Maintenance
1-The best way to have a garden that is "low-maintenance"
is to select the proper plant! If you have a hot sunny
spot, you must select
a plant that loves full sun. Just because you love
petunias does not mean you can make them grow in the shade! This is very
important. Planting in the wrong conditions invites disease
and the wrong kind of insects. Which translates
into buying chemicals to save a hopeless cause. By planting
in the proper conditions, you have reduced the maintenance by
80 percent! Plants want to grow,
just as we do, so give them the conditions they need to thrive!
2-If purchasing annuals for color, you must fertilize them
unless you have started them from seeds. Most all annuals
are fed to be enticing at the garden center; after they are in
your container for a few weeks, they start to fade---has that
ever happened to you? Miracle grow changes the chemical balance
of a plant, basically giving it steroids to bloom, without nurturing
the root system. When it is not continually fed with this chemical,
your plants go through withdrawal, and will die. This just drives us nuts,
that no one tells the consumer this! Remember, do not use Miracle
Grow on anything but annuals, unless you plan to
continually feed it to them for years and years!
3-Water your plants! Although Indah Bulan advocates
water-conservation on every level, container gardens
are accents by nature, water and enjoy! Select plants with
similar water needs, don't plant a cactus (with dry needs)
next to an Azalea (which prefers moist soil). Allow your plants
to dry out, not bake, then thoroughly water. The amount of
times to water will vary from location to location, climate to
climate and season to season. Ask your nursery about the water requirements... also ask
for plants with the same requirements. (Good Luck at Home Depot!.. (STS laughs))
Select the proper container for your chosen spot, and how much average time you
have to water. If you will only
water once a week, consider a plastic
container---or better yet, succulents!
4-Fertilize or Feed your plants. One way to avoid doing this as
often is to replenish the potting soil with a layer of
compost, or even trimmings from the plant itself. Talk to your
nursery staff about fertilizer for your plants. My father,
taught me to use 13-13-13, a good general fertilizer for everything.
I use this maybe once a year in the late Winter or early spring,
and water thoroughly before
fertilization and keep the plant wet for 3-4 days. Don't do
this in the heat of summer.
5-Re-pot your container garden every 3-7 years, you're plants
will let you know. At the first sign of problems, this usually
will help! (Should you have selected a larger container for that plant?)
6-Buy the best potting soil you can afford! The best potting soils will
make quite a difference for your plant, because they are properly balanced, and can hold moisture better.
You may think you are saving money by buying a cheaper brand, but just don't do it. Make sure it
does not have Miracle Grow in it, unless
you are planting annuals!
7-Pruning---In college, we were taught, "if you have to prune it,
you have planted the wrong plant!". Remember this, it will
save you hours of garden work! Ask how the plant you select will
grow and don't over plant! Some ornamental pruning is desirable, but it should
be a joy, not a chore. Use sharp pruners, and never leave anything
you could hang your hat on!This is the most common mistake in pruning, and this action
produces often 5 new shoots, which means you are creating even more problems! The general
rule is to prune AFTER a plant is finished blooming.
8-Signs of Problems---Your plants will tell you something is wrong... all one has to
do is just look at them, and take action at the first signs! Yellow leaves... too much water, not
enough Iron; Limp foliage... too much water, not enough sun; brown leaves...
not enough water, perhaps too much sun;
not flowering... not enough sun; insects... move plant to a different environment;
stagnant growth... root bound.
9-Contain that Monster!---by containing the roots of highly invasive
plants, like Bamboo and Morning Glory, the garden is safe
from an invasion! Go ahead, plant that monster, use a saucer, this
prevents the roots from going
into the ground. This is a wonderful way to use some beautiful plants
that WILL get out of hand given the chance. The container
does just that... contain the roots. "It's a good thing!"---thank you, Martha!
|
|
"Container gardens are perhaps the origin of
landscape architecture itself!" says Stephen T. Swafford, BLA (STS). These potted delights can be
traced back to 2100 B.C. Terra-cotta remains were uncovered outside the
Minoan palace in Crete. The much
celebrated Queen Nefertiti of ancient Egypt grew palms, pomegranates and
vines in large planters in the
garden of her temple
to the Sun God. The Romans, clever as they were, built elegant and
elaborate gardens where containers were
filled with all sorts of ornamental plants. (Even today, Rome
continues this legacy of lushly planted pots and hanging baskets.)
Next, the early followers of Islam built gardens as a place of
inspiration honoring the afterlife. These gardens were
architecturally accented with containers, placed in geometric
patterns and filled with all sorts of fruit trees and roses. The Spanish-Moors are credited
with not only dwarfing varieties of fruit trees, but also even
more importantly, arranging container gardens to block
northern winds (which tend to be strong and cool). Those stylish
Europeans, with their travels to the Far East, and to the
Americas, refined their horticultural interests to include exotic
plant materials which were brought home and planted in containers. They, too used geometry as their
basis for arrangement in massive gardens during the Italian
Renaissance period. In 17th Century France the world's first
Landscape
Architect, Andre Le Notre, used 250,000 containers to adorn Versailles.
He planted a grove of Orange trees which were on rollers, and moved
in and out of the green houses for protection. The French loved
splendid color and used container gardens to feature
an ever changing crop of seasonal color. The English, being quite
individualistic, choose a more natural landscape, but
they too used containers but more as accents.
When planning your container garden, you must think about these things.
What a broad category... but here are a few tips to
decide what type of plants to choose! Once you have decided what
kind of plant is for you, remember to buy either sunny
or shady plants, depending on your exposure to the sun. 
