Growing plants in a container is very easy and rewarding
Beautiful containers overflowing with texture and color can add a lot to your outdoor design. Even if you are a beginning gardener , you can create a fabulous planting. Decorative containers can be placed on a patio,deck, or even a balcony. It can be staged to provide a focal point in a suburban landscape. Container planting are great when you don't have a yard but enjoy the colors and fragrances of plants. Growing flowers, vegetables and herbs in pots takes the heavy work out of gardening. This will eliminate the need for removing sod, tilling and most importantly, no weeding. Containers plantings can be very awarding and be beautiful at the same time. Container gardening is great for children as well. One drawback is that you have to remember to water them a little more than the plants in your flower bed, especially if they are out in the full sun.
One of the benefits of a container garden is mobility. Meaning that you can move the plants around where ever you might need to. You can moeasily move pots of sun-loving annuals to a shady deck to enhance a special group occasion or hide a pot that has just been pruned until it fills out again. Another idea, would be to group pots together. This is an easy way to introduce some plant pizazz to your surroundings. Adding splashes of colorful perennials will surely perk up your surroundings.
Lush containers can definitely fit your budget. With very little expense you create the feeling of a resort in your own space. Your expense would be in the materials and the plant that you choose. Be sure to start with a good mix, mix-and-match plants and containers, water them when necesary, and you will probably end up with gorgeous pots.
You should look for containers with a pleasing size and shape, and purchase plants and materials at your local nursery,hardware or garden center. The best kinds of pots to use are the porous terra-cota pots, which are great because they allow water to evaporate through container sides, and offer an ideal rooting environment for plant roots to be established. The ideal rooting conditions would be when the weather is warm and you are sure that the low temps of your area have risen high enough not to damage tender plants.
Plants that do well int hot, dry areas are herbs, succulents, or heat loving annuals. Again, look for terra cotta planters with traditional styles and innovative shapes. If you live where there are harsh winters, you should choose materials that stand up to the elements, such as stone, concrete or fiberglass. If you plan to fill containers with upright plants, you'll want pots that look good. If you choose cascading plants that hide the container, it will not be as hard to find a pot. The one thing that you will need to have is a container with holes in the bottom. This will allow the excess water to drain off. Make sure you match the size of the plant to the container. meaning no large plant in a small pot or a small plant in a large lonely pot.
