Container Vegetable Gardening ? Revealing a Special Container Gardening Technique for Generating Maximum Food

Container vegetable gardening is perfect for folks residing in a townhouse, apartment or condo complex. However, a lot of people do it the wrong way…

Look, I have a wonderful organic container vegetable garden, and folks have been asking me tips on how I set it up in such a way that it generates a prolific amount of food.

Yes, as a matter of fact, my special container vegetable gardening technique grows so much more organic vegetables than their traditional container gardens!

Now, here’s the good news. I’m going to let you in on this special gardening technique. Also, I’ll also let you know some of the key benefits of this technique, and how to set it up right in your condo or apartment complex…

Note: If you’re a visual person, then you may click on this link for video presentation of this technique.

And for easier reading, I’m going to tell you all these things in FAQ format.

Question 1: What exactly is this “special gardening technique”?

The technique is called ecosystem gardening. I’ve been applying the principles of this wonderful technique on my organic vegetable garden to great success.

The ecosystem gardening is very advanced, yet not as labor intensive compared to traditional gardening methods. It involves the usage of edible plants and some effective composting tactics.

The result is a formula of growing fresh and juicy organic food prolifically (within a given area), capable of self continuation and requires almost nil maintenance.

Question 2: What are other benefits of using the ecosystem way of doing container vegetable gardening?

An ecosystem organic garden is able to develop a natural form of pest management. This is possible due to the compact mixed up nature of the ecosystem garden which also prevents weeds from growing.

Yes…in a properly set up ecosystem garden, weeds can’t grow at all!

Question 3: How do you set up an ecosystem container vegetable garden?

First you have to obtain several containers with adequate drainage holes. Put some quality potting mix in each container. Next, arrange the containers in a very compact fashion.

Basically, you have to group the containers closely together and try to squeeze as many as possible onto your patio or verandah.

For composting, I suggest you purchase a worm farm and use the worm casts as soil fertilizer. An elaborate composting scheme is not necessary for ecosystem container garden.

Container vegetable gardening using the ecosystem methodology is very simple and fun to set up. Try downloading some step-by-step video tutorials and detailed printable guide, and you’ll see how easy and fun it is.

The download details for those easy to follow video tutorials and printable guide can be found by following this link http://www.growingorganicfood.info

More Find Great Gardening Container Vegetable Gardening Articles

Ideas For Container Gardening

Container Gardening Ideas

So for my first official article, I would like to talk about the many reasons and ideas behind using container gardens. Some of these reasons are extremely straight forward, especially for those that rent their home and are not allowed to dig up a place in the yard. Or people living in big cities, dorms or other places where space is limited.

However the not quite so straight forward reasons are the ease in which a person can grow with containers. I use containers for my Peppers, my herbs and the more sensitive plants I grow. Herbs with many watering needs can be planted along side each other using container gardens. Not to mention you can bring anything you plant inside for the winter, extending your season year round if you desire.Now the key is you must use the correct containers with the correct soil.

I use container gardens to make an area more decorative, and to add scents to other spots. I keep one container garden on a counter in my kitchen so when I need fresh herbs I just have to turn around and pluck them, not to mention it looks and smells wonderful. Some containers are made with considerations for water foremost, while others are made to be decorative, and will stand on that merit alone.Most containers are made for practical reasons, such as strawberry towers.

I use container gardens because I love to touch the soil, and feel the leaves. I use container gardens to enjoy the sights and the smells, and even to take delight in the mud under my fingernails. And the rewards are many. Both in tangible harvests, and a difficultto define sense of well being.

Now for some container gardening ideas and tips.

Container Gardening Tips (from Container Gardening Zone) :
Want to keep the bugs off of your container gardens but don’t want to use harsh chemicals. Take a small containerin it, combine 1tsp. Combine thoroughly. Take a squirt bottle, mix 2tsp of the above mixture and 1C water. spray the above mix on any plants you may be seeing aphids or flies on.

Another wonderful thing to use as a Container Garden is an wooden barrel, cut the top off and put the soil in, the barrels give your yard an antique look and work great.

