Easy Container Gardening Tips

By: Joanne Jones
Submitted: 2008-09-29 23:45:29
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Container gardening is very popular for the simple reason is that it doesn't take up a lot of room. That means that anyone can have a container garden, regardless of where they are living or if they even have a backyard. You can grow flowers, vegetables and herbs in containers with ease. So whether you have your container garden indoors, outdoors, on a patio or in your backyard, here are some simple tips to help you grow the best plants ever.

Selecting Containers

You can pretty much use any container you like, including ones such as old pots and wood barrels. So, go ahead - get creative and use your imagination to come up with some really interesting containers. Remember though, as you start to come up with some ideas, there are a few things that you should to keep in mind when choosing a container. 

1. The most important criteria is that the container is large enough for the plant to fit in. Just don't pick a container that is too big, otherwise the plant will spend all of its energy growing roots to fill the pot and not enough energy producing its lovely flowers or vegetables. As the plant grows, you can always transplant it to a larger container.
2. Try to pick a container that is wider on top than on bottom. This will allow you to easily slip the plant out of its current container and into the new one when it is time to transplant.
3. Avoid buying or making wood containers with treated wood, as this wood will release deadly toxins and kill your plants. Instead, use cedar or redwood, which is resistant to rotting and does not need to be stained or painted.

Choosing The Soil

You have probably noticed that there are many different soils to choose from. Some soils are specific to certain types of plants, such as African Violets. Feel free to use that soil first. However, if you aren't sure or if you will be having a variety of plants in one container, then choose a soil that will drain rapidly but also retain moisture to keep the roots moist. This soil will be a combination of soil, peat moss and sand. Avoid using soil from an outdoor garden, as it can become too compact after watering and can actually damage the roots of your plants.

Watering Tips

Giving too much water or not enough water to your plants are common problems. But how do you know if you're giving too much or too little? Follow these tips when you are watering your plants:

1.  To find out if it is time to water your plants, stick your finger about an inch or two into the soil. If the soil is dry, then your plant needs some water. However, if your plant is a succulent, ignore this tip and go to tip #2.
2. Before watering a succulent, first pick up the pot it is in. If the pot feels relatively light, then it is time to water. Succulents are use to a desert climate, so they don't need as much water or as often as your other plants.
3. When you do water your plants, give them enough water so that it begins to run out of the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. To prevent the water from spilling over onto your floor, keep the pot in a saucer. Sometimes pots come with a saucer attached to them so that you won't have to worry about the excess water.

Article source: Expert Articles