|
|
 |
|
||
| Every spring I promise to not become involved in container gardening. Each year, I vow to plant only in the abundant soil of our numerous flower and vegetable gardens. Yet each year, I break that promise to myself. Season after season, after I’ve filled every available plot, I begin to pull pots and containers from the potting shed and fill them with beautiful annuals of every imaginable color, texture, and growth pattern. Secretly, I admit that these robust container gardens are always my favorites. Are several available acres not enough for one woman to express herself? That’s not the reason for my fascination with container gardening, however. Rather, it is the absolutely endless possibilities offered by containers. Each container offers its own opportunities. Whether you are using a 4-inch whimsical pot or a dramatic terra-cotta container, each displays its own magic and character. These spots of beauty can be planted in a minimum amount of time, offering an instant garden. They are relatively easy to maintain if planted correctly and with just a bit of foresight. Personally, my favorite aspect of containers is the portability of this type of gardening. Containers can be moved to change the mood or to add instant color to any area. Unlike an in-ground garden, these plantings can be moved to achieve optimum conditions such as garnering more or less sunlight, deterring marauding pests, providing wind control, and to prevent unwelcome damage from sudden downpours. A dramatic rise in the use of hanging baskets and pots is evident in gardeners’ purchasing habits. Currently, more than 50% of bedding plants are purchased for container gardens. With such an increase in this type of gardening, is it possible that we will eventually beautify every bare paved public area and enhance apartment blocks and their balconies with beautiful color? Prior to 1960, nearly all bedding plants sold in the United States were ultimately placed in flower beds or in borders. This might lead us to believe that container gardening is a new trend, but it is actually a centuries-old concept. So why are we doing container gardening now? The ancient Chinese used ornate vases filled with flowering plants, while early Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans loved shrub-filled terra-cotta pots. In other areas of the Mediterranean, terra-cotta pots were often filled with beautiful flowers in celebration of the beautiful landscapes. France and Britain implemented large stone urns filled with flowers and orange trees. In Switzerland and Austria, troughs boasting blooming geraniums often adorned chalets and public areas. So while the concept of container gardening has been with us for thousands of years, something has changed. Until recently, container gardening was considered by Western civilizations to be frivolous. However, with so much beauty abounding, it was only a matter of time before container gardening became a universal pastime. Today, container gardening has become the fastest-growing arena in the garden scene. What is a container? Historically, a flower or garden bed created in the open ground was known as a bed or border. However, when planted in a stand-alone fashion in a receptacle, this type of garden is known as a container garden. Assets to container gardening include that digging and weeding are not required. Don’t be lured into the false belief that there isn’t any work involved at all, however. As with open-ground gardening, there are decisions to make. Taking the time to make the right choices has its benefits and will lead to a successful experience in container gardening. Container choices vary from window boxes and wooden tubs to pots and buckets. Basic properties to consider are their ability to remain waterproof, stability, and the ability to resist corrosion and rust. Sizes vary from miniscule, which can easily sustain one plant with a small root system, to large, vat-sized receptacles able to boast a wide variety of plants. Prices range from free (often castaways) to wonderfully cheap and outrageously expensive. Container materials vary from plastic to terra-cotta to glazed ceramics, wood, and metal. Once the container is chosen, a suitable growing medium must be selected. Recently, moisture control mediums have become available and are wonderful for the gardener who sometimes inadvertently forgets to offer a drink to their plants. The final step is deciding with which plants to adorn the container. (Some gardeners prefer to reverse these steps. That is, plants are chosen, the container is then selected, and a planting medium (soil) is then selected.) Whether you opt to select plants first or last in this process, be sure that all the plants for your container are compatible. For instance, do not attempt to combine cactus or succulents with plants requiring frequent watering. Additionally, plants needing large doses of sunlight cannot be paired with shade-lovers. Attempting to team incompatible plants will result in disaster and disappointment. Like all growing things in the garden, container plants do need and deserve some personal care. In a container, feeding and watering needs are greater because the amount of compost, space, and soil available to the roots is limited. During summer’s heat, frequent watering is absolutely essential. Expect to offer water with a hose or watering can daily during hot and dry periods. In some instances, regular feeding every two weeks may be needed to sustain vigor, growth, and good health. Container gardening is one of the most rewarding concepts in today’s gardening world. Give it a try and have fun! Editor’s Note: Sharon has been a master gardener since 2003 through Iowa State University. She lives on a small farm in southwest Iowa, and she looks forward to sharing her passion for gardening each month with her green-thumbed reader friends. |
Container Gardening |
||
|