Container Gardening Ideas (from Container Gardening Zone):
Another fun thing to do is grow a “Tickle Me” plant also called a Sensitive Mimosa. If your not familiar with the Sensitive Mimosa , it is a plant that, well moves when you tickle it, I’m being serious it does. Best of all it is perfect for Container Gardens.

For more Container Gardening Ideas go to http://www.containergardeningzone.com

Organic Container Gardening – Five Things to Remember

Do you crave a plateful of fresh salad comprising of vegetables grown in your own garden but resent the lack of space to cultivate them? If yes, then you have an option of growing them in containers. Being hard pressed for space a number of organic gardeners are now turning to organic container gardening, which is the next best option for growing healthy vegetables and plants, when you do not have enough land to raise a sprawling garden.

However, one has to bear in mind several important factors if the venture is to be successful.

1. Choosing your containers – However, just dumping some soil and seeds into any vessel in the name of container gardening would not work as this is a serious job and requires special urns for the purpose. While there a number of attractive pots and pans available in the market, be sure to buy only the ones that are hard-wearing.

Prospective gardeners should farm their plants in concrete pots, old barrels or wooden containers as these are durable. Remember, all your urns should have the facility to allow excess water to drain off and should be placed at least an inch above the ground.

2. Select your plants – Having selected your containers, decide which plants you want to grow. You can grow virtually everything, right from flowers to vegetables, anything that your heart desires. It is advisable to put bits of clay pot to facilitate drainage of water, before putting in a layer of soil. Place your plants and add another layer of moist earth (soil).

3. Fertilizer and Irrigation – Organic fertilizer can be added in summers, while it may be omitted in winters. Watering your plants is another important aspect that has to be taken care of. While plants may require irrigation quite often during warm months, they do not need much water during winters.

4. Sunshine – Your plants require a good dose of sunshine to thrive and blossom, hence the gardeners raising container gardens should ensure that their plants get plenty of sunlight. However, fully grown plants can even manage with little sunshine, which makes organic container gardening an easier job for those having gardens inside their rooms.

5. Protect your plants – Your plants need to be protected properly both against pests and inclement weather. Make sure that your plants are well protected from excessive heat and cold if you want them to lend beauty to your surroundings perennially.

Container Gardening Tips for Newbies

Container gardens can create a natural sanctuary in a busy city street, along rooftops or on balconies. You can easily accentuate the welcoming look of a deck or patio with colourful pots of annuals, or fill your window boxes with beautiful shrub roses or any number of small perennials. Whether you arrange your pots in a group for a massed effect or highlight a smaller space with a single specimen, you’ll be delighted with this simple way to create a garden.

Container gardening enables you to easily vary your color scheme, and as each plant finishes flowering, it can be replaced with another. Whether you choose to harmonize or contrast your colors, make sure there is variety in the height of each plant. Think also of the shape and texture of the leaves. Tall strap-like leaves will give a good vertical background to low-growing, wide-leaved plants. Choose plants with a long flowering season, or have others of a different type ready to replace them as they finish blooming.

Experiment with creative containers. You might have an old porcelain bowl or copper urn you can use, or perhaps you’d rather make something really modern with timber or tiles. If you decide to buy your containers ready-made, terracotta pots look wonderful, but tend to absorb water. You don’t want your plants to dry out, so paint the interior of these pots with a special sealer available from hardware stores.
Cheaper plastic pots can also be painted on the outside with water-based paints for good effect. When purchasing pots, don’t forget to buy matching saucers to catch the drips. This will save cement floors getting stained, or timber floors rotting.

Always use a good quality potting mix in your containers. This will ensure the best performance possible from your plants.

If you have steps leading up to your front door, an attractive pot plant on each one will delight your visitors. Indoors, pots of plants or flowers help to create a cosy and welcoming atmosphere.

Decide ahead of time where you want your pots to be positioned, then buy plants that suit the situation. There is no point buying sun lovers for a shady position, for they will not do well. Some plants also have really large roots, so they are best kept for the open garden.

