Container Gardening

Container gardening sneaks up on you. You start with one potted plant and pretty soon the entire patio or balcony is covered in them, looking almost indistinguishable from the adjacent flower bed.

If you have lots of plants in pots, keep them grouped. That way the containers get some protection from drying out and they are easier to water if they are all in one spot.

Over a few summers I tried a couple of different vegetables in containers, and I must say none of them did well at all, maybe because I don’t stick to watering them enough, which during the hottest part of summer means twice a day. If you have your heart set on growing potted vegetables, make sure the container is large enough to support their growth and provide enough nutrients, since vegetables are very heavy feeders. I noticed that even with the best of effort, they fare much better when planted in the garden.

Plants that like dry, exposed sites, like sun loving herbs, verbenas, heleniums, petunias and moss roses, do best in containers without an unreasonable amount of care.

The potting soil should be replaced every spring, but when this is not feasible, as is the case for container grown perennials and trees, make sure to top dress the pots to replace the soil that gets lost with each watering. A regular regimen of fertilizer is essential to keep the plants healthy.