Container Gardening

Container Gardening

The Space Savers

Container gardening, especially on balconies excludes the plants from dew and rain so that the foliage is mostly very dry, often dusty and therefore attracts spiders, insects and diseases.

Container Gardening image 1. Balcony in Venice, Italy Growing plants in containers or on balconies demands that we have an understanding of their environment. The City Gardener's Handbook is about converting any matter of thing that can be used to establish container gardening. Plants placed in a tub or grown on a balcony are popular for esthetic reasons. The predicament with container gardening is that pot plants placed anywhere, particularly on balconies, up and away from the ground, are exposed to wind currents which dry out the soil in porous pots from both the sides as well as the surface. They are subjected to reflected heat from walls and paving surfaces or to direct heat when they are behind glass.

Container gardening activities, especially on balconies prevents plants from accessing dew and rain so that the foliage is mostly very dry and dusty, attracting spiders and other insects as well as diseases. Commercial growers use and recommend Serenade® Garden Disease Control Concentrate for the control of plant diseases.

Booster Mix Exclusive from The Gardener's Supply Company

Why throw out the soil in last year's containers? This Container Booster Mix from 'Gardener's Supply Company' replaces the nutrients that the plants used up, so this year's plants get a fresh start. One bag is enough to revitalize 96 dry quarts of soil at big savings for you! This potent, all-organic formula includes a complete diet of nutrients and trace elements to keep plants lush and healthy. This 100% natural Container Booster provides all the nutrients plants need. Just 4 to 8 tablespoons recharges a quart of soil. Made in Vermont 6-qt. bag. Use 4 to 8 tablespoons of Container Booster to each quart of planting mix. Contains concentrated plant and manure compost, washed granite, Chilean nitrate, black rock phosphate, and seven other ingredients.

However, the harmful aspects of container gardening can be overcome. Choose species which are resilient and will tolerate the odd occasion when their maintenance may be forgotten. Line the pots with plastic to protect the soil from drying out and place them at least 36cm (14”) away from hot walls or glass windows and mount them on a few pieces of 2½cm (1”) high gravel to avoid contact with hot paving. Water or mist the leaves to minimise transpiration loss in the plant and keep it clean. This will depress red spiders and some diseases. Container gardening has the added benefit of relieving stress in people who participate in the activity of growing plants in pots or other containers.

The pot size decides the growth and up-keep of your container gardening efforts. Large tubs hold more water and offer more room for the roots, as a result drying out and overheating of the roots is less likely to occur. Changing the pot for a bigger one as the plant grows will happen less frequently. Large pots also mean that in addition to the potted plant itself, a garden of others plants may be grown around the edge. A tub with a small fruit tree looks even prettier with herbs growing around its rim. A plant such as Lobelia, draped over the side of a tub of any dark green or gold conifer adds colour and makes it less formal. Ferns surrounding a palm provide a contrast in greens and textures.

The potential of container gardening is unlimited and may include annuals, herbs, rock garden and perennial plants. Small flower pots are harder to handle. They dry out particularly quickly and the limited root room is rapidly used up if they are outdoor plants. Growing other plants in their top is excluded due to the lack of space. However, they are easier to handle and useful for advancing plants on, until a very large pot is needed. When undertaking container gardening activities you don’t require a large tract of land.

Container Gardening image 3. - Alyssium draping over pot One of the most popular gardening tips commonly held among many gardeners is the belief that plants that prefer acid soils should not be planted in concrete pots. The theory behind this belief is that lime leaches out of the pots and increases the alkalinity of the potting mix in container gardening soil. It has been found that utterly no evidence supporting the theory that concrete pots make any difference to the growth of lime-sensitive plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias. So the next time somebody advises you not to grow plants in a concrete pot, go ahead and try it nevertheless.

Complementary or similar container gardening plant appearances can be likewise successful. A tall palm in a large tub of straight shape, or horizontal azaleas in a wide bowl are good examples. Sometimes the pot is intended to be almost concealed by the plant. Wide-mouthed containers make re-potting slightly easier. Pots or containers and plants should balance each other. Planting in a larger pot is more desirable than potting in a smaller one.

Buying the largest practical size is the most significant factor in tub culture on balconies or elsewhere. The type is not important: glazed pots, terra cotta, plastic, stone, and wooden barrels are all appropriate when starting your own container gardening hobby.

Moving heavy pots is easier with a plant trolley, which sits under the saucer and allows pot, plant and saucer to be moved with ease. Stainless steel versions are available or a home-made one will also do. A 3-wheeled moving trolley can be left under the container pot permanently or brought out when it is necessary to move the pot around your container gardening area. Protect water sensitive surfaces and make moving large plants easy with these medium sized rolling Saucers.