If you have plenty of space at your front door, a group of potted plants off to one side will be more visually appealing than two similar plants placed each side. Unless they are spectacular, they will look rather boring.
Group the pots in odd numbers rather than even, and vary the height and type. To tie the group together, add large rocks that are similar in appearance and just slightly different in size. Three or five pots of the same type and color, but in different sizes also looks affective.

With a creative mind and some determination, you will soon have a container garden that will be the envy of friends and strangers alike.

New Gardeners Guide to Planting a Container Garden

Container gardens give those people who don’t have yards or room for a “regular” garden a way to grow the gardens they crave. Now, they can have a garden on a deck, patio or in a window box or even inside their houses. All types of plants can be grown: vegetables, shrubs, roses, annuals, perennials. The list is endless.

Containers filled with colorful foliage and flowers can really brighten the home, indoors and out. You can have any color scheme that you wish, with colors that harmonize or contrast with your existing home colors. Even just having plant foliage without flowers can liven up a drab house.

When you are choosing plants for your container garden, think about the height of your plants in relation to where you plan to put them. Planting a tall plant or shrub in a window box could block the view from inside a window. Flowering plants should have a long blooming season so that you don’t have to change them out too frequently.

The containers that you choose also make a difference in the feel of the finished garden. You can be creative and use everything from terracotta pots to large dishes to old oaken buckets. You are only limited by your imagination. Pay attention to the material that the pot is made of. Some materials (such as terracotta) may need to be sealed or painted so that they don’t leach all of the water away from the plants.

If purchasing pots for indoors or deck and patio use, you will need to have saucers or plates for them to set on. Otherwise, you will have water and dirt stains on your floors. I have even seen some decks that have rotting wood because of water damage from potted plants.

Never, ever use garden dirt in your plantings. It is essential that you use a high quality potting mix. This will guard against the pests and diseases that you would get from garden soil and will ensure the best possible performance from your plants.

Do you know where you will be locating your plants? Make a plan about where your container garden will be, and then purchase the plants and containers to fit into that area. You also need to determine whether the area is shady or sunny before you purchase your plants. Shade-loving plants will not do well in direct sunlight and vice-versa.

You should also pay attention to the root size of your plants. Those that have a large root system will not be suitable for growing in pots — even if they are large pots.

You may not have much room for plants in the front of your home. However, you can still place a couple of medium-sized flower pots on both sides of the door or front steps. The flowering plants will make a beautiful statement about your home. The plants and flowers don’t need to match exactly. In fact, it’s better if they are of differently varieties. This will give the front of your home more character.

If you are grouping plants in an area, it’s best to group them in odd numbers. You should also vary the height and type of plants. You can unite the dissimilar plants by placing them in similar pots and by adding stones or rocks that are alike in type and color.

By using creativity and common sense you can grow a beautiful garden even if you don’t have the normal outdoor space that a normal outdoor garden requires.

Related Container Gardening Annuals Articles

Learn How to Care for a Container Garden

Now that you have planted your flowers, foliage, or vegetables in their containers, you need to know how to care for them. Just like your outside garden, container gardens require nurturing to keep the plants productive and healthy.

One of the challenges of container gardening is the fact that a pot is an unnatural place for flowers and vegetables to grow. Soil dries out faster and roots can become cramped.

Also, the containers themselves are prone to drainage and decay problems. In addition, they need to be tended more often because they are so visible on your patio or deck. Plants that are not maintained properly can get pretty ugly.

On the plus side, many containers can be moved easily, allowing you to protect plants in poor weather and to move them into sun or shade as necessary.

Also, because they are well contained, managing the container plants is not an overwhelming task, nor does it require a great deal of time. If a plant should die, it’s a simple matter to replace it.

Here are a few things to think about when caring for your container garden:

Watering

Watering is one of the most important aspects of plant care. Without water, plants will not live produce flowers, vegetables or herbs. In an outside garden, plants can extend their roots to find the moisture they need when the soil next to them runs dry. This is not possible, however, in containers.

For this reason, any plant in a pot requires more regular watering than one planted in an outside garden the general rule for almost all plant varieties, whether inside or outside, is to keep the soil moist but not soggy during the growing season.

