Pam’s Gardening Tips: Growing Plants in Containers
Gardening in containers is fun and easy. If you want to try your hand at it, here are a few tips.
Buy weatherproof containers as they are lightweight and can be left outside all winter. If you use pottery you will have to bring them in as they will crack in the cold. Put plastic bottles in the bottom of the containers to reduce the amount of soil you will need. Use a good potting mix. Containers can be placed on steps, porches, decks, entryways, and even in your garden to fill empty spots.
What can you grow in containers? Annuals are easy to grow in containers and there are so many beautiful ones that bloom all summer. You can plant all one color or you can make an interesting combination of plants. Try one tall plant in the middle, lower-growing plants as “fillers,” and then a “spiller.” Make sure your combination of plants all like the same light conditions. Fertilize to keep them blooming and deadhead them. Plants in containers need to be kept well-watered as they dry out faster than in the ground.
Perennials can do well in containers and you can then take them out and plant them in your garden in the fall. This is a cost saving strategy.
Vegetables can be grown in containers with a sunny location and protected from the wind. Try your hand at tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and spinach.
Herbs are an option and if you like mint it is the only way to grow it, since mint is a well-known garden thug. Keep mint in containers!
Whatever you do, have fun, and let containers bring color in where it is needed.
In the fall, I remove tired annuals and either replace them with mums or call it a day. Then, before the ground gets frozen, I cut greens and branches and fill the containers, water well, and then have something to look at in the winter. At the holidays, you can add bows before the soil freezes.
Want to talk about plants? Boxborough Garden Club welcomes new members. Please email Flo Hanover at fhanover10@gmail.com.
Buy weatherproof containers as they are lightweight and can be left outside all winter. If you use pottery you will have to bring them in as they will crack in the cold. Put plastic bottles in the bottom of the containers to reduce the amount of soil you will need. Use a good potting mix. Containers can be placed on steps, porches, decks, entryways, and even in your garden to fill empty spots.
What can you grow in containers? Annuals are easy to grow in containers and there are so many beautiful ones that bloom all summer. You can plant all one color or you can make an interesting combination of plants. Try one tall plant in the middle, lower-growing plants as “fillers,” and then a “spiller.” Make sure your combination of plants all like the same light conditions. Fertilize to keep them blooming and deadhead them. Plants in containers need to be kept well-watered as they dry out faster than in the ground.
Perennials can do well in containers and you can then take them out and plant them in your garden in the fall. This is a cost saving strategy.
Vegetables can be grown in containers with a sunny location and protected from the wind. Try your hand at tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and spinach.
Herbs are an option and if you like mint it is the only way to grow it, since mint is a well-known garden thug. Keep mint in containers!
Whatever you do, have fun, and let containers bring color in where it is needed.
In the fall, I remove tired annuals and either replace them with mums or call it a day. Then, before the ground gets frozen, I cut greens and branches and fill the containers, water well, and then have something to look at in the winter. At the holidays, you can add bows before the soil freezes.
Want to talk about plants? Boxborough Garden Club welcomes new members. Please email Flo Hanover at fhanover10@gmail.com.