An introduction to container planting.

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Landscaping season is upon us and people everywhere are adding colour and new life back into their outdoor spaces. If you don’t have a traditional garden on your property, now is the time to utilize containers and take part in the ever-growing trend of container gardening. Container gardening is a great option as it allows you to mount, suspend, or hang your flowers or plants, as well as use them as decorative or accent pieces. Here are the basics that you need to know before getting started:

1. The first thing you need to decide is what type of container you will use. When in doubt – bigger is better. It’s important to keep in mind that the type of plant will affect the root size, while some plants have large roots, others veer toward the smaller side. Try to envision the plant at its full size and aim to buy a container that will house all of it – roots and all!

2. When looking at containers you will also want to address the drainage. You will want to make sure that your container has proper drainage to help ensure the roots are healthy. Depending on the amount of rainfall you have experienced in the past little while you will want to adjust the drainage of your plants accordingly. To help them retain water during dry times place them on trays, to help them drain more efficiently during wetter periods place them on bricks or stones, allowing the drainage holes to flow freely.

3. Once you’ve decided upon a good container the next step will be selecting quality soil. While many of us may think soil is soil, this is simply not the case. Soil that is kept in containers needs a bit of added ingredients to ensure proper care. You can either purchase premixed soil at your local garden store, or you can make it yourself by mixing 1/3 quality compost, 1/3 garden soil, and 1/3 peat moss.

4. Now that you have your container and soil you’re almost ready to go! One of the last things you want to think about is the fertilizer. Organic fertilizers are best – fish emulsion and worm castings are extremely beneficial and should be added to your container throughout the season. Also, adding compost to your soil will help ensure your plants are being properly fed, this will help with growth and blooming.

5. Lastly, you’ll want to make sure you’re giving your plants enough water. During sweltering summer days some plants may need to be watered multiple times a day. Fibreglass, plastic, or glazed clay pots will retain the most moisture when watering, while unglazed clay pots or terracotta ones only help to evaporate the moisture. Large pots will also help retain more moisture as they have the ability to hold more soil.

Whether you have a fully landscaped yard or a small deck, container gardening can help to liven up the area and add points of interest. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a mix of plants and flowers – afterall variety is the spice of life!

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