If your plant has wilted leaves or flowers, it is probably stressed from lack of water. A container with a dry plant will weigh less than anyone that is properly watered.

Fertilizing

When a container plant runs out of food, it has nowhere to go to replenish it. Even if you buy potting mixes that contain nutrients, the plant will use them up within a month or so. Some of it is taken up by the roots and some is lost through drainage.

The solution is to mix in some fertilizer twice a month with your watering, or to periodically add compost as a top dressing. The nutrient most necessary to plants is nitrogen. it helps the development of leaves and its growth.

Nitrogen deficiency shows itself by turning the leaves a pale shade of green or yellow. Too much nitrogen can delay a plant’s bloom or crop.

The other nutrients that plants need are potassium, for hardiness and color, and phosphorus, for root formation. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are available in complete fertilizer form or as separate ingredients that you can mix yourself.

When you apply fertilizer, make sure that the soil is moist by watering beforehand. This will help to prevent chemical burns.

Pruning

Most plants will require some pruning, especially those grown in containers. Some people may be afraid to prune their plants for fear of killing them. However, if a mistake is made in pruning, it will not usually kill the plant.

Pruning includes the removal of dead or dying stems or branches so that the strongest can survive. Sometimes, trimming also means clipping flowers, normally only toward the end of their bloom. This is called deadheading.

Controlling Pests

Pests are just as apt to visit container gardens as an outside garden. It is fortunate that pests are easier to control on plants that are planted in pots.

The key to pest control starts with the plans that you select and the soil that you use. Some plants have a natural resistance to pests.

Do not use soil that has been used before unless it has been sterilized. Better yet, purchase new soil for new plantings.

Inspect plants periodically to check for bugs and larvae. Sometimes all you need to do is pick them off your plant leaves. Other times, they will require chemical or natural insecticides.

Diseases

Usually by the time you know that a plant is diseased, too much damage has been done to it to save it. These plants should be quarantined or removed. Signs of disease include rust colored leaves or spots on the plants.

Container gardens are less likely to become diseased than those plants that are planted in a regular garden. And, if they should become diseased, it is easier to isolate them from the rest of the garden.

Caring for your container garden is not a difficult task if you use common sense. The main thing to remember is that container gardens will dry out much faster than a regular garden. That is the most common reason that plants do not grow or produce as expected.

Theme Container Gardens for the Deck and Patio

Creating your own container garden can be so much fun, especially if you think of using themes.  Consider showing off your style with a small kitchen garden, or create an outdoor pot designed to attract hummingbirds or to welcome butterflies.  Our beings are drawn to beautiful scents, what about a container giving off wonderful fragrances.

Culinary containers or kitchen gardens are especially handy as a source of herbs, leafy lettuce or parsley, or even edible flowers.  You may wish to combine many edibles to create your own miniature garden at the door.  Combining edibles with your flowering or ornamental plants can be so attractive – imagine Beefsteak Tomatoes surrounded by basil or oregano.  For foliage color, use green and purple leaved basils, leaf lettuce and Swiss chard.  Parsley is especially great, goes anywhere, and adds attractive texture and rich green color to any container combination. Nasturtiums are grown for their showy, spurred flowers and trailing ones are sensational in your planters – they are edible and give a finished look to the container.

Herbs that work wonderfully well in culinary containers are chives, lemon balm, rosemary, different sages and oregano.  Lemongrass is wonderful in soups and adds a nice vertical accent to any planter or outdoor pot.

And then of course there are those peppers, both colorful and hot.  Cherry tomatoes should not be forgotten, they look pretty in your arrangements and the spectacular patio tomatoes are there for the picking.  Don’t forget arugula and of course golden thyme for another theme.

The best place to use your fragrant plants is in garden pots on your deck or patio.  This is where we can enjoy their lovely scents when relaxing in the evening.  Mix scented plants with foliage or flowers and see what you can come up with.  Some plants, such as heliotrope, can be enjoyed once they begin to bloom and for the rest of the summer.  Lilies that have been forced in your pots can be moved to the garden after they bloom.  Others such as tuberoses may have to be moved indoors before frost and then brought out again next year.  Dahlias and of course geraniums make a great show and a delightful addition to your container gardens.

