Container Gardening Inside and In the Garden

Growing plants in containers can be for a number of reasons, be it for climatic reasons, available space, or for aesthetic considerations.

Sometimes certain climates preclude the growing of plants year round and container gardening is the only alternative. This affords the option of growing outside, until such time as the cold forces the container being brought inside, next to a sunny window, or into a purpose built sun-room. For those preferring a changing scenery, plants in containers are an easy way to achieve this, by merely moving the pots from place to place, until the desired effect is achieved.

Container gardening has become all the more popular with the increase of people living in apartments. It\’s always a pleasure to have a colorful, living thing in an apartment, that requires little maintenance and gives beauty in return. Those in apartments, or flats, lucky enough to have a balcony, of any size, have the added advantage of being able to grow a greater choice of plants, including vegetables and or herbs, in containers.

The addition of containers in the garden allows you a changing vista, placing pots of color around green shrubs, or trees to brighten dull corners of your yard. This a great way of displaying flowering bulbs, too. As they come into flower, bring them close to the entertainment areas, or windows, to be able to appreciate them more easily.

Geraniums, are the classic pot-plant. These plants will generally have vibrant flowers most of the year – continuously.

Growing flowering annuals is a great idea for quick, short lived colour inside. If you were to grow pots of chrysanthemums, or marigolds, then as they flower, bring them inside and replace with another pot as each one becomes spent, or a little raggedy.

Plant-pots, or containers, are a huge business and most garden centres, have large areas dedicated to the enormous variety available, from concrete to ceramic pots. However, you don\’t have to go to any great expense for plant containers, as just about anything that will hold soil can be used. If you have an old worn out wheel-barrow, or discarded packing crates, hollow logs are suitable, large chipped crockery, a bucket or pail, even old boots – all are suitable as planting containers provided they can hold soil AND will drain excess water. The classic is of course, old wine barrels. If the recycled container you have chosen is a little too far gone, like a wheel-barrow having too many holes, this can be remedied by lining the bottom with several layers of paper-bark, as you would do with a wire hanging basket.

Always use top quality potting mix for container gardening, as nutrients tend to leech out from containers. I would also add some water retaining crystals, as pots and containers do tend to dry out faster than the soil in a garden. Watering and feeding need to be done more often for this reason.

If you have planted perennials, like agapanthus, or similar in your containers, they will need periodical re-potting, as the plants will become over-crowded in time. When this is the case, divide the plants into manageable pieces, re-pot the ones from the outsides of the original clumps, and the plant material remaining can be either put into new containers, or planted out into the garden. If the plants are not the dividing type, then re-pot them into larger containers.

For moving the larger pots, there are available pot-trolleys, that sit under the pot with wheels – having wheels means you can just push the container to where it is desired, this is an excellent option for patios and the like. Your living space is always interesting, using container gardening inside and in the garden.

Gardening in the shade
Guide – How to Garden in the shade
Gardening in the shade

Organic Container Gardening Tips

Organic container gardening can be done even in the smallest apartment. Gardening in this way gives you a fresh supply of herbs that are chemical-free as well as decorating your apartment or patio.

You can control your herbs environment by moving the pots into the sun or shade whenever needed, giving you the chance to create perfect conditions for growing herbs even in poor climates.

Another advantage of organic container gardening is that you can give the herbs just the right soil and nutrients to thrive and do not have to depend on garden soil for a great harvest.

Potting Mix
Herbs do well in potting soil because it is free of insects and diseases that might be found in the regular garden soil. Garden outlets and landscape places sell organic mix, or you can mix your own soil. Just blend equal parts of:

– natural compost like dry cow or horse manure
– purchased organic potting soil
– washed coarse builders sand.

Containers
Next, in establishing your organic container gardening is to clean the pots with soapy water and rinse them out well as this minimizes any chance the pots become contaminated. Then line the bottom of the containers with pottery shards or small rocks and fill them 2/3 full with the soil. Allow some space for inserting the plants, then finish filling the pot with soil and remember to leave two inches of space under the rim of the pot for watering the herbs.

Pests and insects
One of the advantages of organic container gardening is that it attracts fewer insects than herbs grown in a conventional garden. If you do get insects however, spray them with some soapy water or some leftover black tea.

