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Container gardening 101
Anne Marrison, The Times
Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Small space gardeners love container plantings, but gardeners in larger spaces also have situations where containers are indispensable - they can emphasize bends of a path, flank doorways and make maximum security jails for beautiful but invasive plants. Best of all, each potted mini-garden allows the gardener complete control. You can make your own soil mix, move your pot into sunny or shady conditions as required and know that any pests will be easy to see and remove.
Container plantings of most annual flowers need rich soil because the plants need to be put very closely together. Often people add a slow-release balanced fertilizer [all numbers the same] before planting, though this isn’t necessary where a mix already contains fertilizer. Close clusters of annuals usually need liquid fertilizer also, the frequency depending on solution strength. In order to keep blooms coming and ward off disease, there should be regular dead-heading and picking-off of dead of dying leaves. It is crucial containers don’t dry out. In hot summers, daily watering is needed for potted plantings in full sun.
Hanging baskets and very small pots may need to be watered twice daily.
When a container totally dries out, watering from above is useless because the soil shrinks and water pours down the crack which opens around the inside of the pot. The only way to moisten the soil is to dunk the whole thing in a tub of water until moisture can be seen on the soil’s surface.
The way to avoid this problem is by planting in the biggest pots you can handle - at least 14″ [40cm] in diameter. Apartment gardeners need to check whether their balconies can handle the extra weight. Balcony gardeners with neighbors below should put drainage trays under their containers.
They also need to use pot feet so container plants don’t risk root rot by sitting in water. One major cause of container planting problems is failing to take notice of the care labels and putting sun-lovers in shade or vice versa.
In general, east-facing areas have gentle morning sun followed by afternoon shade. West-facing locations have morning shade, but plants may bake in the afternoon because the temperature is higher then.
Plants that like semi-shade can handle the east side of a house better than the west side. For plants that like warmth and sun, the west side of a house in summer is almost as beneficial as the south side
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