Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…

Workshop on Growing Fruit | In the Garden

From Lee Reich: WORKSHOP: BACKYARD FRUIT GROWING AND TASTING You can harvest LUSCIOUS, ORGANIC, [...]]]>

Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…

Workshop on Growing Fruit | In the Garden

From Lee Reich: WORKSHOP: BACKYARD FRUIT GROWING AND TASTING You can harvest LUSCIOUS, ORGANIC, HEALTHFUL FRUITS from LOW MAINTENANCE and ORNAMENTAL.

Chatty Crafty Arty Pig: Growing in the garden

Growing in the garden. Hubby is in charge of the garden these days and this summer he did really well with growing tasty treats that we could/can pick and eat fresh on a daily basis. We have had tomatoes (which only I eat and we get the …

A Growing Tradition: Garden Update – Side Beds

Overall, it was a productive one in the garden as well. I focused on tidying up the garden paths and preparing some side beds. About 50 percent of my plot has now been dug. I had also wanted to install some PVC hoops for my Agribon row …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Planting an herbal garden that includes scented geraniums is not common to container gardening. Most gardeners think of scented geraniums as a floral plant, not an herbal plant but the species, called pelargonium, is an herb with many uses. This delightful herb has many different aromas and gorgeous colors to delight your senses. The scented geranium is best used in container gardening for two reasons. One, you can control the soil and moisture, and two you can bring it indoors when a frost is imminent.

The scented geranium was found in Africa in the 1600’s and shipped to England where it became most popular. The gardener of King Charles I grew a variety of scented geraniums in the royal greenhouse. The Victorians thought they were geraniums rather than an herbal plant but if you look at their asymmetrical leaves you can see the difference between scented geraniums and regular geraniums.

The scented geranium is truly a herbal plant for all seasons. It grows and has a lovely aroma throughout the spring and summer and when the chilly winds of autumn threaten this sturdy herbal plant will gladly co-exist inside with you. Nothing could be better when container gardening includes scented geranium with their exquisite flowers, lovely scented leaves, and sturdy characteristics for year round enjoyment of your senses.

True to their name scented geraniums come in a multitude of fragrances. Seemly, the favorite is the rose scented geranium but others are gaining popularity quickly. Some of the more robustly planted are the apple scented, peppermint scented, wood, like cedar or balsam, nutmeg and citronella (also know as the mosquito buster.) You can plant a whole container garden with this one type of plant and have a beautiful diversity. Their leaves alone will contrast interestingly to give you a spectacular container garden. The tiny smooth leaves of the nutmeg scented geranium, or Lady Mary, to the large musk scented leaves of the Lady Plymouth.

The rose scented geraniums are gaining popularity for calming and are increasingly used in mediation and for healing purposes. The plant truly releases a delicious rose scent when rubbed against or crushed. Just brush the leaves to release their scent or make a soothing rose geranium tea to help you relax.

There are many culinary uses for the scented geranium to delight your taste buds. Chop up the leaves and mix with your other favorite herbs such as chives or chervil or thyme to make interesting flavored butters or dips and spreads. A really clever way to use the leaves is to line a baking pan when making pies, puddings or cakes to impart a wonderful flavor to your desserts. Use them for desserts, syrups or custards for another unique flavor. You can even make flavored sugar by layer dry, fresh leaves with sugar. Let them sit a few days, remove the leaves and store the sugar in an air tight container. This can be used in teas, baking goods, or as a sugar scrub. They are delightful in baths and infused in water to rinse your hair.

The scented geranium is a great as a room freshener or added to potpourri. Try adding some to your vacuum bag or put them in a mesh bag and add them to your dryer for a new fresh scent for your clothes.

Scented geraniums are grown from cuttings taken from the mother plant. Cut three to four inches just above a leaf. Strip the lower leaves off and place in a rooting medium, such as a mix of sphagnum peat moss. Place your cutting in bright light and keep it moist. When roots have been established it is time to place it in your container garden. Make sure the soil is porous and fast draining.

When the scented geranium is indoors it is necessary to feed it once a week to ensure full leaf growth. Pinching back the plant not only encourages bushy growth but releases a delicious aroma into the air. Keep the soil evenly damp; do not over water them as this will kill them. They can come back from overly dry situations but not wet ones.

Now it is time to add this multi-talented plant to your container garden. Just one word of caution, once you get to know the scented geranium your herbal garden will never be without it.

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

About The Author

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and http://www.GardeningHerb.com.

