Container Gardening? Go Ahead, Ask Questions!

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  Mona Lavender, Coleus, Alyssum, Begonia, Lobella & Geraniums

Container Gardening can be so much more than just putting pretty flowers in a container.

Using the same design aspect that you would use with in-ground landscaping, you can create vistas for your enjoyment while you are outside. With the placement of pots in the right place you can build framing for visual blockage of unwanted views, traffic pattern and flow, accent existing landscaping, and add interest to patio furniture arrangements.

Be sure to take into consideration the style of the area that you’re going to be placing these pots in. Is the color of the container going to be crucial? Will it be something to give it a little extra punch to the design area? You need to determine if you looking for containers that are highly decorative or more standard such as Clay.

Container gardening doesn’t stop with just putting your pots in the right location. Once you place the container, it’s crucial that you pick the correct plants to go in them. The most important factor to take into consideration when choosing your plants is the environment they are going to be planted in. Is it windy location? Does it receive full sun or partial sun? Are the plans going to be planted in an area that will be hard to maintain? If so you might want to use more durable plants.

An old fashioned Strawberry pot in a stunning red ceramic glaze

Another thing to consider the fact that you might have animals or children. This would mean you would want to watch for poisonous plants or thorny plants. Also, plants that are fragile may not handle the rough and tumble play of those same kids and their pets.

The plant materials that you use will play the most significant part of your container design. Add in the use of herbs and flowers for a charming accent or even to repel unwanted past such as mosquitoes The third thing that you would want to take into consideration is your decorating style. Are you a traditional stylist or a little bit more bohemian? What is the overall effect that you’re going for? Are you trying to be conservative and a little bit old-fashioned, or are you working for tropical effect with palms and exotic flowers?

A great combination for the shade!

It is essential that you should have a good understanding of the answers of all these questions before you even set foot into the nursery looking for plants. If you’re lost asked for help and if you don’t feel you’re getting the right help from the people in the store that you’re at, ask for professional to come out to your site and work up a plan that will best meet your needs. You have to live with the results of what you plant, and you want to be happy. So be sure to ask lots of questions and be willing to make changes if your ideas and plans don’t mix together.

But regardless if you are designing your own container gardens, or getting help from a professional gardener, the most important thing to remember is…

Enjoy your gardening experience!

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Back to the Basics

A beautiful garden takes work…

With the start of a new year, I thought it might be prudent to get back to some basics of gardening. It can feel overwhelming if you don’t know where to start in your gardening adventure. So, let’s start at the beginning!

The ABC’s of Gardening.

Teaching a novice to have a successful experience in gardening can be as easy as teaching a child their ABC’s. Regardless of whether the gardening experience will be for a few houseplants, a container garden, a large courtyard garden or even your entire landscape; these three principles apply to all. And if you follow them, you have a successful gardening experience. Let me explain more…

Photo by Bess Hamiti on Pexels.com

 A is Anticipation.

When you walk into your garden, look around you before you do anything. Anticipate what your garden needs are.

Do you have some wilting plants? Watering is an issue here.

Are the leaves yellow and pale? Maybe you need to consider a fertilizer application.

Do you see webbing or curling leaves? It could be a have an insect problem that needs your attention.

Looking around your garden before you start can give you an idea of what jobs lie ahead of you. This can also help you be prepared and have all of the essential tools that you’ll need to get your job done thoroughly and correctly.

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B it’s for Balance.

There has to be a balance between what you want the plant to do and what the plant is physically capable of doing. You need to know what your plant’s needs are; does it need a highlight, low water, or good air circulation. Placing plants in a location that doesn’t provide what they need, is the surest avenue for poor growing results.

Photo by Katarzyna Modrzejewska on Pexels.com

C is for Consistency.

It is essential to be consistent with your maintenance methods when you’re dealing with plants. A good example is this; if you water to your houseplants every Saturday afternoon, then you should do it each and every Saturday afternoon. It might even be a good idea to keep a log of your gardening activities, to be clear on what you have done and still need to do.

The plants will adapt to the way they are treated, but if there’s too much time between maintenance the plants get confused and they don’t know whether they should be stressed out or whether they are in a regular pattern. Consistency should also be for your fertilizing methods, your cleaning process, and your pruning techniques. Waiting until a plant is in need of something may not be the best way to be consistent in your gardening habits.

Be proactive; anticipate, balance, and be consistent for a successful gardening experience!

Of course, there are a lot more steps to a successful garden, but if you can start with these three basic steps, then you will enjoy your time with the plants and gardening all that much more.

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