Favorite Herbs
Organic container gardening is easy and gives great results provided that the basic requirements are met. Some ideal herbs for organic container gardening are mint,oregano, sage, thyme, marjoram and basil, which grow well in pots.

Invasive herbs
Be careful not to grow the more invasive herbs together with slow growing herbs like sage. Mint is an example of an herb that should be grown in its own pot because it does eventually take over the space thus preventing the other plant to develop fully.

Organic container gardening takes only a little effort and in return it will beautify your home, provide a wonderful aroma and fresh healthy herbs to enjoy.

Enjoy Healthy Fresh Veggies Year Round With Container Vegetable Gardening

Just about any kind of vegetable can be grown in a container, however, not all of them will do equally well. Man-made soils are quite suitable for container vegetable gardening. These types of soils are found in your local gardening store.

Often it is helpful to compost them with peat moss, vermiculite, sawdust or wood chips. In addition, you may include some type of garden fertilizer that provides the plants all the nutrients they require. Ask your local gardening center for advice, once you’ve decided on the type of vegetable you’ll grow. Then mix all the soil ingredients thoroughly and add a small amount of water.

What everyone should know about containers

When choosing a container make sure that it has good drainage at the bottom. It is also a good practice to clean and sterilize any container before using it for your plants. This will prevent disease and kill off unwanted weed seeds. Hot soapy water will do the trick, just be sure to thoroughly rinse away all soap residue.

Different pot sizes will likely be needed for different container gardening projects. For example, if you are growing small herb plants like parsley, a small container will do the trick. Other vegetables like a tomato need more space because its roots grow deeper than that of a parsley plant.

To have success with container vegetable gardening any pot used must have sufficient drainage. You can punch holes in any container with a sharp, pointed object or use a drill to get the job done. Not only should your container include holes on the bottom, but also a one-inch layer of gravel will improve drainage even further.

Generally speaking, container vegetable gardening plants grow best in direct sunlight rather than shade. Eggplants, peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes are a few sun loving vegetables. Spinach, cabbage, and parsley are a few plants that can handle less sunlight and more shade.

Need a Fresh Container Gardening Idea? Create a Container Garden With the Entire Family

If you are looking for a fun family weekend project, I would suggest trying container gardening.  This is something the entire family will enjoy doing together because it appeals to all ages.  It’s an easy, fun and inexpensive way for the family to spend some quality time together. And you will continue to enjoy watching your garden grow and flourish, knowing that you each took part in developing your family garden.

To get started, make a list of the things you will need to start your container garden. They should include: containers, plants, dirt and some small gardening tools.  Now you need to choose the area were you will put your garden. This is one of the great things about this alternative way to garden; you can have a very small area and still grow whatever you like. A small balcony, a window box or a front porch can all be transformed into a beautiful and useful area. You may want to grow flowers, vegetables, herbs or a mix of all. If you are including children, you may want to look up some plants or take them to the garden center and let them choose their very own plants. Children will enjoy being included in the entire process, including the care of the garden once it is in place.

So with your list and some ideas in place, it’s time to load up the family and head to a home and garden center.  You can start with seeds or small plants. There should be instructions on each that will tell you how large the plants will get and the ideal conditions they will grow in. You may want to find an experienced worker and explain to them that you are starting a container garden; they can be a font of information. They can also help you with decisions such as types of soil and fertilizers and information about the plants you choose.

Once you have all of the materials needed for your container garden, the real fun begins. Even big kids like to play in the dirt!  You should place the containers in the areas you think you would like them. Then just plant the seeds or the plants and enjoy watching your garden grow.  Soon you will have grown beautiful plants. You can now make fresh salads or a bright floral bouquet to add nature and beauty anywhere.

Most people who try container gardening get hooked right away. Once you see how easy the whole process is and how the whole family enjoys it, you will probably be expanding your garden every year. You really don’t need acres of land and farm equipment to enjoy gardening.  Just a little time and imagination and you can grow your ideas anywhere.

I hopefully have inspired you to try container gardening as a family project. In this day and age when family time is so rare and budgets are low, we all need ideas that will keep our families close and connected.  So enjoy!

