Plant Gardens 101

According to the National Gardening Association, 91 million households participated in some form of do-it-yourself lawn and gardening activity in 2005, spending an average of $387. Over the past decade, an increasing percentage of this total has gone towards container gardening.

Containers offer a versatile form of gardening that fits into any lifestyle and yard size. City dwellers can use them to brighten up lifeless balconies, roof decks or front stoops, while those with more space can decorate high-traffic spaces and incorporate them into lawn and garden areas for added drama and flair. Because of the multitude of options on the market, container gardens are an easy way to add a splash of color to any outdoor space, big or small.

Roses are among the most spectacular and rewarding choices for a container because of their combination of color, fragrance and season-long blooms. Also, with advances in hybridizing, roses are easier to grow than ever before. Look for the All-America Rose Selections (AARS) rose logo as a “seal of approval,” which indicates that the rose excelled in the most difficult plant trial in the world: two years of testing in 23 gardens across the country, representing all climate zones. By performing well against 15 criteria including fragrance, ease of maintenance and disease resistance, AARS roses are proven to be the very best.

Tom Carruth, director of research at Weeks Roses and hybridizer of eight AARS Winners in the past nine years, provides the following tips for building the perfect container rose garden: (more…)

If you are a garden lover, but have no space for your gardening appetite, don’t worry gardening is not necessarily out of your reach. In the available space of your house say balcony, patio, deck, or sunny window, you can create a container gardening, which will not only bring you joy but also vegetables. So, are you ready to start container gardening yourself…

In the past, gardening is an exclusive realm of the landowner. Nowadays even the flat dweller can grow his dream garden without having any fuss. One’s dream can be fulfilled by container gardening, which means the gardening in a special container. Container gardening gives delights of landscape without weekly mowing. In the container, you can raise some perennials, annuals, and even shrubs and small trees. (more…)

If you are a garden lover, but have no space for your gardening appetite, don’t worry gardening is not necessarily out of your reach. In the available space of your house say balcony, patio, deck, or sunny window, you can create a container gardening, which will not only bring you joy but also vegetables. So, are you ready to start container gardening yourself…

In the past, gardening is an exclusive realm of the landowner. Nowadays even the flat dweller can grow his dream garden without having any fuss. One’s dream can be fulfilled by container gardening, which means the gardening in a special container. Container gardening gives delights of landscape without weekly mowing. In the container, you can raise some perennials, annuals, and even shrubs and small trees.

Don’t think container gardening can be achieved very easily. Container gardening also requires proper planning just like that of traditional gardening. Planning consists of finding your USDA zone (this will help to identify the suitable plant variety of your zone), amount of daylight you are receiving in your apartment, and finally choose your beloved plant variety. (more…)

For years people have been gardening in containers, mostly because they lacked space. For some it was because they lived in climates that wouldn’t allow them to grow year round. Container gardens afford you the option of planting outside until the cold forces the container inside, next to a sunny window.

Most container gardens were planted by people that lived in apartments but still wanted the addition of color and the feeling of accomplishment when seeing their plants grow. Big, beautiful showy flowers have a tranquil effect that soothes you at the end of a long day. Container gardening need not be limited to apartment gardening, everyone should have their own. Most certainly you don’t have to stick to flowers in containers. You can grow vegetables and herbs in pots. (more…)

Growing a garden of outdoor plants in containers, typically on a rooftop or a small city plot

Container gardening solves many problems for the avid & novice gardener. It’s the ideal solution to challenges such as limited space and poor soil.

Container gardening also allows you to place your garden where you want and need it. Container gardening can also improve monitoring and control so that optimal growing conditions can be maintained.

But what is container gardening? Container gardening is the raising of plants in soil filled containers outside of the traditional garden. It affords many people the chance to garden who would otherwise not have the space for an open garden on the ground. Container gardening is ideal for city dwellers who have only a balcony or rooftop to garden on. But even if space is not a problem, container gardening can just make gardening easier and more convenient.

