Patio Gardens

Container Gardening

Container gardening is popular for people who do not have the garden space for a large land lay out or for those who don't want to make their gardens permanent. It can be very rewarding and many people are amazed what grows in containers. Growing plants in containers also comes with the added benefit that usually are not required to weed the garden plants as you would growing them in the ground. Most people grow edibles, herbs, and annuals in pots or containers, however many types of perennials, small trees or shrubs will also do well in containers. Here are a few tips for container gardening:

• Color — keep the color scheme simple. Too many colors will look like a crazy quilt. Cool colors such as blues, greens, and lavenders recede which gives the illusion they are smaller than they actually are. This can make a small space look larger. Two colors and one green is the general suggested ideal of most gardening professionals. You can create depth by using coarser textured dark or bright plants in the foreground and finer textured, paler colors in the back.
• Location — don't forget about the conditions for plants. Do not put containers in a windy location. This will increase watering needs, break tall plants, and knock over pots and crack them. Do walk around your landscape and decide where you might place a container that will add color to a drab spot, or create a focal point. You may also want to consider the purpose of the plant, for instance a kitchen garden is best utilized if it has easy access.
• Pot or Container selection — decorative pots should complement your décor. A country type pot may look out of place if your décor is primarily modern. Plain pots make the plants a star. If you use decorative or elaborate pots, you may want to plant more modest plants that don't overshadow the nice container. Regardless of the type of container you choose, make sure there are drainage holes. Drill extra drainage holes if you need. The most common way to kill a plant is root rot. Consider practicality, lighter pots are easier to move around. Unglazed clay pots dry out faster, are heavier, and can not be left outside. Sterilize pots by using a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. A toilet brush works well to scrub out the pot, and don't forget to wash the inside.
• Potting soil — Get some slow release fertilizer (preferably a fertilizer that complements the type of plants you will have in the container) and add it to your potting soil — even if your potting soil says it has fertilizer in it. Add some compost for a more organic approach. Use fresh potting soil. You can use ready made or personal blends of potting soil. Good mixes include peat moss, vermiculite or perlite, composted bark, compost, fertilizer, or water holding crystals. If you are using a large pot you can fill the bottom with light weight items such as empty soda cans, packing peanuts, shredded papers so you won't have to use as much potting soil.
• Planting — There are two schools of thought about how densely to plant a garden. The first is that if you want the garden to look full and mature in the first year, you should have plants closer together, and will likely need to divide and thin them out later. With the second, if you have the patience to allow your garden to grow, leave room for the plants to grow into their home. In the meantime, you can fill in spaces with annuals. Average spacing is 6 – 12" spread or 2 plants per square foot. Or for less density, 12 – 24" or 1 plant per 2 square feet.
• Beginners may want to focus on drought tolerant and easy growing plants. Your local nursery can help you with these selections based on plants that work best for your climate and zone hardiness. Keep it simple, having one plant in a container is perfectly acceptable. Combine plants that have similar needs and equal strength. Aggressive plants can easily take over a container and your smaller plantings may get lost. A simple formula for putting multiple plants within a container is at least 1 tall, 1 filler, and one tailing plant. Check your plant daily, finger gage for watering needs, deadhead, weed, and pinch back when necessary.

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