Potting Plants In Your Container Garden In 2 Easy Steps

1.  A very key part to a successful container garden is to have sufficient drainage. On the other hand, you will need to cover the hole or holes at the bottom of your pot to prevent the soil from washing out. What do you use to cover the hole(s)? This will depend on climate conditions.

If your container will be outdoors permanently and it is the warmer season, use a folded piece of newspaper. For those cooler or colder seasons, use a piece of screen or clay shard(s) 

2.  After purchasing your pots, you will need to remove them from their original pot to their new home. To accomplish this, you’ll just need to knock them free and loosen the roots. Position your plant in the new pot and fill it with potting soil. Note: (Make sure you use soil made for potting. This soil tend to be easier and looser for houseplants to grow in.)

Another important note, you should leave half inch to one inch of room at the top of the pot for water to sit before it settles into the potting soil.

Repotting Container Plants Quickly

If you live in a climate zone that is warm throughout the year, there is no doubt that you probably have some container plants outside. In this situation, your plants can grow large enough where they will require repotting into a larger pot.

Quick Tip: You can use the original pot if you divide the plants, also know as division.

Be sure to put new potting soil.

 For Root Bound Plants

This happens when the lower roots start to curl around the bottom of the pot. Sometimes you will see the roots coming out from the top of the pot. This is a great indicator that repotting is necessary. Simply knock the plant out of the pot.

Using a pot one to two inches wider than your original pot, loosen the roots and start repotting. Be sure to leave about half inch to one inch of space at the top of your pot. This will ensure that after water your plant, the water will have enough space to collect before settling into the potting soil.

Continue learning and start designing a container garden.

Epages Info.com was created by Jason Scott. A graduate of Philadelphia Pierce College with a degree in Accounting. During that time, Jason has acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience in horticulture and landscaping from working various jobs. One of his biggest influence is his father who helped him bring out the best in plants foliage.

Find great information on our unique landscaping site.

Website: http://www.epagesinfo.com

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Technorati Tags: container gardening, growing a garden

1st time gardener question?

My husband and I just bought a home with a ton of garden space, the previous owners planted some plants here and there…I would love to plant some beautiful flowers, I'm just not sure where and how to start. Should I just get some mulch and start planting pots of flowers?

Simple! Buy [...]]]>

1st time gardener question?

My husband and I just bought a home with a ton of garden space, the previous owners planted some plants here and there…I would love to plant some beautiful flowers, I'm just not sure where and how to start. Should I just get some mulch and start planting pots of flowers?

Container gardening has become increasingly popular in recent years for many reasons. There is wide range of containers available to suit whatever space you have available and a wealth of plants that can be grown in them. It’s great for the modern lifestyle. You can enjoy the relaxing effects provided by beautiful flowers with little time and effort. It’s the nearest you’ll get to an instant garden.

So, let’s get started. Only a little research is required. Visit your local garden centre and you will usually find a display of plants suitable for growing in containers. And, depending on the time of year, you will be able to see some of them in all their glory. There will also be information on their requirements.

First, the right sized pot. How much or how little will they grow in a season? Some plants will need room to expand, while others will prefer to be snug. Also, check the pot for drainage. Although frequent watering will be needed through the summer, you have to prevent the root system from becoming waterlogged, depriving the plant of oxygen. A layer of gravel, stones or broken pots can help with this.

Most plants will be happy with a general, multipurpose compost. Some need special conditions. Lime haters will need ericaseous compost. If your plants will stay in the pot for more than one year, you need a loam based compost. If you are mixing plants, make sure that they can all tolerate the same conditions.

To reduce your maintenance workload, add a slow release fertilizer and some moisture retaining granules at planting time. Water the plants thoroughly before you start. Position your container to provide the right amount of sunshine and shelter from the wind.

Add a layer of compost to your drainage layer. Try positioning the plants in the container before you remove them from their pots. When you are happy with the layout, make up the compost to the level of the bottom of the largest pot. Backfill with compost and bring all of the plants up to the same surface level. Gently firm down the compost, leaving the surface an inch below the top of the pot to allow for watering.

Sit back, relax and enjoy your handiwork. And consider what would be a good position for your next masterpiece. The great thing about container gardening is that it can grow with you. As you become more knowledgable and enthusiastic, there is always something knew to try. How about some home grown vegetables. Or something more exotic. Where will your imagination take you?

