Gardens

Container Gardening 101

Helpful Hints for Potted Plants

    There are many reasons to love containers for gardening: They are portable; they come in as many shapes and sizes as you can imagine; they can be very cost-effective; they can have a huge visual impact in unexpected areas; and they are a fun and imaginative way to play in the dirt with very little muss and fuss.
    Here are a few hints that might prove useful when you are choosing a container. Size matters: A well-developed root system means a larger and healthier plant, and a large pot holds more soil and moisture and puts less stress on the plant. If you already have a plant that you want to establish in a decorative container, it is essential that you know that plant’s growth pattern and ultimate size, so you can select your container accordingly. For instance, if your child brings home an oak seedling that was lovingly started in a milk carton at school, it’s valuable to know that the tree will want to grow to be 100 feet tall.
    Using a top-quality soil mix is a must—all that your plants have as a foundation for success is what you give them. Mix a nutrient-balanced, time-release fertilizer into the soil, as well. Keep in mind that every time water drains out of the container, it is taking nutrients with it, and as the plants grow, they will want even more food to support their growth. We like to use a combination of Osmocote and Magamp at planting time, and then supplement with more Osmocote every few months, with a foliar spray of Miracid or Miracle Grow every few weeks for good measure.
    Watering containers needs your full attention. Water as needed, but water thoroughly when you do. Do not think that you have watered thoroughly just because you see water coming out of the bottom of the container; that could mean nothing more than you have allowed the soil to get too dry, and the soil particles have shrunk and pulled away from the sides of the pot, allowing water to run right through without being absorbed. A good rule of thumb is to fill a container to the top two or three times (more often if really dry) at 10-minute intervals, then let the soil dry out to the touch before the next deep watering.
    Good drainage is essential for successful container gardening. Most containers come with only one, or at most two, drainage holes; place concave pieces of broken clay pots over the hole to hold the soil back and let water flow freely. Don’t use gravel or stones, as they are likely to plug the holes eventually.
    Customers often ask me if this or that plant can be grown in a container. Any plant can be grown in a container; there are just no plants that are indigenous to containers. You are limited only by your plant choices, pocketbook, local climate and commitment to care and culture.
    Container gardens are extremely versatile in the landscape. Use them to grace your front entry with matching ivy topiary; to march down one side of your front steps with a river of color; to provide a portable barrier between you and whatever (or whomever)—a trellis and vine provide a perfect screen; group three different sizes together to anchor a bare corner of a deck or patio; hang them from trees, arbors, rafters or porches; or use them to add splashes of intense color to an otherwise mundane monochromatic border.