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Gardening in pots, planters, boxes and baskets is nothing new, but it seems to be more popular than ever. Plants grouped in a container often have more impact than if the same plants were planted in a flowerbed. I believe that there are two reasons for this. First, they are elevated a little closer to eye level and they are massed, so that they stand out.
Containers
Anything that will hold soil can be used as a container. Assuming that you want
to minimize maintenance, use a container as large as will fit the spot. The
more soil mass the plants have, the less they depend on you for frequent watering
and fertilizing. (Small pots in a sunny location may need watering daily and
fertilizing weekly through the summer.)
A very effective way to get the elevation that I mentioned earlier is to place a smaller planter in the center of a larger one. If the base planter is large enough, you can stack up three of them to give you a pyramid of cascading blooms. Another way to get height is using hanging baskets or boxes attached to posts or buildings (think window box).
Some people use smaller containers, replacing them as they fade with something at its peak. This can be very effective, though it can also mean more labor and cost. If you intend to move your containers, don’t underestimate their weight. A one-foot square box will weigh at least 50 pounds. If the container will be located where there is public access, think big and use this weight factor to your advantage to prevent theft.
Soil
Purchase a good, porous planting mix at a nursery or garden center. Don’t
try to save money by using garden soil. Regular soil is too compact and contains
too much clay and too little organic matter.
Water and Drainage
Plants in containers can’t send roots deeper when they run low on water,
so watering is extremely important for success with container gardening. Use
a planter with drainage holes and support it with feet or a layer of gravel
to permit drainage. Alternatively, big boxes (preferably at least 18 inches
deep) can be built without bottoms and placed over soil, asphalt or concrete.
The depth and lack of a bottom will prevent waterlogged plants.
Cover the inside of the hole with a clay potsherd or bit of window screen, before filling the container with soil. Do not fill the bottom with rocks or gravel “for drainage.” This practice reduces the available rooting depth. Sometimes the fast-draining soil mixes drain a little too fast. With smaller pots and baskets, I like to place an old foil pie tin just above the bottom as I fill it with soil. It will trap about an inch of water and allow slightly longer intervals between irrigation. The same thing can be done using a saucer under a pot.
Fertility
Here again the plants are totally dependent on you. Feed the plants regularly
throughout the growing season. Next spring, work some compost and a complete
organic fertilizer into the worn-out soil as you replant. If you tend to forget
to fertilize, look for a slow-release fertilizer that will dissolve bit by bit
each time you water.
Grooming
To keep your containers looking their best, you will have to spend a little
time picking off dead leaves and flowers. Besides improving appearance, deadheading
or removing faded flowers, keeps the plant from making seed and encourages reblooming.
Plants
Beginning gardeners, who want to plant a showy container gardens, are often
overwhelmed by the choices of plants at the nursery. Almost anything can be
grown in containers. I have prepared a list of a few you may want to try. To
get a copy of these recommended plants, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope
to Container Plants, Snohomish County WSU Extension, 600 128th Street
SE, Everett WA 98208.
Hortsense: Managing plant problems with Integrated Pest Management