While any type of container will do, it’s best to use something that’s not too shallow and does not leak. Most Home and Garden stores and nurseries sell prefabricated containers for container gardening. Or you can simply build your own to fit the space. With a little imagination, almost anything can be used for your container gardening project. An old wheel barrow or large kettle for instance. Even an old computer case! The container you select for container gardening doesn’t just have to be functional. It can also be a design element. (more…)

Container gardening is one of the most pleasurable pastimes and is very rewarding with little effort. You get a special feeling of abundance seeing your deck or patio filled to overflowing with plant-packed containers and pots. Your deck garden is sure to give you a warm feeling and entice you to outdoor living. Container gardens can provide that link between the indoors and outside area, helping you to transform a deck or patio into another living space – an outdoor living space.

Container gardening is one of the most pleasurable pastimes and is very rewarding with little effort. You get a special feeling of abundance seeing your deck or patio filled to overflowing with plant-packed containers and pots. Your deck garden is sure to give you a warm feeling and entice you to outdoor living. Container gardens can provide that link between the indoors and outside area, helping you to transform a deck or patio into another living space – an outdoor living space. (more…)

Keeping your planters and containers consistently watered will be easier and more effective when you follow some very simple and practical procedures.

Firstly, the larger the pot or container the better equipped for water retention. Hanging baskets and small pots may require watering as often as twice a day in very hot weather, making it almost impossible for the average homeowner who works away from home or may be just too busy to carry out this responsibility. Larger containers need watering less frequently. We have found that placing rocks, stones or crushed pottery in the bottom of the container before you plant ensures that they do not become waterlogged over time.

You can position your containers and garden planters so that they are shaded during the hottest part of the day, thus they need less water. For gardeners who are not available all day, it also provides some breathing space at the end of the day; plants are wilting in the hot sun waiting for that lifesaving drink. (more…)

Creating your own container garden can be so much fun, especially if you think of using themes. Consider showing off your style with a small kitchen garden, or create an outdoor pot designed to attract hummingbirds or to welcome butterflies. Our beings are drawn to beautiful scents, what about a container giving off wonderful fragrances.

Culinary containers or kitchen gardens are especially handy as a source of herbs, leafy lettuce or parsley, or even edible flowers. You may wish to combine many edibles to create your own miniature garden at the door. Combining edibles with your flowering or ornamental plants can be so attractive – imagine Beefsteak Tomatoes surrounded by basil or oregano. For foliage color, use green and purple leaved basils, leaf lettuce and Swiss chard. Parsley is especially great, goes anywhere, and adds attractive texture and rich green color to any container combination. Nasturtiums are grown for their showy, spurred flowers and trailing ones are sensational in your planters – they are edible and give a finished look to the container. (more…)

Container Gardening and Garden planters are a warm and inviting way to add interest to your outdoor decorating spaces. You can spruce up your outdoor living spaces by adding decorative planters that give your plants “pop”! Let’s face it, outdoor decorating is “in” right now – it is the hottest design trend going. There are diverse ways you can add your own personality to your outdoor design space. One of the easiest is to use decorative planters for your garden.

With more and more people spending time indoors working, the desire to return to the outdoors has really hit big. Even if you live in the city, you can bring the outdoors to your home with garden planters or may be a nice trellis or a set of wind chimes! Yesterday’s plastic industrial flower pots have given way to the beautiful and practical decorative planters of today. So thinking big, is not out of line when you think outdoor decorating. You can have style and functionality in something as practical as outdoor flower, plants, herb and vegetable pots! (more…)

With a good and proper container gardening design you can take care of the hardest part of container gardening, keeping your plants alive. Most people who start with this kind of gardening are having a difficult time the first time round. There are, however, a lot of helpful tips and tricks we can give you to make the learning curve a smoother. With proper container gardening design you can avoid a lot of misery.