Find More Container Gardening Ideas Articles

Need a Fresh Container Gardening Idea? Create a Container Garden With the Entire Family

If you are looking for a fun family weekend project, I would suggest trying container gardening.  This is something the entire family will enjoy doing together because it appeals to all ages.  It’s an easy, fun and inexpensive way for the family to spend some quality time together. And you will continue to enjoy watching your garden grow and flourish, knowing that you each took part in developing your family garden.

To get started, make a list of the things you will need to start your container garden. They should include: containers, plants, dirt and some small gardening tools.  Now you need to choose the area were you will put your garden. This is one of the great things about this alternative way to garden; you can have a very small area and still grow whatever you like. A small balcony, a window box or a front porch can all be transformed into a beautiful and useful area. You may want to grow flowers, vegetables, herbs or a mix of all. If you are including children, you may want to look up some plants or take them to the garden center and let them choose their very own plants. Children will enjoy being included in the entire process, including the care of the garden once it is in place.

So with your list and some ideas in place, it’s time to load up the family and head to a home and garden center.  You can start with seeds or small plants. There should be instructions on each that will tell you how large the plants will get and the ideal conditions they will grow in. You may want to find an experienced worker and explain to them that you are starting a container garden; they can be a font of information. They can also help you with decisions such as types of soil and fertilizers and information about the plants you choose.

Once you have all of the materials needed for your container garden, the real fun begins. Even big kids like to play in the dirt!  You should place the containers in the areas you think you would like them. Then just plant the seeds or the plants and enjoy watching your garden grow.  Soon you will have grown beautiful plants. You can now make fresh salads or a bright floral bouquet to add nature and beauty anywhere.

Most people who try container gardening get hooked right away. Once you see how easy the whole process is and how the whole family enjoys it, you will probably be expanding your garden every year. You really don’t need acres of land and farm equipment to enjoy gardening.  Just a little time and imagination and you can grow your ideas anywhere.

I hopefully have inspired you to try container gardening as a family project. In this day and age when family time is so rare and budgets are low, we all need ideas that will keep our families close and connected.  So enjoy!

Related Container Gardening Ideas Articles

Organic Container Gardening Tips

Organic container gardening can be done even in the smallest apartment. Gardening in this way gives you a fresh supply of herbs that are chemical-free as well as decorating your apartment or patio.

You can control your herbs environment by moving the pots into the sun or shade whenever needed, giving you the chance to create perfect conditions for growing herbs even in poor climates.

Another advantage of organic container gardening is that you can give the herbs just the right soil and nutrients to thrive and do not have to depend on garden soil for a great harvest.

Potting Mix
Herbs do well in potting soil because it is free of insects and diseases that might be found in the regular garden soil. Garden outlets and landscape places sell organic mix, or you can mix your own soil. Just blend equal parts of:

– natural compost like dry cow or horse manure
– purchased organic potting soil
– washed coarse builders sand.

Containers
Next, in establishing your organic container gardening is to clean the pots with soapy water and rinse them out well as this minimizes any chance the pots become contaminated. Then line the bottom of the containers with pottery shards or small rocks and fill them 2/3 full with the soil. Allow some space for inserting the plants, then finish filling the pot with soil and remember to leave two inches of space under the rim of the pot for watering the herbs.

Pests and insects
One of the advantages of organic container gardening is that it attracts fewer insects than herbs grown in a conventional garden. If you do get insects however, spray them with some soapy water or some leftover black tea.

Favorite Herbs
Organic container gardening is easy and gives great results provided that the basic requirements are met. Some ideal herbs for organic container gardening are mint,oregano, sage, thyme, marjoram and basil, which grow well in pots.

Invasive herbs
Be careful not to grow the more invasive herbs together with slow growing herbs like sage. Mint is an example of an herb that should be grown in its own pot because it does eventually take over the space thus preventing the other plant to develop fully.

Organic container gardening takes only a little effort and in return it will beautify your home, provide a wonderful aroma and fresh healthy herbs to enjoy.

Container Gardening Inside and In the Garden

Growing plants in containers can be for a number of reasons, be it for climatic reasons, available space, or for aesthetic considerations.

Sometimes certain climates preclude the growing of plants year round and container gardening is the only alternative. This affords the option of growing outside, until such time as the cold forces the container being brought inside, next to a sunny window, or into a purpose built sun-room. For those preferring a changing scenery, plants in containers are an easy way to achieve this, by merely moving the pots from place to place, until the desired effect is achieved.