Hummingbirds will arrive right on your deck or patio if you give them the proper encouragement.  Along with your hummingbird feeder, some of the best container plants to attract them are annual sages.  They come in so many colors from bright red to shades of mauve and purpose to creamy white and pink.  Try out one or more of them in your garden pots. You may also use Nicotiana plant, petunias and dwarf dahlias too.

To keep all of our container plants going all summer, deadhead regularly and of course water and feed on a timely basis.  When plants become scrawny or leggy, just cut them back hard in mid-summer and then they will produce more new flowers and foliage within a few weeks.  Your containers will be beautiful right into the cool Fall weather.

In summary, create theme container combinations.  They can be ones either for the kitchen, to give off wonderful fragrances and of course to attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

10 Tips for a Colorful Container Garden

Container gardens are the perfect way to liven up your from entrance, create a small herb garden or soften the look of your deck, porch or patio. They can provide instant color in drab areas, and you can create your own mini-garden in an hour or less. Best of all they’re easy to care for and maintain.

Here are 10 tips for successful container gardens, plus some tried and true plant combinations to help you get started:

#1:  Pick the right pot.

The most important issue is size. Generally a pot should be one-third the height of the mature plants for things to look balanced. Classic round pots with tapered sides are more practical for planting and transplanting than containers with handles, odd shapes or narrow necks. If you plan to move the pots frequently, use lightweight foam or fiberglass pots. If you need a pot that won’t topple in the wind, use concrete or ceramic.

#2:  Buy or mix the right type of soil.

The soil should be a mixture of peat moss, compost and a little sand, with small amounts of puffy perlite or flaky vermiculite to lighten the mix and aid drainage. Packaged potting soil often includes fertilizer, which further simplifies the planting process. Tailor your soil to the specific needs of the plants you’ll be growing.

#3:  Plant what you love.

You can plant annuals, perennials, vines, vegetables, herbs, ground covers, bulbs, shrubs and even trees. So think about what you want to achieve. If you want a quick splash of spring color, plant a pot of tulip bulbs in the fall. If you want an arrangement that will grace your outdoor living space for years, plant a juniper or Japanese maple. If you’re looking for low maintenance, think in terms of ornamental grasses.

#4:  Start with healthy plants.

You want vigorous youngsters that will quickly mature into strong adults. Look for plants with fresh green leaves and sturdy stems. Select young plants with a large number of buds, which are more apt to adapt quickly to a new location and container.

#5:  Pick the best combination of flowers.

You can place as many plants together as you like, but consider combining just two or three varieties for your first few attempts. The plants should have similar watering and sunlight requirements. For two-somes, select a tall, upright plant along with a mounding or cascading plant. For threesomes, begin with a tall upright plant to structure the design, add a second plant that will fill the area with foliage and color, then select a third plant that will gently cascade over the edges. But most of all have fun experimenting.

#6:  Plant them right.

Spread a layer of pebbles or pot shards over the drain holes of the container to keep the soil in while letting the excess water drain out. Add soil until the pot is about three-quarters full, then gently shake or rock the pot to help the soil settle. Place the root ball of your plants on the soil, then add or subtract soil until the base of each stem is just below the rim of the pot. Continue filling soil around the plants until the soil is within 1 in. of the rim; within 2 in. if you’re adding ornamental mulch.

#7:  Keep them well fed.

The roots of the container-grown plants can’t wander far and wide in search of nutrients; it’s up to you to supply them. You can use either water-soluble plant food (about once every two weeks) or granular fertilizer (scratched into the soil surface every 6 to 8 weeks).

Plants vary in their nutritional needs, so no one fertilizer or schedule suits all plants. However, container plants are easy to monitor. Yellow leaves, slow growth and poor flowering are the most common signs of nutritional deficiencies. Brown lead edges are a symptom of over-feeding and fertilizer burn.

#8:  Keep them well watered.

