The pots were easy to water. We didn’t have to bend over to pick them, and they produced an abundance of tomatoes.
Container gardening is one of the hottest trends in horticulture. As yards get smaller, gardeners have less time and Baby Boomers get older, container gardening continues to gain in popularity. Containers don’t take up much space, and there’s a huge variety of plant material that is suitable. Containers make small space gardening flexible that just about anybody can join the fun.
Begin by selecting a container large enough to give the roots room to grow. Use your imagination, and you can come up with all kinds of unusual things to use as planters. They only thing that is really necessary is to provide drainage, and if your pot does not have this you can provide it by using gravel, broken pottery or even Styrofoam peanuts in the bottom.
Use a good grade of commercial potting soil and start with healthy plants. Consider available light when selecting your plants – plants in the same pot must share light requirements. Also consider what size the plant will be at maturity. Do not select something too large or unsuitable for your container. For example, plants in the mint family can and will crack a pottery container when they grow too large.
Set your plants into containers so that they will be at the same level as they were in the nursery containers. Be sure all roots are covered and plants are anchored securely. The soil surface should be about ½ inch below the rim of the pot so that a reservoir is formed for water retention when you are watering. Water thoroughly immediately after planting. Thereafter monitor watering needs and water when soil becomes dry to the touch about 1 inch down in the pot. Don’t over water. The larger the container, the greater the soil volume and therefore generally less water will be needed. Another way to decrease the amount of time spent watering is to add Soil Moist crystals to the soil at the time of planting. These polymer crystals expand and hold water, thereby keeping the soil most longer. They are especially useful if you work daily, travel a lot or simply forget to check your plants very often.
Be sure to use a water-soluble fertilizer and follow the package directions on a regular basis. The more often you water, the more often you leach out the nutrients that are in the soil so it’s important to replenish them through fertilizing on a regular basis. For heavy feeders such as petunias, this may mean an application two to three times a week.
There are lots of fun things to plant in containers and some wonderful combinations to try. If you have a lot of sun, use plants like calibrachoa, bacopa, petunias and others that will take the strong sunlight and heat. Plants like portulaca and vinca vine could add color, texture and variety. These, of course, would need southern/western exposure. If you are craving fresh green things to cook with why not try a container herb garden? It could even be themed around your particular needs – salsa, spaghetti sauce, etc. Herbs grow well and are easily available from your local garden center or they can easily be started from seed. The wonderful thing about creating an herb container garden is that it can also be moved indoors when fall and winter approach for fresh herbs year round. Some vegetables can even be grown in containers. With the increasing popularity of these small space gardens, seed companies have begun to develop plants specifically for small spaces. In a fairly large container such as a whiskey barrel try cherry tomatoes, small varieties of peppers, cucumbers and bush beans. And, space and container permitting, these could be moved indoors in the winter if there is enough available light. What better than a homegrown, vine ripened tomato in the dead of winter? It’s worth the effort.
No matter what your choices are, a container garden can be made to suit nearly everyone. Start with a great pot, basket, barrel or other interesting container. The choices for plants to mix and add are endless depending on the effect you are trying to achieve. Take some extra time at your favorite garden center this spring looking for all of the new varieties. Spend a few minutes asking the staff for the growing requirements and their recommendations for your specific conditions. Isolate the plants you are considering and look at the textures and colors and how they blend. Then pick out that winning combination and start planting!
Gail Vanik can be reached at 970-565-8274 or by email at [email protected].