Container gardening has become all the more popular with the increase of people living in apartments. It\’s always a pleasure to have a colorful, living thing in an apartment, that requires little maintenance and gives beauty in return. Those in apartments, or flats, lucky enough to have a balcony, of any size, have the added advantage of being able to grow a greater choice of plants, including vegetables and or herbs, in containers.

The addition of containers in the garden allows you a changing vista, placing pots of color around green shrubs, or trees to brighten dull corners of your yard. This a great way of displaying flowering bulbs, too. As they come into flower, bring them close to the entertainment areas, or windows, to be able to appreciate them more easily.

Geraniums, are the classic pot-plant. These plants will generally have vibrant flowers most of the year – continuously.

Growing flowering annuals is a great idea for quick, short lived colour inside. If you were to grow pots of chrysanthemums, or marigolds, then as they flower, bring them inside and replace with another pot as each one becomes spent, or a little raggedy.

Plant-pots, or containers, are a huge business and most garden centres, have large areas dedicated to the enormous variety available, from concrete to ceramic pots. However, you don\’t have to go to any great expense for plant containers, as just about anything that will hold soil can be used. If you have an old worn out wheel-barrow, or discarded packing crates, hollow logs are suitable, large chipped crockery, a bucket or pail, even old boots – all are suitable as planting containers provided they can hold soil AND will drain excess water. The classic is of course, old wine barrels. If the recycled container you have chosen is a little too far gone, like a wheel-barrow having too many holes, this can be remedied by lining the bottom with several layers of paper-bark, as you would do with a wire hanging basket.

Always use top quality potting mix for container gardening, as nutrients tend to leech out from containers. I would also add some water retaining crystals, as pots and containers do tend to dry out faster than the soil in a garden. Watering and feeding need to be done more often for this reason.

If you have planted perennials, like agapanthus, or similar in your containers, they will need periodical re-potting, as the plants will become over-crowded in time. When this is the case, divide the plants into manageable pieces, re-pot the ones from the outsides of the original clumps, and the plant material remaining can be either put into new containers, or planted out into the garden. If the plants are not the dividing type, then re-pot them into larger containers.

For moving the larger pots, there are available pot-trolleys, that sit under the pot with wheels – having wheels means you can just push the container to where it is desired, this is an excellent option for patios and the like. Your living space is always interesting, using container gardening inside and in the garden.

Gardening in the shade
Guide – How to Garden in the shade
Gardening in the shade

Tinkering Through the Tulips: Container Gardening Can Beautify Any Space

When you think about gardens, what comes to mind? Lush, green lawns? Vibrant flowerbeds bursting with a kaleidoscope of color? Or maybe exotic plants for as far as the eye can see? Once upon a time, those things were some of the only characteristics of a garden. To have a garden, you had to have land to spare. But not anymore. These days, even if you live in an apartment you can have a garden. Container gardening lets you enjoy all the benefits without needing the space.

Whether you choose to grow flowers, herbs or vegetables, you can be successful at container gardening. If you follow these tips, you’ll be enjoying all the benefits of a garden in no time, no matter where you live.

Tip 1: Not just any container will do

Experienced green thumbs will tell you that a garden can be grown in any container. Although that may be technically true, some containers will offer more chances for success, particularly if your thumb is of another shade. Inexpensive plastic may be a natural go-to for those who don’t want to break the budget on their gardens, but those containers can deteriorate easily in the sun, and they are not built to last. However, if you are looking for something temporary and lightweight, this can be good option. Terracotta pots are more durable but will require you to water the plants in them more frequently, as terracotta dries out much more easily than other materials.

You may want to get creative and use something unconventional, like a teapot, to plant a small container garden. This is a great idea, as long as you remember to ensure it has a drainage hole in the bottom. If your chosen container doesn’t already have a hole in it, you can always drill one.

Tip 2: Cleanliness is next to godliness

Before you get up to your elbows in potting soil, it’s important to sterilize the container in which you will plant your garden. This is particularly important if you have purchased second-hand planting containers; the plants that grew there previously may have had a disease that can affect your plants, too. All you need is an environmentally sound, all-purpose cleaner; just rinse and pat dry before planting.