If the top inch or two of soil feels dry, the plant probably needs watering. When plants are small, a watering can with a sprinkler head is often adequate. As the root system expands, water may tend to run over the soil and flow over the top of the pot or seep into a gap between the pot and the soil. To counteract this; water with warm water, which soaks in faster than cold water. Or poke small holes into the soil with a pencil or screwdriver and water thoroughly.

#9:  Pinch and groom them.

With annual flowers pinch or clip off the old blossoms to prolong overall flowering. When an entire stem seems to have borne its last bud, clip that off too. When removing old blossoms or stems, always use scissors or pruning shears; tugging at plants with fingers can injure roots.

#10:  Monitor the roots.

When a plant stops growing or refuses to take up water, check for crowded roots. If the pot is full, transplant the arrangement into a larger container. Some arrangements can be split and transplanted into two or more pots.

For additional outdoor living advice, guides and references, please visit www.OutdoorFloors.net, a leading provider of outdoor living ideas and hardscape designs.

Find More Container Gardening Soil Articles

Creating A Container Garden At Home

When you are ready to mix ingredients for your container garden, be sure the soil is damp and workable. To determine this, take a handful, squeeze it and allow it to drop. If water comes out, it is too wet; if it breaks apart, it is too dry. But if the lump of soil retains its shape or cracks just a little when it is dropped, it is in good condition to work into your gardening pots.

Be certain your garden containers are clean when you start. Soak used or new clay gardening pots overnight so they will not draw moisture from the soil after planting. This is a very important step when you are beginning your plants life. If the pot draws off the moisture the new plant will be deprived. Clean dirty clay pots with a stiff brush and hot, soapy water.  Clean gardening pots will be much more attractive in your container garden.

Though redwood, cedar, and cypress gardening pots may be left natural, they may also be stained or painted. First clean the surfaces then apply one or two coats of stain or paint. Let dry completely before planting. Concrete, metal, plastic, fiberglass, and similar materials all need cleaning before planting your container garden.

Suiting plants to garden pots is very important in container garden design. Consider the shape of each container, its color, and texture in relation to the color of flowers and foliage, as well as the ultimate size of each plant in your container garden. Don’t choose material that is too small, and if you want a group of plants for a large container, select one tall specimen for the center to give height and scale.  Don’t forget that you can plant vegetables in container gardens; try to incorporate them into your container garden design.  And, for a tasty addition to your container garden plant herbs in garden containers or even hanging baskets, your recipes will become marvelous.

In low pots or bulb pans and in tubs, use low-growing plants like fancy-leaved caladiums, petunias, verbenas, Iantanas, ageratum and wax begonias. Hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils are also appropriate. In tall containers, plant specimens of geraniums, heliotropes, coleus, balsam, dwarf dahlias, fuchsias, and marguerites. Reserve the larger container pots and boxes for trees and shrubs or roses.

As a gardener, keep in mind the form of plants, particularly the evergreens which stand out boldly in winter. Rounded types, as clipped yews or globe arborvitae, look well in angular containers. Hollies or yews, sheared into squares or pyramids, look better in circular tubs. This contrast of the curving with the straight always gives interest to the garden and those guests that visit your container garden.

The first step in potting for a gardener is to place sufficient drainage material in the bottom of each garden container, allowing the water to pass through freely, but not so much as to interfere with the roots. An inch or two of flower pot pieces (rounded sides up), or chips of brick or flagstone, pebbles, gravel, small stones, or cinders can be used. The larger the container, the larger the pieces should be. Some gardeners spread a piece of coarse burlap and a layer of sand over large drainage pieces. A layer of Vermiculite or sphagnum moss over the drainage material is also fine to keep soil from clogging holes. If the holes clog the roots will drown in their gardening pot.

Above the drainage, spread a layer of soil, the amount depending on the size of the container and the root ball of the plant. Place the plant in position so that the surface of the soil will be an inch (more for big plants) below the rim of the container. This space is needed to hold water.

Fill soil in around the roots, firming gently with your fingers or a piece of wood so as to eliminate air pockets. Add more soil and firm, but do not make the soil too tight for fine feeding roots must be able to penetrate it with ease.

