect. 🧅 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭...𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐒 𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧? Good question! "Green onion" generally refers to an onion harvested while the plant is young, before it develops a large mature bulb. Some varieties—often called bunching onions—are specifically grown for their long green tops and slender white bases rather than big bulbs. And that's exactly why they're so handy for container gardeners. We're not waiting around for a giant onion bulb to develop. We're growing those delicious green tops and tender white stems. 🍂 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 Green onions enjoy cool growing conditions and can tolerate light frosts once established. They're also relatively quick to grow. That makes late summer and early fall a great time to tuck some into containers. But here's what I especially love about them: They don't demand much real estate. Remember all those containers we've been planting with lettuce, spinach, kale, carrots, and beets? Green onions can often fit into little unused spaces around other plants. Container gardeners know... Every inch counts! 😄 🪴 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐆𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐭 Green onions have relatively small root systems. A container around 6–8 inches deep or more works nicely. Window boxes? Absolutely. Railing planters? Yep. Grow bags? Sure. That random little pot sitting empty on your patio? Put some onions in it! 😂 Just make sure whatever you choose has drainage holes. 🌱 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 Green onions are easy to grow from seed. Plant seeds about ¼ inch deep and keep the soil consistently moist while they germinate.

Let's talk about a vegetable that tends to divide a room. Beets. Some gardeners hear the word and immediately say: ❤️ "𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬!" Others say: 😬 "𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭." And some of you are probably remembering a jar of pickled beets from your childhood that you're still trying to forget. 😂 But before the beet skeptics scroll past today's Second Spring post, give me a minute. Because freshly harvested beets are an entirely different experience—and they're fantastic vegetables for container gardeners. Even better? You get TWO edible crops from one plant. The roots AND the leaves! 🍂 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥 Like many of the vegetables we've been planting during our Second Spring, beets prefer cooler growing conditions. Warm August soil can help get them started, while the cooler temperatures ahead provide comfortable growing weather as the roots develop. And just like carrots, cooler weather can help bring out their natural sweetness. That makes late summer into fall an excellent beet-growing window in many areas. 🪴 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝? Here's more good news. You don't need an enormous pot. For most varieties, choose a container that's approximately: 🪴 𝟏𝟎–𝟏𝟐 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 Make sure it has good drainage and fill it with loose, high-quality potting mix. Beets are developing underground, so compacted soil makes their job much harder. Give those roots room to expand! 🌱 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 Beets are usually easiest to sow directly into their final container. Plant the seeds about: 🌱 ½ 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 Then keep the soil consistently moist while they germinate. But there's something VERY interesting about those funny-looking beet "seeds." 🤔 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭...𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬? Possibly! What we commonly call a beet "seed" is often actually a dried fruit containing multiple seeds. That means you might plant what looks like one seed... ...and several little seedlings pop up! Nothing went wrong. Your beet is just an overachiever. 😂

How many of you are growing watermelons in containers? This is our second year growing them. Last year they were doing great, but the raccoons beat me to them. (See picuture below) Fingers crossed I'll get first dibs this year. If you're growing watermelons in a pot of some sort, share a pic with us.

Your zucchini was thriving just a few days ago. Now the leaves are wilting, turning brown around the edges, and looking like they need water—even though the soil is still moist. Before you reach for the watering can, flip over a few leaves. If you find clusters of bronze-colored eggs or flat, grayish-brown bugs hiding underneath, you've likely found the culprit: the squash bug. These pests are one of the biggest challenges for anyone growing squash, zucchini, pumpkins, gourds, or melons during the summer. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐠𝐬? Squash bugs are sap-sucking insects that feed on plants in the squash family. Both the adults and their young (called nymphs) damage plants by piercing the stems and leaves and feeding on the plant's juices. Unlike some pests that chew holes in leaves, squash bugs weaken the plant from the inside out. Once their numbers build, plants can decline surprisingly fast. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐚𝐭? Squash bugs mainly target members of the cucurbit family, including: 🥒 Zucchini 🎃 Pumpkins 🥒 Summer squash 🥒 Winter squash 🍈 Gourds 🍈 Melons (occasionally) While they can be found in both in-ground gardens and containers, they don't care where your plants are growing—they're after the plant itself! 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 Look for: ✔ Flat, grayish-brown adult bugs about ½ to ¾ inch long ✔ Gray or pale green nymphs clustered together ✔ Shiny bronze or copper-colored eggs on the undersides of leaves ✔ Yellow spots that later turn brown ✔ Leaves that wilt even when the soil is moist The eggs are often the first clue that a new generation is on the way. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 Squash bugs don't just make plants look bad. Heavy infestations can: • Cause leaves to wilt and die • Reduce fruit production • Stress young plants • Eventually kill vines if left untreated The longer they're allowed to stay, the harder they become to control. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 The best strategy is to catch them early. ✔ Check the undersides of leaves every few days. ✔ Remove and crush egg clusters before they hatch.

[IMPORTANT READ] Wow! A huge thank you to each of you who joined The Potted Garden Society. This isn’t just a gardening group — it’s our green corner of the internet. Together, our mission is simple: 👉 Build a vibrant community of 10,000+ passionate plant lovers — from curious beginners to backyard legends — who are here to share, learn, and grow 🌼 Think of Skool as your gardening clubhouse. A space where tips bloom, ideas grow roots, and plants (and people!) thrive together. Here’s what we’ll dig into as a group: 🌱 Seasonal planting tips, tricks & troubleshooting 🌼 Celebrating plant wins (with proud pics!) 🐛 Solving pest & soil challenges 🍅 Learning how to grow food at home 🌿 Swapping advice on tools, composting & containers Our FIRST main focus as a community: 🔥 Help each other grow more confidently each season 💬 Make daily conversations about real plant wins & woes 🌍 Share eco-friendly ways to garden & give back to the earth A Few Quick Things: 1️⃣ This space is for plant newbies and seasoned growers 🌻 2️⃣ Say hello below 👋 Tell us what you grow, your zone or location, and a pic of your current favorite plant! Let’s grow something beautiful — together. Let’s grow The Potted Garden Society! 💚 – Donna