Container Planting
Container planting is a great way to use your space efficiently or jazz up the space you have. This is where gardening can get creative. You can plant just about anything in a container, from flowers to herbs to even vegetables. And just about anything can be a container, from your standard terra cotta pots to the not-so-standard old pair of boots. Type in “container planting” in a search engine and you’ll find endless ideas. Here are a few tips to consider when starting to plant in containers.
Select your container
Choose a container that doesn’t constrict the plant’s roots, giving it room to grow. Roots like to expand and grab hold of the soil finding every bit of nourishment it can.
Prep your container
- Give your container a good wash to make sure there is nothing in it that will hurt the plant
- Make sure the container has proper drainage. If need be, drill some holes in the bottom. You don’t want water sitting at the bottom of your container, rotting the roots.
- Put a coffee filter or newspaper at the bottom of the container, allowing water to escape but keeping the compost in.
Add your soil
- Fill the container with Garden Blend compost, leaving 1-2 inches at the top.
- Dig a hole for your plant, place the plant in and fill the dirt back in.
- Gently compact the soil around the plant. You want the soil to hold the plant, but you don’t want to compact the soil such that water can’t seep down.
Finish the job
- Ask the garden center where you purchased the plant for watering instructions. But as a rule of thumb, you want the soil moist enough that it will hold together when squeezed but not drip.
- Add mulch to the top of the soil to prevent the soil from drying out.
