Soil Conditioning
Mixing a handful (or so) of Sphagnum moss to your potting soil increases moisture retention and gives
heavy aeration, thus preventing root rot and plant diseases.
Keeping plants healthy
With all plants, whether green foliage or blooming, you will have healthier plants if you maintain a schedule for watering and fertilizing. This maintenance will enable plants to be more tolerant of insect attacks. Read directions on the fertilizer bag, and never over fertilize or over water. Good pot drainage is a must.
Tomatoes
Easily grown in containers, tomatoes can be enjoyed into the fall. Utilizing a 20" container, two plants can be grown with the aid of a wire cage placed into container just around and within the rim and about 4" into soil. Tomato plants require a good fertilizer applied at planting and every 30 days, and continued watering (do not let soil become too dry!). Plant needs lots of early-day sun.
Cutting the flowers
The best time to cut your beautiful container garden flowers is in the morning after dew has time to dry, or in the evening before dew sets in - never in heat of day. To ensure longer life, cut flowers just before they mature, when not quite open.
Learn the easy way
Container gardening is especially an easy and handy way for Seniors to maintain the beauty of a garden without all the work. You can avoid all that ?bending? and strain by putting container on table when planting. Once started, the upkeep is much easier; you can move your plants, flowers, herbs, vegetables at your leisure; you can have a few or many plants, depending on your needs or wants; no ?hoeing? allowed here (isn?t that nice!). I started my container garden when I filled in my unused swimming pool (too much upkeep, seldom used, anymore - see my article on this). These gardens also attract butterfly. You can have your garden on an apartment balcony or patio, your back yard, or anywhere your ideas carry you. Plant and ENJOY!
Types of baskets
Two types of hanging baskets are: wire baskets, plastic containers. Either are good, depending on your needs. If bringing basket in-doors during winter, I prefer the plastic containers...less water-dripping.
Herbs - Sweet Basil
Sweet basil is a wonderful aromatic herb that can be used to enhance recipes of meats, tomato soup, dried leaves added to olive oil with garlic for a healthy salad dressing. Grows easily in containers.
Little faces watching you
Don?t overlook planting pansies in late fall for long enjoyment. Great variety of colors. I enjoy those ?little faces? greeting me on my front porch!
Rule-of-thumb for watering
A basic rule-of-thumb for watering plants is: if leaves droop, you need to water more; if leaves yellow, slow up on the water.
Soil for your container plants
ALWAYS buy potting soil mix for your container garden. I can?t emphasize this enough: ALWAYS potting soil, NEVER ?ground? dirt. The potting soil is formulated for root aeration and moisture retention - a must for houseplants and Container Gardens!! I usually buy the 16-17 lb. size; and like Proterra or MiracleGrow (this latter even offers soil with a fertilizer already in it), which can be found at Targets, Home Depot, KMart, etc. I find the packaged soil cheaper at these locations than at specialty garden stores.
Container-saucers; standing water
Consider turning your garden container-saucers up-side-down. This will insure good drainage, and avoid standing water...where mosquitoes can breed and multiply; not a good thing! At the least, empty the water from saucers every evening during summer months.
Hibiscus, beautiful hibiscus!
Hibiscus can easily be grown in containers; in fact, they have become my most treasured of container plants. These especially need good drainage in whatever container used, and use of a loose soil (1/4 perlite) is important. A good factor, from the Exotic Hibiscus website, is "they need good drainage. Most of our customers up north put a pot inside another pot (sic. with gravel in bottom to raise off water) to make sure the roots are not too wet." As the hibiscus plant grows, you may want to transplant to a larger container.
Watch for drainage holes
Most all plant containers will have drainage holes in the bottom. For ?regular? pots, you?ll want to buy the saucer to set them in (if not attached). But, I?ve found some great ?buys? on containers that had no drainage hole. I make them: set an ice-pick on electric burner (or gas flame) on your stove, just long enough to heat it, then slowly puncture (pressure)from inside the container in the bottom (at least 3 - 4 punctures, depending on size of container). Before adding soil, place a shard (piece of broken clay pot or saucer) over the drainage - or even small rocks, this will keep the soil from draining out with the water. NOTE: my ice-pick has a wooden handle; be careful not to burn your hand when using the heated pick. ALWAYS have drainage in your containers to avoid root-rot and for healthier growth!
Annuals or Perennials
Keep in mind, when selecting plants for container gardens, that an ?annual? plant lasts only one year (or growing season) whereas the ?perennial? lasts (or is active) through the year or for many years to come. In most cases, I prefer the perennials.