Options and variables in container gardening design
Start with the size (height and width) of the plants and not just the size they are now but the size they will be in summer. Next you should look at the container, look at the size but also the look and feel of the container. A bright pink flowering plant might not look so good in a red plastic container. The containers should also look nice in the existing garden and match the feeling of your home. So look at shape, color and texture to. Half the fun of a container garden is getting to design your garden with your containers, but be aware that finding the perfect container gardening design can require an extensive search. (more…)

Most gardening fanatics suffer from the biggest problem that can nip their hobby in the bud – lack of space. However, what most people do not know is that they can easily practice gardening in whatever little space they have. Gardening can be done in a balcony, on a patio, or even on a windowsill where there is adequate sunlight. Such home gardening is not just for pleasure; it can be your source of several vegetables. Welcome to the world of container gardening!

Gardening in the years gone by required a lot of space. Now, gardens have sprung up even in apartments without much lack of glory. Container gardening has made this happen. In simple words, container gardening means growing plants in containers, what are commonly known as potted plants. This enables people to grow seasonal plants as well as perennial plants, shrubs as well as little trees within their homes. The great advantage is that no mowing is required in container gardening. (more…)

If you’ve always dreamed of ditching your big-city life in favor of growing your own food in the back woods, get started now with container gardening! You would be surprised at how many plants can live happily on a balcony and in the house. Many varieties of fruit and vegetable can be grown in a small space.

Evaluate your space before you purchase gardening supplies and plants. Some plants can do well in smaller containers, but need more sunlight. Some need larger containers, but can be grown with little sunlight. Herbs, for example, can be grown in small containers, but need at least 5, preferably more, hours of sunlight. Leafy greens, like lettuce, need less sunlight. (more…)

The nice thing about Container Gardening is that vegetables and flowers can be grown in almost any type of container. Just make sure there are sufficient drainage holes drilled in the bottom of each container. Four to five one-half inch holes will be sufficient. After the holes are drilled, put a piece of window screening inside the container.

The precaution is in selecting which container is best suited for what vegetable. For instance. Root crops like carrots, tomatoes, and other large plants require deeper containers. On the other hand, leafy vegetables do not need such deep containers.

Here are some containers I use for the various vegetables I grow. For tomatoes, I always select dwarf, determinate tomato plants. These grow and produce extremely well in 3 to 5 gallon cake frosting plastic buckets. Any bakery will be happy to save their buckets for you. Remember, you can only plant 1 tomato plant per container.

Green peppers grow and produce well in smaller buckets. Usually 2 to 3 gallon cake frosting buckets are sufficient. These containers can only handle 1 plant per container. Banana peppers grow well in 1 gallon milk jugs. I cut off the top of a 1gallon milk jug just below the top of the handle, and use them. This gives you a container that is about 7 inches deep. You can only grow 1 banana pepper plant in a gallon container. The nice part is that the gallon milk jugs sit very well on 6 inch window sills. (more…)

The nice thing about Container Gardening is that vegetables and flowers can be grown in almost any type of container. Just make sure there are sufficient drainage holes drilled in the bottom of each container. Four to five one-half inch holes will be sufficient. After the holes are drilled, put a piece of window screening inside the container.

The precaution is in selecting which container is best suited for what vegetable. For instance. Root crops like carrots, tomatoes, and other large plants require deeper containers. On the other hand, leafy vegetables do not need such deep containers.

Here are some containers I use for the various vegetables I grow. For tomatoes, I always select dwarf, determinate tomato plants. These grow and produce extremely well in 3 to 5 gallon cake frosting plastic buckets. Any bakery will be happy to save their buckets for you. Remember, you can only plant 1 tomato plant per container. (more…)

Insects

The only ones troubling house plants are the green fly, the mealy bug, the scale, and the red spider.

The green fly is to be killed by a smoking with tobacco. Put the plant under a barrel with smoking tobacco; let it remain, say fifteen minutes; then give it a syringing.

Mealy bug is to be searched for and destroyed. Frequent sponging does much to keep down this pest.

Scale is to be treated in the same way. Warm soap-suds are peculiarly distasteful to the creature.

