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Container Gardening!
 Tips for adding color and interest to almost any spot.
Choosing Containersz
Containers come in all types and sizes. Here are some points to keep in mind when selecting one.
The size and material of your container will depend on what type of plants you want to grow and if you want to keep and store your plants over the winter.
In general, the larger the plant, the larger the container needed. Plants need enough room for their roots to grow. Although most annuals have shallow root systems and only need about 8 inches of soil depth, larger plants will need more space. For example, a design with a Canna (one gallon) centerpiece surrounded by three smaller plants (4" pots) would need at least an 18" diameter container. The more soil the container will hold, the better the plants will grow.
If you plan to keep your containers outside over the winter, you may wish to choose an expandable material for your container such as wood. The freeze-thaw cycle will expand the soil and may cause a plastic or terracotta container to crack. A larger container will help to protect the roots of your plants from frost.
Drainage is crucial. All containers need at least one drainage hole. Additional holes can be drilled or punched in containers that do not drain quickly after each watering. It is also a good idea to put a screen over the drainage hole to keep soil from washing out.
There are many choices for containers—from urns to hanging baskets to old boots. For some ideas, browse the following online sources or contact the garden centers listed in the brochure insert for container ideas and availability:
Choosing a Planting Medium
Select a mix that is specifically designed for use in containers. It should be lightweight enough to allow for proper air supply and water drainage. It may not actually contain soil, and in fact, a mix without topsoil is best for containers. Look for brands that have high bark or peanut shell content. Many garden centers offer a variety of packaged mixes. Below are a few that we have used with success:
Routine Maintenance
Watering
Check the moisture level in your containers every day. If the top 2 inches are dry, it is time to water. Morning is the best time to water. Watering in the morning will provide your plants with moisture for the whole day and will not attract as many insects in the evening. Apply water until it runs out of the drainage holes.
Fertilizing
Mix a “slow release” fertilizer, such as Osmocote, into the planting mix when first planting your container. This will provide a long-term source of nutrients for your plants. Check label for application rates; it depends on the size of your container, but most brands will last about 3 months. Supplement this by applying a water-soluble fertilizer throughout the season. Synthetic fertilizers like Peter’s 10-50-10 and Miracle Gro 15-30-15 can be used every two weeks. If salts appear on rim of the container, flood the soil with water and withhold fertilizer for one to two weeks. Organic fertilizers like Alaska Mor-Bloom can be applied every time you water.
Mulching
Add a one-inch layer of mulch, such as woodchips, bark mulch, or newspaper on top of the planting mix to reduce weeds and keep the planting medium moist and cool.
Deadheading & Pinching
Deadheading encourages new flowers to bloom and increases plant growth. Snip or pinch fading or spent blooms at their base after plants have flowered.
Some annuals, like Coleus, benefit from pinching off the tops of some branches with your thumb and forefinger just above a leaf node.This will encourage a fuller shape and prevent plants from getting “leggy.”
Weeding & Cleaning
Remove any brown or yellow leaves, weed seedlings, trash, etc. that may accumulate. This will eliminate competition for the water, air, and nutrients your plants need to thrive.
Planting Approach
Hot Tickets
Although not hardy year-round in the Philadelphia area, tropical plants thrive during our long humid summers and work great in containers. Always available through catalog sources, tropicals are becoming standard summer stock in local retail outlets. Try some as the centerpiece of your next container.
Shady Characters
Shade can be hard to deal with. But the fix may be as easy as mixing contrasting textures and using lots of different foliage plants. Also, a variegated leaf with lots of white, like Caladium ‘Candium’, will brighten up any dark spot.
Winter Greens (or reds or yellows)
Sure you could always use a mini Christmas tree, but for real winter interest try yellow or red stem dogwood and variegated yucca. You can squeeze in a few evergreens for good measure.
May-December Romance
Well, not quite, but plant pansies in the fall and they will surprise you on a sunny winter day with happy blooms. Pansies are great for late fall and early spring color.
More Information
Visit the PHS McLean Library. The library is open to the public and PHS members have borrowing privileges. For membership information, click here.
The following websites offer more ideas and information on container gardening:
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