Gardening:
Container
Gardening Indoors or Out
by Mary Hanna
For
years people have been gardening in containers, mostly because they
lacked space. For some it was because they lived in climates that
wouldn't allow them to grow year round. Container gardens afford you
the option of planting outside until the cold forces the container
inside, next to a sunny window.
Most container
gardens were planted by people that lived in apartments but still
wanted the addition of color and the feeling of accomplishment when
seeing their plants grow. Big, beautiful showy flowers have a
tranquil effect that soothes you at the end of a long day. Container
gardening need not be limited to apartment gardening, everyone should
have their own. Most certainly you don't have to stick to flowers in
containers. You can grow vegetables and herbs in pots.
By adding garden
pots it allows you to put spots of color around green shrubs or trees
to brighten any corner of your yard. Placing containers filled with
your favorite flower adds loads of appeal to a walkway or paved
patio. The fun part of that is you can rotate the pots to different
locations adding a new looks or colors with every move. Putting
autumnal colored Mums in pots or spring tulips in a container allows
you to landscape by season keeping your garden bright and interesting.
Your container can
become a mini garden. For example when we lived in Pennsylvania our
front yard screened us from the road with 10 feet tall evergreens.
Although it was good for privacy, it made it very hard for guests to
find our house. To fix this problem I purchased a half of a whisky
barrel painted our name and street number on it and placed on the
lawn at the end of the driveway. Then I filled it with some organic
matter, planted bright red geraniums in the center and placed
trailing ivy along the outer edges. Not only did it help our friends
find us but the whole neighborhood used it when giving directions to
their friends and family. Everyone would come up to us and say,
"Never move that pot of flowers, it's our favorite landmark."
Don't limit
yourself to a barrel, anything can be used, a watering can, an urn or
big boldly colored ceramic pots, even a wheelbarrow. Use your
imagination when it comes to the containers you will plant. A friend
of mine would go to the Italian restaurants around town and ask them
for their used large olive oil cans. She'd take them home and plant a
bunch of mini gardens. This created an interesting and colorful spot
unlike any in the neighborhood. She would plant herbs in some of them
so this little garden had two uses.
For container
gardening use a fast draining potting soil mixed with a little coarse
sand. I always use pots with holes in the bottom to ensure good
drainage. You may know exactly how much to water the plant but if you
have a rainy spell it could be the demise of the mini garden that has
no drainage system. Fertilize well and often, nutrients in a
container can leech out.
Repotting will be
necessary as the plants will become root bound as they thrive. Just
go to the next size container and plant a new flower or herb in the
original pot.
Go to your garden
nursery center and look thru the selections. Choose plants that will
harmonize and colors that go well together. Container Gardening is
fun and easy and a great way to show off your handiwork.
About The Author
Mary Hanna is an
aspiring herbalist who lives full time in Central Florida which
allows her to garden and grow flowers, vegetables and herbs inside
and outside year round. Contact: mary@gardeninglandscapingtips.com or
visit her garden site http://www.gardeninglandscapingtips.com
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