Tips for a Successful Container Garden

Summer is here along with warmer temperatures and you're itching to get outside and start planting. But what if you don't have a lot of space in your yard?
Container gardening is an easy way to have fun gardening and add splashes of color to your back yard whether it’s on the patio, deck, balcony or even in the garden itself. Regardless of your gardening experience or ability, it's as easy as 1-2-3.

Here are some tips for having the best looking, and enjoyable flower pots around:

1. Plan
Begin by thinking about what you planted last year, what worked and what didn't. Find out what exciting new varieties are available. Check out gardening magazines for ideas on how you'd like your containers to look. You also need to think about how much sun your plants will get where you will be putting them. Shade lovers won’t do well in sun nor will sun lovers do well in shade. Think about bloom color, toy with interesting leaf textures and leaf colors as well, as variety adds depth to your garden. Herbs are also a popular trend for containers.

2. Plant
First, every pot needs a clear drain hole as pots with clogged drainage holes are plant killers. Some materials used to assist drainage are rocks, broken terra cotta pieces or a much lighter alternative is packing peanuts. These need to be placed over the drainage hole in the bottom of the container. Next fill the pot with potting soil, leaving four to five inches at the top for plants. It's imperative that you use quality potting soil if you want your plants to thrive. For a simple mix for making your own all you need to do is mix a bag of cheap potting soil with some finely ground bark mulch. Mix the two 50/50 and you'll be all set. There are other soil mix recipes that include sand, perlite, vermiculate and lime or you can buy bags already mixed at your garden center.

Next, set the plants in the pot. Start with the taller, wider plants and place them in the center. Then place smaller ones around the perimeter balancing them according to color and size. After arranging them, fill the pots with soil and water thoroughly. I personally love having mixed flower containers rather than containers all filled with the same flower. Though there are garden centers everywhere you look in the spring and early summer with different containers both hanging basket type and planter pots I love collecting my own unique containers for my garden. I have found that buying hanging baskets can save money as they usually contain larger plants than the individual pots and are cheaper by the plant as there are four in each. I then take them out of the hanging baskets, divide them up and replant them into my own containers. I save money and start with larger, stronger, healthier plants and dividing them allows me to mix my plants in the containers for the effect I am looking for. If you are using hanging containers make sure you include plants that hang or trail down as part of the mix.

3. Plant Maintenance
As your containers bloom and grow you will need to pluck off dead blooms and trim leggy growth to keep your containers looking good and blooming well all summer long. You will also need to keep your plants watered and fertilized regularly. Containers tend to dry out fairly quickly and so depending on the kind of containers you have and the weather you may have to water daily or at least every other day and fertilize once every week or two.
That’s it, the only other thing you need to do is enjoy your efforts and the wonder and variety of Gods creation. Enjoy your summer and the beauty surrounding you in your containers.

Container Gardening “by the yard”