HomeHome SitemapSitemap Contact usContacts

Growing Plants in Containers

Container Gardening is where you have to start if you are growing ferns indoors or on a balcony or a patio. Learn the containers then the soil thats required and your plants will be a lot easier to grow. Remember when you put a plant in a container, it's trapped. You have to obey some simple rules or you will be blessed with dead plants. This is good for apartments or small areas, but can also really enhance your patio. Here are some tips on gardening in containers.


Every Garden can benefit from the addition of container gardens. They add interest and variety, plus are easily moved around. If you live in an apartment or have a small area to work with this may be the only solution for you. One tip to remember is that if you find that a plant likes a particular spot and does well there don't move it. There is a great temptation to move the plant out doors for the Summer etc. But this is not necessarily a good idea. Plants don't like a lot of change so when you find a spot that works stick with it.


Your Container


Your container can be pretty much anything and is only limited to your imagination. Just make sure there is adequate drainage for your plants. the best rule of thumb here is to make sure that the pot is the right size. Plant roots will grow to the edge of the pot, so don't want to have to change your pots too often. Try to put your plant in a pot with an inch or so to the edge. The plant will look good and grow well. You won't have to move it to a larger pot any sooner


Your Soil


Do not use garden soil for your container plants. Garden soil is too heavy, dries out too quickly and will not provide the needed nutrients your container plants need. Also be careful about using potting soil. The only thing good about it is that it's cheap, which should tell you something. Use a good potting mix which can be found in any garden shop. You'll find that its light and will give you good drainage. Good potting mix will pay you back over and over with beautiful healthy plants. If you know what you are doing you can mix your own by using soil, peat, sand and a slow release fertilizer. A good mix is not that expensive so why bother.


Maintenance


You need to pay close attention to your container plants -- much more than plants grown out doors. The soil in a container will dry out more quickly then those grown in the round so you must pay close attention to their requirements. You'll also need to fertilize more frequently. When you water, water thoroughly until water comes out the bottom drainage holes.


Once you resolve all of these issues, you can introduce plants and expect then to do very well. And as the blog name indicates, we will be talking about growing ferns in containers.


Chuck Wolfram is a lifelong Gardener Who has worked in a Greenhouse assisting customers with their plant problems, both indoor and outdoors. His most recent site is http://indoorgardeningsite.com which concentrates on indoor gardening, container gardening, balcony gardening and shade gardening and the tools to be successful with their Indoor Gardening efforts.


Source: www.ezinearticles.com