6 Tips For Success With Containers

Growing plants in containers has many advantages over planting in open ground. You have complete control over the soil used in the planter and know that it will be free of weeds. The flowers can be grouped in ways that it is not possible in a border and the containers can be moved as conditions require. Even so there are some challenges with using containers so these six tips by Emily Murphy from her article which I found on the Pass The Pistil website will point you in the right direction.

Container gardening is often easier and just as rewarding as gardening in the ground. You can focus your attention on just those plants you?ve chosen to grow. Containers tell you where to weed, what needs protection, and what needs feeding and watering. They?re mobile, you can shift them in and out of the sun as needed, into shelter during cold spells or exceptionally hot days, or move them as needed to create decorative focal points and centerpieces.

However, gardening in containers also presents a number of challenges. In fact, I once heard another gardener describe container gardening as torture for plants. Imagine what it?s like to be confined in a tiny space when your roots are used to having room to roam, wandering off to discover moisture and nutrients in unexpected territory. It must be disheartening to find yourself jammed into a planter with no where to go.

Whether you?re growing a kitchen garden, herbs, flowers, or all of the above, there are a number of things you can do to help your plants feel at home in a pot and even thrive. It starts with the plants you?re growing (or hope to grow) and the home you give them.

Plant Selection

If you?re wondering what to grow, I always say start by growing the plants you love. If it?s basil, grow basil. If you love cosmos, grow cosmos. In fact, it?s possible to grow nearly any plant in a container given the right container. But to make things easy, look for varieties that are suited to your climate and also ones designed for containers, such as plants described as dwarf, patio, or micro (like the ?Babycakes? blackberry from Bushel & Berry above). Sometimes plant tags and seed packets even have an icon showing which plants are container friendly.