Efficient and Magnificent: Making the Most of Container Gardening

As homeowners start to dig in their very own outdoor gardens, plenty of green-thumbed condo or apartment dwellers find themselves surrounded by concrete rather than fresh patches of earth to work. They might have a sidewalk, some steps, and, if they’re lucky, maybe a balcony or patio, but not much more. Nevertheless, these would-be gardeners can still make the most of their available space with window boxes and container gardens.

Europeans with more style than space have long made the best of gardening in containers. Growing space considerations aside, container gardens use water more efficiently and afford those with serious soil problems an effective alternative, too.

What Will Grow?

Not sure where or, rather, what to start? As long as you pay close attention to growing conditions, you can grow nearly any flower or vegetable variety you like in your container garden. Balconies, patios, or walkways which get full sun are especially well suited for most sun-loving perennial herbs, flowers, and vegetables. Dwarf cabbages, broccoli, spinach, and green bean varieties such as Blue Lake or Royal Burgundy do well in five gallon containers and can be grown in large window boxes. Likewise, you can grow cherry tomatoes and varieties such as Red Robin and Early Girl, one plant per every five-gallon container.

Porches and other areas receiving partial sun can accommodate many lettuce varieties such as Buttercrunch, Romaine, Dark Green Boston, and Bibb as well as parsley, hostas, ferns, and other shade-tolerant plants.

Pay attention to the direction and duration of your container garden’s exposure to light. Also, you’ll want to consider the amount of wind and rain your container garden will receive before you begin, and be prepared to trellis vining plants as needed.

Just Right Containers

From classic terra cotta and glazed ceramic pots to an old wheel barrow, when it comes to containers, nearly any material will do. Concrete urns are especially long lasting but heavy. Plastic pots, treated wood boxes, and lined, wire baskets are other good options. No matter what sorts of containers you settle on, make sure all will provide your plants with adequate drainage. You might choose to affix casters to heavier garden containers so they can be moved more easily.

The containers you choose should be proportional to the size of your mature plants. If a pot is too small, the plant living in it can grow too quickly becoming root bound. On the other hand, if your container is too large, your plant may experience lots of root growth—at the expense of top, vegetative growth.

Additionally, small pots shouldn’t contain more thanone plant. Larger pots can hold groupings of plants which favor the same growing conditions.

Care and Feeding

A soil base works best for plants that will remain in their pots for a year or more because the soil will hold the nutrients better. Otherwise, peat or shredded coconut bases are good choices because they are lightweight and highly absorbent. You can also try a mixture of soil, commercially available potting mixes, peat, shredded coconut fiber, and other growing media.

Because container gardens require frequent watering which can leach out nutrients, be sure to provide plants with plenty of fertilizer. You can mix nutrient-rich guano or worm castings directly into the growing medium itself or you can use mild, liquid nutrient separately.

Try not to let your container garden dry out, and be prepared to water frequently. In the dead of summer it may be necessary to water a couple of times every day. You may find that some types of pots retain moisture better than others; for instance, glazed pots won’t dry out as quickly as a terra cotta pots will.

To help your plants further retain moisture, Soil Moist granules may be added to your growing medium. The granules are comprised of a harmless polymer gel which absorbs water. When plants dry out, Soil Moist granules release their stores of water.

Finally, to avoid heavy evaporation and fungal problems, it’s best to water your container garden in the morning. When watering, ensure that the soil is saturated completely from top to bottom, and, if you use water catchers under your pots, don’t let excess water stand in them for too long as this can contribute to plant disease.

Periodically inspect your garden for disease and insect infestations. As long as plants have adequate air flow, room to grow, and plenty of moisture, they should stay healthy and stress-free.

The last—and perhaps most important—point? Remember to be considerate of others—especially if you plan to have a balcony in bloom. If your container garden occupies an area directly above other neighbors, take measures to avoid falling pots and prevent excess water and plant debris from falling on the patio or living space below.