Tip 3: Plan, then plant

Much like traditional gardening, the placement of container gardens will depend on what you plant. Do your research! Some plants will require full sun, others partial shade, and still more might flourish in just about any conditions. The good news is this: unlike traditional gardening, if you find that your container garden isn’t flourishing in the chosen spot, you can pick it up and move it!

Knowing this ahead of time can do more than help you determine where you will place each container. You also can roadmap where you will place each plant within each container. For example, you wouldn’t want to plant tall-growing plants around the edge of a container with shorter ones in the middle. Similarly, plants that trail over the side of the container should be planted, obviously, on the perimeter of the container.

Tip 4: When in doubt, fertilize!

Plants love to be healthy. If you want to get full and beautiful flowers out of your container garden, it’s imperative that you keep up the soil’s nutrient levels. To do that, you’ll need to fertilize – a lot. It wouldn’t hurt to fertilize every time you water. If you are growing vegetables, manure tea is an effective fertilizer, even though it doesn’t sound very appealing. Manure tea is essentially water extracted from manure, with soluble nutrients. It increases the organic content of the soil, which, in turn, improves drainage and helps the soil hold on to the nutrients.

Tip 5: You can lead a plant to water

Container plants need to be watered more often than a standard garden, particularly during extreme heat and dryness. Watering container plants is a daily affair. Keep adding water until you see some spill out through the drainage holes in the pot. Then stop! Go any further and you’ll be in soggy soil territory. If you aren’t the type to dedicate some time each day to watering, consider getting a self-watering device. These contraptions have a reservoir at the bottom that keeps your plants hydrated for a few days at a time.

Container gardening can afford you the chance to have a beautiful garden without a lot of space. And your thumb can be a little less than green. With a little bit of time and planning, container gardening could be just the form of expression your thumbs having been craving – no matter what color they may be.

Herb Gardening Secrets
A powerful step-by-step guide to cultivating a successful herb garden the Right way.
Herb Gardening Secrets

Herb Garden Answers
Everything you need to know to grow your own herb garden. Herb Garden Answers also covers harvesting and using your herbs for culinary, medicinal and aromatic needs.
Herb Garden Answers

Need a Fresh Container Gardening Idea? Create a Container Garden With the Entire Family

If you are looking for a fun family weekend project, I would suggest trying container gardening.  This is something the entire family will enjoy doing together because it appeals to all ages.  It’s an easy, fun and inexpensive way for the family to spend some quality time together. And you will continue to enjoy watching your garden grow and flourish, knowing that you each took part in developing your family garden.

To get started, make a list of the things you will need to start your container garden. They should include: containers, plants, dirt and some small gardening tools.  Now you need to choose the area were you will put your garden. This is one of the great things about this alternative way to garden; you can have a very small area and still grow whatever you like. A small balcony, a window box or a front porch can all be transformed into a beautiful and useful area. You may want to grow flowers, vegetables, herbs or a mix of all. If you are including children, you may want to look up some plants or take them to the garden center and let them choose their very own plants. Children will enjoy being included in the entire process, including the care of the garden once it is in place.

So with your list and some ideas in place, it’s time to load up the family and head to a home and garden center.  You can start with seeds or small plants. There should be instructions on each that will tell you how large the plants will get and the ideal conditions they will grow in. You may want to find an experienced worker and explain to them that you are starting a container garden; they can be a font of information. They can also help you with decisions such as types of soil and fertilizers and information about the plants you choose.

Once you have all of the materials needed for your container garden, the real fun begins. Even big kids like to play in the dirt!  You should place the containers in the areas you think you would like them. Then just plant the seeds or the plants and enjoy watching your garden grow.  Soon you will have grown beautiful plants. You can now make fresh salads or a bright floral bouquet to add nature and beauty anywhere.

Most people who try container gardening get hooked right away. Once you see how easy the whole process is and how the whole family enjoys it, you will probably be expanding your garden every year. You really don’t need acres of land and farm equipment to enjoy gardening.  Just a little time and imagination and you can grow your ideas anywhere.

I hopefully have inspired you to try container gardening as a family project. In this day and age when family time is so rare and budgets are low, we all need ideas that will keep our families close and connected.  So enjoy!