Easy Container Gardening
- Many plants grow well in containers. Grow herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, saw palmetto, cilantro, chamomile, oregano, calendula, lemon balm, catnip, parsnips, ginger, sesame, garlic, French tarragon and so on.
Try planting vegetables and fruits such as spinach, apples, cucumber, fig, cherry, squash, eggplant, lettuce, potato, plums, corn, turnips, cabbage, beans and cauliflower.
Appropriate garden plants include ground ivy, asparagus fern, lily of the Nile, mums, daylily, orchids, black-eyed Susan, snapdragons, lamb's ear, rock jasmine and hellebore.
Bulb enthusiasts can try planting tulips, daffodils, snowdrop, yyacinth, Iris, bluebell, and tiger glower.
Grow shrubs and trees such as crepe myrtle and bougainvillea. Also try dwarf pomegranate, black bamboo, Christmas cacti, and aloe. - Avoid containers with narrow openings that might prevent plants to grow as they should. Even small pots are not advisable since they tend to restrict the root area and dry out very quickly.
Cheap plastic pots are fine but eventually deteriorate when exposed in UV sunlight. Terra cotta pots, on the other hand, may dry out rapidly. For a better choice, use glazed ceramic pots, but ensure that you put several drainage holes in it. Wooden containers can be built to sizes and shapes, but they are prone to rot over time. Use a redwood or cedar since these woods are somewhat rot-resistant. Also try to avoid wood treated with creosote or other toxic compounds because the vapors can damage the plants. If you plan to use clay pots, monitor them closely for loss of moisture since clay is absorbent and water is lost from the sides.
Use containers between 15 and 120 qts. capacity, but container size usually depends on the size and number of plants you plan to grow. Always make sure your pots have enough holes in them approximately ½ inch across. - You also need some basic tools to get started with container gardening. Use a garden fork or hand rake to help loosen the soil. A potting trowel is also helpful for potting and transferring. For general gardening, use secateurs instead of sewing scissors since the blades are better and give a cleaner cut in live woods. And of course, you'll need a pair of gloves to avoid getting cuts when you're gardening. This will also let you enjoy gardening without getting your hands too dirty.