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| Plant Pro |
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Making a Container Garden
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| Container gardening is one of the most enjoyable frontiers for adventurous gardeners. The fun comes from matching plants with pots and creating a miniature landscape within a single container. In this episode we met with Richard Clark, owner of Clark Farms in Wakefield, RI. He gave us some tips on creating a container garden. |
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Planting a Container Garden
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| Select a large container with holes on the bottom for drainage. If necessary, drill or punch a few holes into the bottom. Fill with potting mix to within a few inches of the rim. Don't use soil from your garden because it is too heavy. Use a commercial potting mix or make your own blend of peat moss or coir, vermiculite or perlite, and compost. |
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Pick the plants for the pot. Consider foliage color, size and texture of plants as well as symmetry and balance. Are you going for a formal style or an informal, cottage garden look? Whatever approach you choose, have fun with your container garden! |
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Try the traditional container garden: a spike of dracaena in the center surrounded by geraniums and rimmed with trailing vinca to spill over the edge. Or experiment with new varieties from your local garden center. Ask the staff about new plants to try. |
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Choose plants with similar sun needs when combining together in a container. You can also borrow a trick from Mother Nature by combining plants that help each other. Use a sun-loving large plant to shade a smaller, shade-tolerant one. |
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| To put the pot together, remove plants from nursery pots. Loosen tangled roots and set plant so the top of root ball is at soil/potting mix level. Place plants more closely together than in a regular garden to create a lush, colorful look. After planting, firm the soil and add mix to fill in low spots as necessary. Water gently but thoroughly. |
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Maintenance - Fertilizer and Water |
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Some commercial potting mixes include fertilizer. If this is the case, make sure you read the label to see how long the fertilizer will last. If no fertilizer is included, use a water-soluble fertilizer every two to three weeks. Always follow the recommended rates to prevent fertilizer burn or possible death of the plants. |
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| An easy alternative is to use a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote. This can be added at the time you plant and you won't have to fertilize again all season. |
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Water regularly your container garden regularly. In hot spells, you may need to water one to three times each day. (You can recycle water from cooking or bathing as long as it is not too soapy.)
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| Tips for Planting Wire-Framed Hanging Baskets |
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| Line the side with well-soaked moss, leaving no gaps. Or try the newly available, pre-cut coco fiber liners. The liners just need to be pressed into place. Some need to be moistened before planting and some don't; as always, read the label for specific guidelines. |
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| After lining the pot, fill it to the rim with loose, light soil. Pull aside the moss and insert the plants into the side of the basket. It is important that the root balls don't touch. Add potting mix as needed to fill and water thoroughly after planting. |
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| Water and fertilizer guidelines are generally the same as for a container garden in a pot. However, if the basket totally dries out, take it down and submerge it in a bucket of water, letting it absorb as much water as it can handle. This will often revitalize a basket, though it shouldn't be relied upon because drying out may stress the plants. |
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| Plants shown in this episode |
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| Container: Big terra cotta pot |
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- Zinnia 'dreamland orange'
- Canna 'tropicanna'
- Sunflower
- Supertunia 'surfinia blue'
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| Moss-Line Hanging Basket |
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- Caladium
- New Guinea 'Moorea' - white
- New Guinea 'Kiascia' - purple
- Begonia
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| For some great tips on types of plants and types of containers to use visit Container Gardens. |
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| Written by James Proctor |