About The Author

David Redfoot provides information and resources on Vertical and Container Gardening at http://www.verticalgardener.com Container gardening is perfect for the modern lifestyle. It can be adapted for the time and space you have available and your physical ability. It is an easy way to experience the joy of gardening if you’ve never tried it before. Visit http://www.verticalgardener.com and pick up a great FREE Container Gardening Secrets report.

This article is copyright verticalgardener.com and may only be reproduced with this resource box intact.

3 Easy Tips For Successful Container Gardening

Here are several tips for creating a wonderful hanging basket or container this summer. The first is to use an artificial soil composed mostly of peat moss. Good soils such as Fafard or Pro-Mix use perlite, peat, and other ingredients to produce a soil that will not compact over the summer. Real garden soil compacts and turns into concrete under the pressure of regular watering. And when it does, plant roots stop growing because they require good open spaces to move into and absorb nutrients. Hard, compacted soils do not grow good plants so do not use real soil in your containers. I re-use my artificial potting soil from year to year. I dump it out of the pot. Chew it up with a shovel to cut up all last year’s roots and add approximately 10 % by volume of compost. The compost increases air spaces and gives plants a boost in healthy nutrition.

Feed your plants weekly. Nitrogen, the engine of plant growth, is water soluble and as you water your containers from the top the dissolved nitrogen is leaving from the bottom. I use a fish-emulsion liquid feed with seaweed to provide all the trace nutrients my plants require and recommend it highly. You can use any liquid plant food (like Miracle Grow or Shultz) to promote growth. Compost tea is the Cadillac of liquid plant food and if you make your own compost tea, your plants will respond with bigger and better blooms as well as increased vigour.

And finally, no matter the size of the container, it is important to soak it all the way to the bottom at each watering. Continue watering until water emerges from the pot bottom. This ensures the roots can reach all parts of the container and grow properly.

By: Doug Green

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Doug Green, an award winning garden author with 7 books published answers gardening questions and gives container gardening advice in his free newsletter at www.simplegiftsfarm.com

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Technorati Tags: container gardening, gardening for dummies

Green Hotels:

The main aim towards the establishment of green hotel is to provide their guests a natural and pure environment to dwell and at the same time pacifying the ill-effects of pollution and harmful gases on earth. Green hotels address to all the needs of their guests and yet act as an environmentally responsible sector [...]]]>

Green Hotels:

The main aim towards the establishment of green hotel is to provide their guests a natural and pure environment to dwell and at the same time pacifying the ill-effects of pollution and harmful gases on earth. Green hotels address to all the needs of their guests and yet act as an environmentally responsible sector of the society. Moreover, they practice so many positive activities so as to conserve the energy and environment and use the waste product by recycling them. Hence, unlike other different sectors, green hotels promote a pollution free world instead of adding something more to the current pollution stage.

Significance of Green Hotels:

The establishment of green hotels has given birth to a better and enhanced idea of energy conservation, environmentally responsible acts and re-use of non-renewable resources. After they have come up with different innovative ideas of environment and energy conservation, people are becoming more aware as to how they can save renewable and non-renewable resources in their daily lives. On top of that we can’t afford to forget its advantageous role against global warming and in pacifying the greenhouse effect.

How do green hotels benefit Man and the environment?

Green hotels not only benefit the visitors by providing them a pure and natural place filled with peace and tranquility but also benefit the environment by the conservation of both conventional and non-conventional resources. Following are some ways as to how it benefits both the aspects:-

• Green hotels are found to be cost –effective for the visitors.

• Guests appreciate the idea of conserving the environment.

• All the needs of guests are being addressed; on top of which they get a pure environment to breathe and enjoy the natural beauty.

• Planting an organic garden to supply fresh produce to their guest.

As far as environmentally responsible act is concerned, following are some ways adopted by the green hotels:-

• Planting those plants which consume less water.

• Installation of sink aerators and low-flow showerheads to save water energy.

• Using compact fluorescent lights and timers or sensors in them for less frequently used areas

• Using compost bin for leftover food or simply give it to a local nonprofit organization.

• Buying guest amenities and food in bulk.

The above mentioned points are only a few instances of the environmentally responsible practices adopted by the green hotels however there are more such activities they perform. Thus, Green hotels acts as a bridge between man and the environment by inspiring all of us to act more responsibly towards the environment.

About The Author

For more information visit: http://www.EcoGreenHotel.com

Container Gardening For Those On A Budget

Like any other hobby, container gardening can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be and during times of financial hardships could be a good alternative for those on a budget. For those who like to get their hands dirty but dont want to spend a fortune, container gardening is the best option.

