Container Gardening Planting Tips

Container gardening is a great way to brighten up a small space or a large garden, but where do you begin? There are three overall choices when deciding to plant a container: pot selection, plant selection, and planting medium.

Pot Selection

As a general rule the larger the pot the more soil it holds and the more moisture it will retain. Warmer climates will want to use lighter color pots to decelerate evaporation. Terra Cotta pots wick away moisture and will need increased watering.

Select the properly weighted pot for your intent. If you are sprucing up your front porch along a busy thoroughfare, you may want to select a heavy pot that is not easily moved for security purposes. If you plan on moving pots around your back porch consistently, select light-weight pots (terra cottas or plastics) so you do not risk injury.

Decide on your design theme before selecting you pots in order to pick the right colors, shapes, etc. Make sure your pots have drainage holes.

Plant Selection

There are not limits to your creativity when it comes to plant selection. Make sure you select plants that require the same amount of sun and water and will not overgrow the whole container (like mint).

You'll also want to consider:

-color
-number and kind of plants
-height
-location
-pot size

A good starting plan for a large container is to plant a spike or tall plant in the middle or back, a medium size plant around the middle, and finish with vines and creepers in the front for a nice draped finish.

Good Combinations:

-herbs and flowers

-flowers and greenery

-various flowering plants

-veggies and flowers

Planting Medium

The key to healthy, planted containers is the proper planting medium. Roots depend on the proper amount of water and air in the soil to create the ideal carbon dioxide exchange. Make sure to select the proper mixture for your plant selection.

Here is a good starting plan for a basic container:

-Make sure the pot has drainage holes and line bottom of pot with newspaper to prevent soil leaks.

-Use packing popcorn or broken pots at the very bottom to allow air into the soil.

-Compost, if you have it, is an excellent next layer for nutrients and aeration.

-Choose a rich potting soil or mixture. Consider products labeled "professional" that tend be void of weed seeds and possible diseases.

-Leave about a 2 inch gap between the soil and the top of the container and fill about 1/2 inch of this gap with mulch.