A Great Article on Container Gardening
Mistakes and the Solutions
Well Watered Tuberous Begonia - Photo © Kerry
Michaels
1. Don't fill a large container in the wrong place: Ever tried to lift a large container garden filled with
dirt and plants? I have, and it can be overwhelmingly heavy. When using a large
or unwieldy container make sure to place your pot where it will live and then
fill it – you’ll save your back!
Also, if you know you are planting shallow
rooted plants in a very large container (for example, herbs, annuals,
succulents), you can fill the bottom third with empty plastic bottles and cover
them with plastic screening. You can also use a product called "Better Than Rocks," to take up space. It will make your
container lighter and less expensive because you won't need as much potting
soil.
2. Don't Drown Your
Plants: To avoid over-watering
your container gardens, use containers that have drainage holes – lots of them.
Also, make sure to read the moisture requirements for your plants and then
follow them. Before you water, check if your soil is moist. To do this put your
finger into the soil up to your second knuckle. If the soil at your fingertip
feels dry, water your plant.
If you do over-water,
leaves may turn yellow and fall off, or your plants may get limp. If your soil
is too wet, move the container to a dry, breezy spot until it dries out. If you
have the room, you can also move your container garden into a garage or
sheltered spot to dry it out, particularly if the weather is continuing to be
wet.
3. Don't Under-water: Most container gardens need watering at least once a day
in the heat of the summer. Many, especially hanging planters or small
containers, need watering even more often because there is less soil to hold moisture.
When you water, make sure to really soak your plants – if you just give them a
sip, the water will only wet the top layer of soil. Water until you see it
coming out of the bottom of your pot.
Lots of people use water crystals but they are expensive and some tests
have shown that they aren't particularly effective.
If your plants do dry
out, don’t despair; even the most pathetic, limp, plant might revive with a
good drink. If the container is small enough, submerge the whole thing in a
bucket of water until the air bubbles subside. For a large container take a
skewer or stick and gently poke holes deep into the soil to allow water to
reach the roots. Then water generously.
4. Awkward plant to
pot ratio: Make sure to consider
the proportions of your plants to your container. A large container stuffed
with short plants can look stunted. If you need a rule of thumb (and remember
that rules are meant to be broken) try to have at least one plant that is as
tall as the container. Also try plants that will spill over the sides.
5.Don't buy weak or
sickly plants: Buying plants at a
reputable local nursery is a good place to start in your quest for healthy
plants. You have a greater chance of getting plants that are disease and pest
free and well cared for than at a big box store. At a nursery, you can often
get a wealth of information and advice from knowledgeable staff. Don't be
afraid to ask someone to help you pick out a good plant.
If you can’t resist
the prices of buying plants from a big box store (and occasionally, who
can’t?), try to buy them on or close to the day they’re delivered. Don’t be shy
to ask someone who works there which day new plant stock arrives. Delivery is
usually the same day every week.
6. Fear of pruning: When your container gardens start looking leggy or ragged,
don’t be afraid to cut them back. You may want to put them in an out-of-the-way
spot until they re-bound, but chances are they’ll come back healthier and
happier with a good haircut.
7. Beware of bad
neighbors: Make sure that all the
plants in your container garden share the same sun, soil and water
requirements. You can find out this information from your seed packets or plant
labels.
8. Starving your
plants: Most potting mix has
very few of the nutrients that plants require to grow and be healthy so you
will need to add those nutrients to the soil. There are many fertilizers to
choose from and flowering plants have different needs than vegetables and
herbs.
In container gardening what nutrients there
are in your potting soil are either quickly used by the plants or are washed
out with repeated watering. Fertilizing container gardens regularly is a key to
their success. You can start with a slow release fertilizer mixed in with your
potting soil and then add a diluted, liquid fertilizer, such as fish emulsion,
every couple of weeks. I use organic or
all natural fertilizers.
9. Living with ick: After you’ve tried everything, short of
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and your plant still looks dreadful, cut your
losses and toss it on the compost pile or in the trash. If only one plant in
your container garden is icky, just pull out that plant and replace it.
10. Don't have
unrealistic expectations: Before you make your
container gardens, evaluate how you live. Do you travel a lot during the
summer? If so, either get self-watering containers, an automatic drip
irrigation system, enlist some help to keep your plants healthy and alive while
you’re gone or get plants that don't need a lot of water.
Garden how you live.
Are you casual or formal? I take a loosey-goosey approach to gardening because
it fits well with my personality. I like big overflowing containers with
riotous colors and luxuriant blossoms. Some people like neat, well-planned,
formal containers. I grow vegetables and herbs galore because I like how they
taste and the experience delights and fascinates me.
Remember, this isn’t
brain surgery –- there’s lots of room for error. Have fun and experiment.
Whatever your lifestyle or personality you can make container gardens that will
give you joy and bring beauty to your surroundings.
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