Container gardening can be enjoyed by everyone no matter how old you are, no matter how much you know about gardening or whether or not you have a garden or just a window box to cultivate.

This sort of gardening has become a very fashionable American hobby, for some even a passion. As they are not only easy to manage but also they create excitement in your garden decor. They can also create a natural sanctuary in a busy city street, along rooftops or on balconies.

With just a few container gardening tips you can have great success both enjoying a most pleasurable pastime and reaping great rewards with little effort.

The main focus of any container gardening at first is choosing the type of container to use. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and practically anything can be used including, tubs, buckets, old sinks, shoes, and even barrels cut in half.

When beginning to plant up garden containers and gardening pots make sure your soil is perfect for the plants you choose to grow. Remember to use a soil based compost when planting into containers and to keep your containers from accumulating moisture in the bottom, drill at least one hole. Once the container is set up, maintenance is the next important step in container gardening. Remember that a box garden, or container garden, may need more water than a garden, as they can dry out very quickly especially in direct sunlight or on hot days.

Container gardening makes it possible to position your plants in areas where they can receive the best possible growing conditions. Again check what sort of conditions your plants like the most; some prefer shade whereas other thrive in direct sunlight.

There are so many different plants suitable for container gardening that I would need a complete book to name them all. But herb growing is a favourite amongst container gardeners as it not only provides an attractive display but also delicious food to eat. Smaller containers are ideal for cul
1000
tivating herb container gardens. Some suggests for your container herb garden are

Chives  Like moist, rich soil and plenty of sun
Basil  Likes moist soil and grows quickly and easily in warm soil.
Thyme  Likes warm and fairly dry soil.
Mint – Likes moist soil and shade.

You could use a very big container for a several different herbs or choose individual pots to plant herbs separately.

Some strawberry varieties can also be grown inside and if planted in a pot with small holes evenly distributed over the pot, can make a dramatic container gardening flower visual. If you are growing strawberries inside remember that your containers will need a reservoir tray, as they like to be well watered.

Container gardens can also be given as great and inexpensive gifts to family and friends. Decorate your own container and grow them some herbs or plant a few vegetables for them. It not only makes an inexpensive gift but is a rather novel idea, one which will surprise and delight your friends. You could even make up a small attractive basket or box of gardening items, such as gardening gloves, kneepads or even a shady hat, all available from dollar and pound shops.

Container gardening is a very versatile, fun, easy way to get into gardening and growing your own food, especially for those on a budget.

By: ttilmo

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Kate and her partner co-write www.frugal-living-tips.com a site all about living simply and frugally in the modern world. Their second site www.our-happy-cat.com is a cat friendly site full of cat health and cat care advice.

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Technorati Tags: container gardening, organic garden supply

Container Gardening?

Container Gardening

One of the most enjoyable aspects of starting your own container garden is choosing the container. There are so many choices that it can be a little overwhelming. To help you with this most enjoyable part of the project I would like to give you a few ideas. First you will want to [...]]]>

Container Gardening?

Container Gardening

One of the most enjoyable aspects of starting your own container garden is choosing the container. There are so many choices that it can be a little overwhelming. To help you with this most enjoyable part of the project I would like to give you a few ideas. First you will want to consider the surroundings for your container garden. If you want a natural outdoor blend, an earth tone container would be a great choice. These can be made from many natural or faux natural materials and can be found at any home and garden center. Maybe a beautiful wood or natural clay container would enhance a natural look.

Or you may want a lively colorful look to your container garden, something that says wow look at me!. The possibilities for this are endless. You could choose a variety of colored containers and make it a rainbow garden, this would certainly give your garden an eye catching appeal. Or you could choose a theme, such as southwestern or Moroccan to make it fun and colorful.

If you desire a more uniformed or formal look to your container garden you could choose your pots all in the same color with maybe different shapes. Or you may want to use the same containers for each garden, so the look is very symmetrical.

One idea that will bring a very personal touch to your garden is to create your own. You can purchase plain clay pots and do mosaic designs by attaching small tiles or broken china. Add some grout and as easy as that you have your own unique personalized containers. Even painting the containers and adding floral or abstract designs will make it your very own. Personally I enjoy these containers, your imagination will go wild!

Whatever you choose to fit your own personal style, I’m sure that you will find the search for your perfect garden containers most enjoyable. Just by visiting a few garden centers or floral shops you will be astounded by the possibilities. In fact your imagination will take off and the excitement of starting your own container garden will make you want to get going right away.