Finally, water your garden container plants well, let them drain. If water passes through the gardening pot very rapidly, press soil again to firm it; that means there are air pockets. If the soil holds water too long, loosen it a little.

Place the container garden in a sheltered spot out of sun and wind for the first week while they make new root growth and adjust to new conditions. This also helps to avoid shock.  Once your plants have settled in, you ready to arrange your container garden according to your original container gardening design.

Happy Container Gardening!

Find More Container Garden Designs Articles

Creating A Container Garden At Home

When you are ready to mix ingredients for your container garden, be sure the soil is damp and workable. To determine this, take a handful, squeeze it and allow it to drop. If water comes out, it is too wet; if it breaks apart, it is too dry. But if the lump of soil retains its shape or cracks just a little when it is dropped, it is in good condition to work into your gardening pots.

Be certain your garden containers are clean when you start. Soak used or new clay gardening pots overnight so they will not draw moisture from the soil after planting. This is a very important step when you are beginning your plants life. If the pot draws off the moisture the new plant will be deprived. Clean dirty clay pots with a stiff brush and hot, soapy water.  Clean gardening pots will be much more attractive in your container garden.

Though redwood, cedar, and cypress gardening pots may be left natural, they may also be stained or painted. First clean the surfaces then apply one or two coats of stain or paint. Let dry completely before planting. Concrete, metal, plastic, fiberglass, and similar materials all need cleaning before planting your container garden.

Suiting plants to garden pots is very important in container garden design. Consider the shape of each container, its color, and texture in relation to the color of flowers and foliage, as well as the ultimate size of each plant in your container garden. Don’t choose material that is too small, and if you want a group of plants for a large container, select one tall specimen for the center to give height and scale.  Don’t forget that you can plant vegetables in container gardens; try to incorporate them into your container garden design.  And, for a tasty addition to your container garden plant herbs in garden containers or even hanging baskets, your recipes will become marvelous.

In low pots or bulb pans and in tubs, use low-growing plants like fancy-leaved caladiums, petunias, verbenas, Iantanas, ageratum and wax begonias. Hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils are also appropriate. In tall containers, plant specimens of geraniums, heliotropes, coleus, balsam, dwarf dahlias, fuchsias, and marguerites. Reserve the larger container pots and boxes for trees and shrubs or roses.

As a gardener, keep in mind the form of plants, particularly the evergreens which stand out boldly in winter. Rounded types, as clipped yews or globe arborvitae, look well in angular containers. Hollies or yews, sheared into squares or pyramids, look better in circular tubs. This contrast of the curving with the straight always gives interest to the garden and those guests that visit your container garden.

The first step in potting for a gardener is to place sufficient drainage material in the bottom of each garden container, allowing the water to pass through freely, but not so much as to interfere with the roots. An inch or two of flower pot pieces (rounded sides up), or chips of brick or flagstone, pebbles, gravel, small stones, or cinders can be used. The larger the container, the larger the pieces should be. Some gardeners spread a piece of coarse burlap and a layer of sand over large drainage pieces. A layer of Vermiculite or sphagnum moss over the drainage material is also fine to keep soil from clogging holes. If the holes clog the roots will drown in their gardening pot.

Above the drainage, spread a layer of soil, the amount depending on the size of the container and the root ball of the plant. Place the plant in position so that the surface of the soil will be an inch (more for big plants) below the rim of the container. This space is needed to hold water.

Fill soil in around the roots, firming gently with your fingers or a piece of wood so as to eliminate air pockets. Add more soil and firm, but do not make the soil too tight for fine feeding roots must be able to penetrate it with ease.

Finally, water your garden container plants well, let them drain. If water passes through the gardening pot very rapidly, press soil again to firm it; that means there are air pockets. If the soil holds water too long, loosen it a little.

Place the container garden in a sheltered spot out of sun and wind for the first week while they make new root growth and adjust to new conditions. This also helps to avoid shock.  Once your plants have settled in, you ready to arrange your container garden according to your original container gardening design.

Happy Container Gardening!

More Container Garden Designs Articles