Container gardening makes it easier to save seeds used to create future plants or share with other gardening enthusiasts. Growing things in containers allow for portability. Some container gardeners even bring their plants indoors during cooler months to keep the plants alive throughout the entire year.
Container gardening is easy if you just keep the basic requirements of plants in mind. All green plants need sunlight, water, air, and a growing medium; the first three for facilitating photosynthesis by which they make their food, and the medium for anchoring the plant and providing nutrients.
These are the factors to take in to when starting a container garden
Sunlight
Different plants need different amounts of it. Those who love full sun should ideally stay outdoors throughout the day whether they are in containers or not. Many flowering plants and most veggies that produce fruits are sun lovers, and require 5-6 hours of direct sun to do their best.
Most foliage plants, both leafy vegetables and those with ornamental foliage do well in partial shade. They do well indoors if they get at least 3-4 hours of direct light. They can thrive under artificial light too.
A few plants can survive in full shade although they would appreciate bright indirect light. They make ideal indoor plants.
Water
It is necessary for all their metabolic functions, so regular watering is a must for potted plants since their roots have no other means of getting it. That said, most plants hate waterlogging because it literally drowns their roots and cause them to rot. It can kill a potted plant in no time.
Some plants like cacti and succulents store water in their tissues, so they can go longer periods without watering. They are ideal for novice gardeners who might forget to water them regularly.
As a general rule, under watering is preferable to over-watering when it comes to container plants, but they will be the happiest if you check the soil for the level of dampness before watering.
Air
Plants require a reasonable amount of air circulation, not only around their crown but in the root zone too. Every plant cell needs to breathe, so compacted soil and stagnation of air can suffocate them.
Growing medium
A growing medium can be garden soil amended with sand or perlite to allow for good drainage. Adding compost or leaf mold ensures sufficient water retention and nutrient supply. Container plants grown in soil-less media need a steady nutrient supply and frequent flushing out of toxic byproducts of the fertilizers. Whether or not the growing medium contains soil, it should be porous enough to allow good drainage and air movement.
It is possible to grow some plants like philodendrons in water filled containers. Although they survive with their roots completely immersed in water, they definitely do better in a hydroponic system that allows air circulation around the roots.
Choosing containers
You can grow plants in any container that can hold sufficient amount of growing media, but drainage holes are a prerequisite. They allow air circulation as well as drainage of excess water. Clay, plastic, metal, concrete, ceramic, and stone containers are popular choices.
The walls of clay containers are porous. While they house the root zone in cool comfort, the soil dries out faster and the plants require more frequent watering. Plastic, metal and ceramic pots do not allow evaporation through their sides, so care should be taken to ensure good drainage and careful watering.
Choosing plants
It is best to select tough, easy care plants when you start with container gardening. If you are planning to keep them indoors, Chinese evergreen, dieffenbachias, snake plant, philodendrons, zee zee plant, dracaena, cast iron plant and pony tail palm are great choices. Among flowering plants, African violets, spathiphyllum, orchids, and anthurium do well indoors, but they may need some extra care.
For outdoor container gardening, you have endless variety to choose from. You can grow almost all kinds of vegetables and dwarf fruit trees in containers. Since the containers can be moved into grow tents or indoors during winter, you can extend the growing season.
As you become more proficient with container gardening, you can move on to plant groupings that can have great visual appeal. You can select a number of plants with similar cultural requirements to grow together in the same pot. For example, a combination of purple coleus, chartreuse sweet potato, and pink and purple petunias make a striking arrangement.
Feeding
Container plants should be fertilized sparingly and only when they are in the active growth stage. A buildup of fertilizer residue can be a problem, especially when non-soil media are used because there are no soil organisms to break down the toxic byproducts. An occasional flushing of the media under running water or by immersing the pots in large containers might be necessary.
Re-potting
Re-potting is one extra chore involved in container gardening. It must be done once every two or three years if you are growing houseplants or perennial plants and depending on the root growth of individual plants. If water drains out all too fast, or many roots are coming out through the drainage holes, the plant may require re-potting.
After watering the plant, gently ease it out of the pot by pulling and twisting at its base. Remove dead roots and as much of the soil as you can without harming the healthy roots. Re-pot in a container that is two sizes larger than the current one. Fix the plant securely in the medium and keep it in the shade until the plant regains vigor.
Soil Addition/Replacement
If you are growing annual veggies in containers seasonally, it may be necessary to add or replace the soil before growing again the next year. Be sure to replace the soil completely if you found any sign of disease in the plants the previous year as it can stay in the soil.
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