DIY Network

Garden Basics: Outdoor Container Gardening Thinking outside the pot. Plus the "real dirt" on garden gloves. From "Dirt On Gardening" episode DDOG-102

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Before planting in a container, gently separate the roots with your fingers so the plant can get nutrients and water faster.

Farmer Fred's Container-Gardening Tips

"Having plants in containers makes everyone a gardener," says master gardener Fred Hoffman, "even if all you have is
a six foot slab of concrete in the shade. But when it comes to pots, try to think outside the box--or rather outside the container."

Flower pots just don't do it for ya? Consider the suggestions below for a different approach.

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Garden Containers: Alternatives to the Ordinary

• An old wheelbarrow (figure E).

• Old wooden wine barrel cut in half (figure F).

• A an old washing machine tub or liner--which, by the way, comes with a large hole already in the bottom that provides good drainage.

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

  Figure G

• Remember those plants in containers are going to be in there a long, long time so treat them royally. Give them the best pot and that's a pot with good sized drain holes.

• The number one killer of plants in containers is "wet feet" -- muddy soil. Plants need good drainage to stay healthy.

• Use potting soil (figure G), not a planting mix. Spend some money, go to the store and get some good potting soil. Don't simply use your backyard dirt-- which can weed seeds, disease spores and insects--and it's plain heavy.

• Don't forget fertilizer and plenty of water. Water your plants until you see water coming out the bottom.

• Choose annuals and perennials with good color but are not yet blooming. When shopping at the nursery, a good rule of thumb is to look for buds, not blooms. Plants that are already in bloom are busy making flowers not roots. For long, healthy life, you'll want plants to have healthy roots, so choose plants that haven't bloomed yet.

• When choosing an assortment of plants make sure that, for a single container, you choose all plants with similar requirements in terms of water, soil, sunshine/shade, etc.

Think about arrangement of plants in the pot. For example, if the container will be seen from all sides, plant taller plants toward the center and surround them with shorter ones placed toward the outside.

Plants that have been in their nursery containers for a long time may have become partially root-bound. To help ensure healthy roots, first water the plant then carefully remove the plant from the plastic pot. Once removed from the pot, inspect the roots. If they appear tight or "wrapped," then gently scrape the surface with your fingertips to loosen and separate the roots.

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