This is an environmentally friendly and fun activity for the whole family. Salvaged container opportunities can appear at thrift stores, garage sales, and of course “Discount” sections at nurseries. Container options include fine glazed stoneware, whiskey barrels, assorted cookie and tea tins, window-boxes, plastic pots, from the whimsical to the elegant.
Container gardening offers opportunities to grow plants that may not otherwise do well in the landscape such as tropical plants (which can be brought inside during cold weather), cascading plants, or succulents that require specific soil conditions. If the container does not already have drain holes to prevent standing water, you can try to make holes in it, or you can insert another container inside the chosen one and drain the collecting water from time to time. Like normal garden soil, container potting soil should drain well to prevent water-logged roots.
Care & Maintenance of Contained Plants
Other things to be aware of when choosing a container are the drying tendency of terra cotta, the warming tendency of dark colored containers which can bake plant roots in the hot summer sun, and the size of the container according to the size of the plant. Also, because containers have limited amounts of soil in most cases, fast growing plants will often dry out more often and require more watering. This also leads to more leaching of fertilizer, so more frequent applications may be required. Choosing a slow release granular fertilizer (such as our Happy Frog All Purpose 5-5-5) is an easy, low maintenance option as a nutrient source.
Keep your eyes open, and have fun with this hip gardening trend!
