Container Gardening: How to Choose Potted Plants

About Potted Plants

Container Gardening: How to choose the right container for your potted plants.

Picking the Right Plant Container

Containers

Container gardening is wonderful! If you have trouble making up your mind about your garden design, all you have to do is shove a few pots around and you have a new design. If you want to grow exotic plants in a cold climate then container planting will let you fool them into thinking they are right at home in the tropics.

And if you like change - containers are about as changeable as you can get. First of all, you have all kinds of interesting containers, from classic to just plain wild. Don't limit yourself to only commercial pots. As long as you can provide adequate drainage, many flea market or garage sale items can make perfect container gardens. (Tea kettles, wash basins and wheelbarrows are just a few examples.) And then you have all kinds of great places to put a container garden - from a tiny balcony to a bare spot in a huge garden - or even indoors. You can hang them from poles or on walls, or set them on rolling carts - or even - (dastardly thought) just put them on the ground!

Finally, almost anything that can be grown in the ground can be grown in a pot - and a few things actually prefer being containerized. (Is that a word?) You can change your floral display seasonally, hide the plants that are getting tattered around the edges, and generally, with a little slight of hand and a wee bit of planning, fool people into thinking you actually know what you're doing.

Types Of Container Materials

A pot's a pot - right? And it doesn't really matter what it's made of, as long as it holds dirt - right? Wrong. While all pots will hold plants, some are better than others, some more attractive than others, and some, while downright ugly, are indispensable. (You just have to hide them!)

A lot depends on the climate you live in, because some materials may look strong and then shatter into a thousand pieces with the first freeze. The kind of plants you'll be planting may also make a difference, as some like to live in swampy environments and will want containers that retain moisture; others prefer to pretend they are in the desert and want pots that breathe.
And, if you like container gardening because of its portability, a lot depends on your brute strength. Container materials vary from featherweights to a tonnage guaranteed to cause hernias.

And then, of course, there is personal preference. You're going to like the look of some materials, and hate others. (Your neighbor may have quite the opposite tastes.) And finally, there is your budget. Some materials are for champagne budgets only, while others can be as cheap as - well. . . free!

How To Select, Prepare, And Maintain Your Containers

Although you could just go out and buy a plant and plunk it into whatever container you have handy, understanding the basics of container selection, preparation, and maintenance will go a long way toward creating a successful container garden.

The material your container is made of not only affects how happy you are with the total look of your garden but how happy your plants will be growing in it. The container itself will determine not only how easy your garden is to maintain but where you can grow things -- on walls, hanging from trees, or on the ground. A combination of the container type and material will determine how much maintenance your garden will need -- and how often you need to water it.

You will need to select containers appropriate for the types of plants you want to grow and for the style of your house and garden design. Once these are clean and filled with whatever materials will give your plant proper drainage, they'll make good homes for happy plants.
If you make sure to bring in any containers that can be damaged by weather, and to keep permanent outdoor containers well mulched and mounted, you should be ready to enjoy a long-lived and happy garden.

Here are some additional potted plants basics:

Choose they area where you will be placing your potted plant.

Pick a container size that will best fit the area that you have chosen.

Choose your container type. Containers are made of many different types. plastic, wood and clay. Choosing wood and unglazed clay pots will require watering more often because they are porous and will absorb some of the moisture from your plant. Look for holes at the bottom of the container to allow the water to drain out. Otherwise water will pool in the bottom of the container and without proper drainage you plants could die.

Choosing your plant will depend on the area where you container will be placed. Does that area get a lot of sun or shade?. When planting different types of plants in the same container be sure to combine plants that require the same amount of light and moisture.

Choose a potting mix to for your container. Potting mixes usually container rich ingredients to give your plant a healthy start. Using soil from your garden or yard may not be a good choice because that soil may not have all the rich ingredients and may have weeds and grass seed mixed in. . Many potting mixes contain a time release fertilizer.

When you are ready to plant. You will need to place the container in the area in which it will stay. Move it around a little to make sure you are happy with the spot. Once you place your soil in the container it may be too heavy move.

If you have a coffee filter or some rocks or pebbles place them in the bottom of your container . This will keep the soil in the pot and prevent the water from quickly draining out of the drainage holes. If your potting soil has directions - follow them. Otherwise, fill the pot with your potting mix putting enough soil in so that the base of your plant will be about 1 inch below the rim of the container. Water to allow the soil to moisten. The soil may compact down a little and you might find you need to add more soil.

Water your plant in the pot that you purchased it in and allow time for the water to be absorbed. This will lessen the shock that your plant will go through when you transfer it to the container.

Place the stem of the plant (at the top of the soil)between your two fingers and tip the plant over supporting it in your hand. The plant should slide out of the pot . Don’t pull the plant out. If your plant has not come out of the pot tap the sides and twist the pot gently. Once you have your plant free from the old pot take a look at the roots. If the roots are tangled and matted and have grown in circles they have probably become root-bound. Try to gently separate the roots this will encourage them to grow in the new container.

Take your plant and make a hole in the soil deep enough for the roots but being careful to have the plant stem completely above the soil. Pat the soil around your plant pushing gently. Water. If the soil compacts down than add more soil to about 1 inch below the rim of your container.

Be sure to water your plant until you see water coming out of the drain holes at the bottom of the container. This way you will know that you have thoroughly watered your plant.