Hopefully I have given you some ideas on how to choose your own unique containers. Beware, once you get started you will surely come home with more containers and end up with a larger garden than you had originally planned on! Container gardening can become quite addictive!

Gen Y gardeners, redux

That may sound offensive to the Gen-Yers out there, but when I helped my own 20-something family member collect what was needed for a small container garden … Read More…

Plan now for winter plantings

Container gardening suddenly becomes an ideal way to enliven an entryway or focal spot in the yard. Pansies, with their ever-smiling colorful faces, … Read More…

MindGlo offers dozens of classes in many subjects, including gardening

Gardening courses include feng shui, container gardening, garden design and worm composting. Learn more at a grand opening Monday. … Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Technorati Tags: container flower gardening, container gardening

Gardening trends tend to come and go but organic vegetable gardening has attracted increasing interest over recent times.  With the long term sustainability of our planet a shared concern of many, it looks like this trend is here to stay!

Even our heads of state are joining this movement.  Michelle Obama’s promotion of organic vegetable gardening [...]]]>

Gardening trends tend to come and go but organic vegetable gardening has attracted increasing interest over recent times.  With the long term sustainability of our planet a shared concern of many, it looks like this trend is here to stay!

Even our heads of state are joining this movement.  Michelle Obama’s promotion of organic vegetable gardening started soon after she moved into the White House. The Queen of England has a new garden called ‘The Yard Bed’. This is the first vegetable garden to replace the royal ‘Dig For Victory’ garden planted during the second world war.

There are two main benefits of organic vegetable gardening and these are gaining appeal around the world. First you can save money when you grow your own vegetables.  Second you can reduce your carbon footprint -the amount of carbon dioxide you create either directly or indirectly.

Saving money is possible by growing organic vegetables despite the set up costs of tools, equipment, fertilizers and water. The best way to counter balance the costs of establishing a garden is maximize the yield of your garden. To do this, only grow vegetables you enjoy and will eat. Select those that you can easily freeze or can like tomatoes, beets and sweet corn or cucumbers. These can be eaten past their growing season and reduce your grocery bill at the same time. Other vegetables like potatoes and squash can be stored without cooking.

Melons and tomatoes are expensive vegetables. They are also popular and frequently purchased at the supermarket.  Grow large numbers of these vegetables along with comparatively expensive broccoli, beans, beets, spinach and onions and lettuces to reduce your food costs.

Grow vegetables year round.  In many districts, vegetables can be grown and harvested to keep your family in vegetables pretty much all year. With some experience and some preplanning you can even grow more than one crop across each season in the same place.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint is an equally important reason for the popularity of the organic vegetable gardening movement.

Growing an organic vegetable garden makes an ongoing contribution to sustaining our planet. Vegetable gardens don’t add carbon dioxide to the environment. They don’t need mowing with electric or petrol mowers as lawns do. Growing vegetables also reduces your ‘food miles’, (the distance food travels to reach your supermarket).

By composting plant material in your garden you are not only producing organic fertilizer that will add nutrients to your vegetables, you are also preventing the production of carbon dioxide and methane that happens when organic matter ends up at in landfill.

As water is predicted to be the next ‘Gold’, use this precious resource in your garden with thought and care.  Collect rainwater for irrigation and or use grey water from your house. My grandfather did the latter in a desert area for many years and provided his own family and most of the neighborhood with vegetables year round.

The First Lady and the Queen of England have less need to save money than most but their efforts to promote the benefits of organic vegetable gardening can be applauded. Consider starting your own organic garden so that you can enjoy a less expensive grocery bill and make your own contribution to a more sustainable earth.

Technorati Tags: organic vegetable gardening

Hey Readers! I’ve been comin across some crazy stuff the past few days from a few different blogs around the web which I just had to share with you. Check em out below…

Fresh Food from Small Spaces by R. J. Ruppenthal: Square Inch …

Then he expands on these topics and others by discussing building self-watering [...]]]>

Hey Readers! I’ve been comin across some crazy stuff the past few days from a few different blogs around the web which I just had to share with you. Check em out below…

Fresh Food from Small Spaces by R. J. Ruppenthal: Square Inch …

Then he expands on these topics and others by discussing building self-watering containers, using the principals of reflective light with vertical gardening techniques, and growing fruit such as blueberry plants in small gardens. …

Thinking out loud – flexible vertical gardening solution

I'm inspired by the many articles I've read and images I've seen regarding vertical gardening. It's a fantastic idea to save space – especially for an apartment dweller like me, who has a small balcony space to play with. …

Winter Vegetables and Vertical Gardening « Suburban Sustainability

Saving the World (and Your Wallet) One Household at a Time!

