Perfect for people who don't have the space for or energy to tend an entire garden.
There are far fewer weeds to pull and plants to deadhead in containers!
Live in apartments or high rises - container gardening is the only option.
Physical limitations that prohibit getting down and dirty in the garden...
Bring the containers up to your level for planting ....In short, container gardening is for everyone!
There are many advantages, over and above cost and convenience, to growing in containers.
Here are some you might not have considered:
- Grow plants that wouldn't normally grow in your soil or climate.
- Use decorative pots to contain perennials that may be invasive in the garden.
- Containers can be rearranged to give the appearance of continuous bloom throughout the season. Place them in a prominent place, such as on a front porch, when they are in full bloom, then rotate them out when they are finished. If there is a spot in the garden that is all-green during parts of the season, add a pot of flowering perennials there to liven up the space and add visual interest. Design your container plantings to coordinate with the seasons, so you have something in bloom for spring, summer, and fall.
- The container itself can add an architectural element to the garden. Sometimes it's not what you put in the pot that's most important--sometimes it's the pot itself that holds the interest. This is especially true if the container is very large, brightly colored, or uniquely shaped.
Before planting up your containers, decide where you want to place them in the yard. This will help you make wiser decisions on the types of plants to include in the pots. Consider where the primary viewing point will be and design from that angle. Keep in mind that plants in windy locations or those exposed to the hotter afternoon sun will need to be watered more often than those placed in more sheltered, shadier locations.
Just about anything that holds soil can be used as a container. The only requirement is that it has at least one drainage hole.
- If you are planning on grouping a set of pots, it is more visually pleasing if they are different sizes but have a continuous theme such as pot color or material.
When it comes to planting perennials in containers, the rule of thumb is the bigger the pot the better. First, perennials have larger root systems than annuals,
When choosing a container, try to coordinate the pot type and color with the surroundings it which it will be placed.
For example, a basket of flowers would look more appropriate on the porch of a cottage style house than would a tall, stately urn. The urn would look better at the entrance to a formal garden.
- If you are trying to create a focal point with your container, you may want to choose one in a bright color and plant it up with foliage plants of a sharply contrasting color (ie. a bright blue pot planted up with chartreuse foliage). If you want it to stand out as an architectural element, choose a large container with an interesting shape that contrasts with its surroundings (i.e.. a tall, narrow container placed beside a round, mounded plant).
The choice of plant material is critical to good design when working in small spaces like containers. Pay particular attention to foliage color, texture, and habit first
Thrillers, Fillers, and Spillers". This is a handy way to remember the three types of plants essential to good design. "Thrillers" are the plants that command attention, like the tall spike in the center of a pot of geraniums. With perennials, since the blooms are not typically present for a long period, thrillers are usually plants with interesting architectural shape or colored foliage. "Spillers" are the plants that typically spill over the sides of the container, visually blending the container and its contents into one. "Fillers" are the plants that take up the space between the thrillers and the spillers. They typically make the planting look fuller and more finished.
Your container garden can include all three of these design elements (thrillers, fillers, and spillers) or you may choose instead to plant up your container with only one type of plant. Not every container you plant needs to have a combination of different varieties. For greater visual interest, you should include a pot or two of a single plant. For example, a single mature hosta in a large pot is stunning, especially when surrounded by containers of combination plantings.
Plants in containers generally need to be watered more frequently than those in the ground.
- When watering, do not simply place the hose or watering wand over the pot and sprinkle. This is a very inefficient method of watering because much of the water never reaches the soil. Instead, stick the hose or wand in the pot at soil level. Use a gentle stream of water, not full power, or the soil will be washed out of the container.
- When watering, it is beneficial to let approximately 10% of the water flush through the pot after the plant has had a good drink. This helps to dissolve and wash away any build up of salts in the soil, a common problem in containers. Too much salt in the soil can kill the plants.
- Regular morning watering is best. This allows the plants to dry out before nightfall, avoiding potential disease issues.
Maryjo & Steve Bedford
