Container
gardens are a great choice if you don’t have a lot of outdoor space or if you
just want more flexibility in
your garden. Here’s how to make a gorgeous container garden:
your garden. Here’s how to make a gorgeous container garden:
- Be creative in selecting containers. Pots are fine, but consider something more
unusual. Buckets, boots, old teapots,
wheelbarrows, even a chest of drawers:
anything that will hold soil will grow plants!
- Allow for drainage: drill holes in the bottom and add 1 to 2 inches of coarse rocks. If the container can’t be drilled (such as the teapot), insert a separate pot inside or just use extra rocks in the drainage layer. More container plants die from lack of drainage than anything else, so don’t skip this step!
- It’s a good idea to
use new, sterile soil. There are many
good mixes available that will help keep the pot lightweight and disease- and
pest-free. Mix in a time-release
fertilizer into the soil during planting.
- Choose fillers, spillers and pillars: Annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs,
shrubs, vines, houseplants, topiary and even trees can be successfully grown in
containers. Include plants of different
heights for interest: mid-height plants that fill the bare soil, creepers or
ferns that spill out over the edges and tall plants that stand upright like
pillars will provide a bold visual statement.
Be sure to choose plants that like similar conditions (such as full sun
or shade).
- Keep ‘em watered!
Container plants dry out more quickly than plants in the ground, so
frequent inspection is essential, especially in the hot summer months. Mulch will greatly reduce evaporation. Try incorporating a hydro gel into the
potting soil; these jelly-like granules are super absorbent and release water
over time. If you want to get fancy, a custom
drip or tube irrigation system can provide convenience.
- Feed plants according to their needs with regular
applications of a water-soluble fertilizer.
Remember that anything goes! Whatever you plant, be creative and have fun.
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