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: vertical gardening

Technorati Tags: container herb garden

Garden: Filling Containers Frugally

Garden: Filling Containers Frugally. Like so many other gardeners, I lust after the [...]]]> Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…

Garden: Filling Containers Frugally

Garden: Filling Containers Frugally. Like so many other gardeners, I lust after the magazine cover decks and porches pictured overflowing with color. But I've also priced out some of those containers at over $40 each, just to buy the …

Green Thumb Thursday: Recycled Container Garden | Craftster.org Blog

This week on Green Thumb Thursday we have an awesome recycled container garden from unschoolme, using various household items to make a colorful kitchen.

» A Container Garden for Small Spaces

If you don't have much room for gardening but love to grow your own flowers or vegetables, try a container garden. You can enjoy growing everything from veggies.

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: garden containers

Whether you live in a tiny city apartment or on a large country estate, gardening in containers is a way to add colour and the beauty of nature to your surroundings. The three main elements of creating successful containers gardens are:

Choosing the pots Getting the right planting medium Selecting the plants

In all of [...]]]> Gardeners: Contain Yourselves!
 by: Debbie Rodgers

Whether you live in a tiny city apartment or on a large country estate, gardening in containers is a way to add colour and the beauty of nature to your surroundings. The three main elements of creating successful containers gardens are:

Choosing the pots
Getting the right planting medium
Selecting the plants

In all of these elements, the key is to create a healthy growing environment for the plant roots. For a healthy root system, water must be able to pass quickly through the soil. As the water drains out, air replaces it in the soil and an exchange of carbon dioxide is made with the plant roots. This movement of water and air is essential to a healthy plant.

Here are some tips to help you choose from the dizzying array of pots, troughs and boxes:

Pick the spot for your garden first and then find a container to suit it. For example, a quaint wooden trough would not suit a modern balcony, nor would classic urn shaped pots be the best choice for an informal country style garden. In addition to style considerations, give attention to size and proportion issues.
Consider the weight of the container – not only empty, but filled with wet soil and plants. If there is a strong prevailing breeze across your outdoor space, the container must be heavy enough to prevent it from tipping over. On the other hand, the structure on which the containers are placed must be able to support them (so a large concrete trough would be less than ideal for a balcony or wooden porch, and a 6 ft wooden trough would need a VERY strong ledge to make it a suitable window box). Since a 30-gallon planter can weigh more than 200 pounds once it’s filled, think about either planting the container in place, or setting it on plant casters or dollies.
Clay/terracotta pots are attractive and complement a wide range of foliage and flowering plants. They are the traditional potting container because, in addition to draining well, they wick moisture through their sides. This provides a drier root environment, which means less opportunity for root diseases. However, it also means more frequent watering is needed. If you tend to underwater, use terra cotta pots for only drought tolerant plants, or choose another type of container. On the down side, clay pots can be heavy and must be protected in colder climates during the winter to prevent cracking. A glazed clay container is non-porous, creating a moisture barrier. Because this will not allow the root system to breathe, glazed pots are best used with a regular terracotta pot inside of them.
Plastic pots are inexpensive, lightweight and functional, and come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. If you don’t like the look of plastic, apply a faux finish to fool the eye, or slip the plastic pots inside other containers. With the proper soil mix and attentive watering, plants do well in plastic pots. If you tend to underwater your plants, plastic is a better choice than terra cotta for you. However, plastic containers may need to be weighted down to stay in place on windy days.
Wood containers look good in naturalistic environments, and most plants do well in them. Wood drains better than plastic but does not have the wicking advantage of clay, and wood containers can be heavy when planted. Choose containers made of hardwood, such as redwood, cedar or cypress, which are less susceptible to rot over time. Lining wood containers with heavyduty plastic bags will give you added protection from moisture, but you must remember to provide proper drainage.
Metal containers can be used successfully in many modern settings. Galvanized containers are the best for planting – they won’t leach rust or chemicals into the soil. Unless the container was designed as a planter, you’ll need to add drainage holes to the bottom of the pot, or slip other pots inside it.
Found items can add variety and whimsy to your container garden. If you’re going to plant directly in such items as watering cans, old boots, teapots or wheelbarrows consider drainage and air movement around the roots of the plants.

Now that you chosen the perfect containers, you need to select the planting medium and the plants. We’ll cover that in a future issue of Tales From the Porch Swing.

About The Author

Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com

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