Choosing Containers For Your Container Garden

Executive Summary by: Robert Green

Container Garden: If you are growing plants for more than just one season, or if you are growing them outside where they can easily be seen, then wood is particularly attractive.

container gardening

If your plant is large, or if it is in an especially visible location in your yard, then a wooden container would probably be best.

If the inside is treated, you may find unhealthy chemicals leaking into your soil and infecting your plants. Most people tend to use plastic pots for container gardening, probably because they are usually cheaper than anything else.

If you do not plan on container gardening for more than a year, then plastic could work very well for your garden. Using fired ceramic pots can work pretty well for you. Empty margarine tubs, trash cans, or large plastic tubs with drainage holes added also work.

Pretty much any container works for growing plants, as long as it is safe and provides sufficient drainage for the plants.

Tips and Techniques For Watering Your Container Garden Plants

Executive Summary by: Mary Hanna

The importance of proper watering cannot be stressed enough for your container garden plants. Container Gardens are exposed to wind and sun so they dry out quicker than plants in the ground.

There are no exact rules about watering your container garden plants. Feeling the soil will also help you determine the moisture needs of your container garden.

During hot spells most plants in your container garden need daily water, except those in small clay pots, which may require it twice. Groups of plants in large containers keep moist longer than single specimens.

There are several methods of watering the plants. If you have many containers in your container garden, depend on the hose, allowing water to flow through slowly and gently. Water small pots with a watering can that has a long spout or buy one of the self watering containers now available.

The best general rule is to soak soil thoroughly when you water and then allow it to go just a bit dry before you water your container garden again. As mentioned above, in many of the garden centers self watering containers are offered for sale.

Happy Container Gardening!

You may want to check out my other guide on garden art and garden planting