Red spider, which is seldom found on house plants, is nourished by a dry, warm atmosphere. Water is certain death. Keep the foliage syringed and atmosphere moist, and you will have no red spider. (more…)

Garden planters allow you to enjoy plants in areas where a traditional garden is awkward or impossible. In my tiny backyard, I grow nearly everything in containers, at least while the plant and I are deciding whether we like each other. Growing plants in planters allows you to provide the right conditions for different plants. Practically any type of garden planters can be used to grow plants as long as it holds soil, can drain water, and is large enough for the plant you’re growing. They are available in a wide range of materials, styles and shapes to match the style of the house, garden, or planting scheme. Take into account the mature size of the plants and their growing habits. Ideally, the pot should have a diameter equal to 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the plant.

Whatever kind of pot you choose, make sure there are drainage holes on the bottom of it so excess water can run out. Beware of decorative garden planters that lack drainage holes. You can put your plants in a regular flower pots and place them inside decorative garden planters. You can place pieces of broken pot or scoria in the bottom of your pot around the drainage hole to ensure free drainage. (more…)

Many people stick a fake tree in a corner, dust the leaves off every week, and call it indoor container gardening, but indoor container gardening has grown into much more than that lately. There are people who only plant indoors, and guess what – they make it work. Yet there are many great reasons to start an indoor garden. One I can immediately think of is the weather. It might always be cold where you live. Another is that plants don’t only remove carbon dioxide from the air; they also remove many poisonous toxins and pollutants as well. So you get the benefit of indoor beauty and cleaner air.

When picking out plants for indoor container gardening, make sure the plants are adaptable and will be able to thrive in the conditions and setting in your house. Consider how much time you will be able to spend caring for the plants, how much light your house offers, and how much money you want to spend on your indoor garden. If you are short on money, then start small and use seeds or cuttings from a neighbor. If you have, some extra cash in your budget buy a plant that is grown. Also, consider whether or not you want your plant to be on display all year or for specific seasons. Herb gardens are a good thing for indoor container gardening; they are both attractive and edible. They will grow pretty quick and you won’t have to wait a long time to see results. Clearly, some very popular herbs, especially for cooking up recipes, are dill, chives, thyme, sage, and gold old oregano. (more…)

If you follow these 5 tips for successful container gardening you will not only save time, but money, frustration and possibly embarrassment. As this is an increasingly popular venue for gardening, container gardening is making a fashion statement. Container gardens are already very popular for entries, patios and decks. Maybe you’ve thought about incorporating them into your office or home, but haven’t. If by chance you feel a little overwhelmed on the basics, here are 5 tips for successful container gardening, even if it’s your first.

Before you run off in all directions as if you had 2 hours to create a masterpiece, pause to do some planning. First think about what type of feeling you want to have, when you look at your container. For me, I want to feel like I’ve walked into my own “secret garden” and have a sense of calm. I think about how it will smell, and feel among other things. Is it going to be a focal point in a room, or mixed in as part of a theme? Will it be the centerpiece on a table, or placed in a semi-lit hallway? (more…)

With the inability to plant directly into the earth, planters and pots offer an alternative growing medium. In cases such as an upstairs patio or a small outdoor space, the use of decorative pots, combined with wood planters, allows for both functionality and décor. By choosing your plants carefully you will be able to create a long-lasting show of greenery and create needed elements such as screening unwanted views or softening a corner.

Plants for Screening
It is very common to use plants on the patio or deck for the intention of screening. Screening can be something as basic as hiding an unattractive waste receptacle or adding privacy from a too-close neighboring home.

In these instances, you will want to consider the needed screening, height and width, and then choose evergreen trees and shrubs appropriate to your local microclimate. I recommend doing a simple site survey to note factors such as: prevailing wind and sun exposure.

What to use? The use of evergreen trees can be especially useful if planted in large pots (over 20” diameter) and planted closely to create a hedgerow effect. Shrubs with small leaves like boxwood or myrtle can be useful for creating low privacy screens: to maintain their height, a nicely sharpened pair of hedge clippers is useful.

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