Container Gardening Made Easy

Flower & Garden Magazine, Oct, 2000

PUT COLOR WHERE YOU WANT IT, ON THE PATIO, THE DECK, YOUR HOME'S ENTRANCE, OR FOCAL POINTS IN THE GARDEN BY GROWING PLANTS IN CONTAINERS.

Container planting is one of the most creative gardening forms in which color combinations, texture and even the container can make a statement. Express your artistry or set a mood in the garden.

Container gardening saves time, money and water over in-ground beds. It requires less space, fewer plants and less work.

You can move container gardens out of sight when they look bad or shift them to a focal point when they look good.

Containers also let you expand your palate and grow an assortment of tropical plants. Try citrus, bananas and palms that can be moved indoors on a frosty night.

Your choice of containers is as broad as your imagination. Choose terra cotta, plastic terra-cotta imitations, wood, concrete or even plastic foam containers. Or try something unusual, like an old wheelbarrow or iron pot, or even an old pair of boots.

Because terra cotta absorbs water, containers may crack when temperatures drop below freezing. So think about winterizing them before you plant, particularly if you leave them outdoors all winter.

To winterize, apply a water sealant, like those used to treat outdoor decks. Apply the sealant with a brush, inside and out, and let it dry thoroughly before planting. The sealant seals pores in the container and prevents it from absorbing water.

Additionally, for container gardens, good drainage is a must. See sidebar for specific details on this most important aspect.

Soil mixes aren't all alike, either. Shop around and get a good growing mix. Look for one containing vermiculite and perlite, sphagnum peat moss, a little ground bark and sand.

If the mix looks mucky or lacks a combination of ingredients, pass it by. Examine the ingredients listed on the bag; if the bag says, "professional growing mix," the contents have a proven track record.

When you put soil mix in the container, mix in slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote or Precise, according to label directions. Look for a product with at least a seven- to nine-month release duration.

Slow-release fertilizers release nutrients slowly and uniformly throughout the growing season. Therefore, the plants are never hungry.

Once you place the soil mix and fertilizer in the container, water it thoroughly and allow the mix to drain and settle before you plant.

Lastly, container-plant combinations are almost limitless. Choose from bulbs, annuals, perennials, herbs, salad greens or even shrubs like dwarf crape myrtle. Combine flowering plants with interesting foliage textures and colors.

Artemesia, plectranthus, snake plant and dusty miller are often used in summer for the color and texture of their foliage.

When planting a tall container, consider vining plants, like ornamental sweet potato or setcresia. They will cascade over the side for added visual interest.

Don't limit winter containers to pansies. Try ornamental kale and cabbage, Chinese cabbage, crinkle-leaf parsley, spinach, snapdragon and dianthus underplanted with spring-flowering bulbs.

If space permits, use a whimsical frog, driftwood or other decorative object to add visual interest and express your creativity.

--Article Courtesy of Gary Wade

* FOUR ESSENTIAL KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL CONTAINER GARDENING

Container gardens will be a spectacular success if gardeners do just four things: Select the right container, use the proper soil, choose the right plant and use simple maintenance procedures.

The right container. A good container should be large enough to provide room for soil and roots. It should provide bottom drainage and have sufficient headroom for proper watering. It should also be attractive without competing with the plant it holds.

Drainage holes are the secret to success. Make sure the plant never stands in wet soil. Roots require air space in the soil to live.

If the desired container doesn't have drainage holes, consider growing the plant in a slightly smaller container, or plastic pot, with drainage holes. Display it in the more attractive container.

Some containers have holes marked but have no holes. Others have rubber stoppers in the holes. Remove any impediments to water movement. Make holes with a drill if needed.

Holes should be equally spaced on the container bottom to allow uniform drainage. Some large terra cotta containers have only one hole in the bottom. It's hard to drill holes in terra cotta without breaking it. So put large chunks of rock, chunks of broken terra cotta containers or plastic foam peanuts in the bottom to serve as a reservoir for water.

The container's size and appearance should be in visual proportion to the plants grown in it and the setting where it's used.

Don't put heavy containers on balconies and display shelves. Make sure its color, design and style are compatible with its setting.

The proper soil. The potting soil must be good quality as well. It should be porous for root aeration and drainage, but also able to retain water and nutrients.