By David Abrego. More than just conserving space, container gardening also offers portability and creative freedom. Not everyone has the yard for a grand garden. But you can work with what you’ve got. And if you’ve got pots, a container garden is a great alternative for small spaces. More than just conserving space, container gardening also offers portability and creative freedom. Don’t like the location? Changed your mind about the arrangement? Just move the pot!
Container gardening also makes light work of replacing winter seasonal color with summer seasonal color, heat-tolerant kitchen plants, and succulents.
Before you get your pots in gear, familiarize yourself with the needs of the plants you’re considering, such as water and light requirements, growth habit, bloom period, etc.
Selecting containers that best suit your plants will go a long way toward the success of your new garden: dark-colored pots should not be placed in full sun all day, for example. Also consider the pot material. Clay or terra cotta pots absorb moisture, so they’re best for plants that can tolerate both wet and dry conditions. (The opposite is true for plastic or biodegradable pots.)
After you choose the pots:
- Ensure each container has drainage holes. You can promote drainage — and recycle broken flowerpot pieces at the same time — by placing shards over the drainage holes to prevent them from getting clogged and prevent soil from washing away.
- Fill with a well-draining garden soil mix.
- Add plants and combine plants with similar needs (water, light, growth habit, etc.).
- Remember: since your plants will be growing in a restricted environment — containers limit the water and nutrient reservoir — their needs will be different than a garden growing in the ground. They may dry out more quickly, so pay attention to watering until you understand their requirements.
David Abrego
David Abrego is a conservation consultant for SAWS. David, a native of Panama, likes to spend his time surrounded by plants and fruit trees. So if you can’t find him at home, he’s probably working in a greenhouse. David is also an arborist and an irrigation technician.