Container gardening is fun and can provide you with amazing floral displays and delicious produce.
Here are some tips to help you have beautiful results.
- Fill containers with enough plants so they will look full, with minimal soil showing, when fully grown. This makes the container more pleasing to the eye and reduces watering needs. Read plant tags so you are aware of each plant’s height and width to avoid over-crowding.
- Garden soil doesn’t offer enough air, water or nutrients to a plant growing in a container. Potting soils are specifically formulated to overcome these limitations. I usually do a combination of garden soil and potting mix in my containers.
- Plants sharing a container should have similar watering and sunlight requirements so they all thrive.
- If you live in an area where the growing season is short, buying more mature plants will give you faster, better results.
- Make sure your containers have adequate drainage in the event you overwater or during periods of heavy rainfall.
- Fertilize your containers with fertilizer appropriate for the type of plant. Different species have individual requirements as to the mix of fertilizer that will be the most beneficial. Do this every second week throughout the growing season.
- Deadhead your flowers regularly and trim plants if needed.
- Small or hanging containers dry out quickly and need to be watered frequently during hot weather. If you plan to be away for extended periods you will need to have someone maintain your containers. This is something to keep in mind when making your plant and container purchases.
There are many plant options for containers. On my blog’s garden page, you will see that I have several flower beds but no suitable space for a vegetable garden. Over the years I have tried a wide variety of flowers and vines in containers. Vegetables and fruits such as cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, kale, herbs, peppers and potatoes have done well in the recycled two-foot by two-foot cattle mineral tubs we use.
Plants that repel mosquitoes can also be beneficial. These plants include citronella, peppermint, basil, garlic, lemon balm, lavender, marigolds, rosemary and eucalyptus.
This year I think I will do an herb container with dill, oregano, thyme and basil. I plan to fill my flowerpots with geraniums, verbenas, petunias, spikes, daisies, begonias and whatever else catches my eye. A strawberry pot may be in my future and, of course, tomatoes and peppers will be planted and carefully tended. I love being able to walk out in our yard and pick fresh produce or a bouquet of flowers.
Do you think making one of these into a strawberry pot this spring would work?
Update: July Success
Update: August Yummy Berries Will Mother Nature cooperate with our container gardening plans?
In Saskatchewan, we start our containers as early as possible as our season is short. Some years we only get eight to ten weeks of frost-free weather. Frost warnings often send gardeners into a frenzy, covering containers or lugging them inside. The Hubs has carried in his share of heavy flowerpots over the years. I think after thirty-nine years I finally have him trained to do it even when I am not around. He loves all my plants.
ADDITIONAL LINKS ⬇️
- Visit Gift Shop
Comments