Every type of plant needs a basic amount of nutritious ingredients, much like the human body, in order to function and grow. It doesn’t matter if you plant in the spring, summer or fall; plants need a continuous flow of nutrients to keep them healthy and strong.

Some of the most vital elements to healthy plants of all types are nitrogen, which helps stimulate growth, and phosphorus, which helps plants to form healthy, strong roots and potassium to help develop bloom and foliage. In addition to these basic necessities, plants also need a wide range of micro nutrients, or trace elements, that may be lacking in many garden soils and fertilizers, as well as potting mixes. The most common of these trace elements are copper, magnesium, boron, and iron. These trace elements serve plants in the same way they serve humans. Such invisible yet vital elements help to fight against disease.

Seasons have a lot to do with the need for extra nutrients as well. For example, the rising temperatures of late spring and early summer helps buds grow. Still, those buds will need extra nutrients to form properly. In addition, the root of the plant will grow longer as well, seeking out those extra nutrients so that it can send them to the buds. In a container, there’s nowhere to go – so you need to supply those extra nutrients to the soil for that wonderful growth spurt.

If the soil in your container pot is well drained and rich in nutrients as well as moisture, those buds and roots will develop into healthy, beautiful plants.

Because container plants have even more specialized needs and because they are only able to utilize the soils and mixes that are available in its container, it is up to the gardener to know how and when to provide those extra nutrients. Because of this, and the fact that even the best potting soil may be lacking in some of the basic essentials for optimal growth and health, and those nutrients tend to leak out as you water, a container plant needs special attention and care.

Using a specially formulated and high-quality potting mix will give your plants a good head start, because they contain continuous release ingredients that will feed your plants slowly and steadily over a period of time.

However, feeding your container plants, vegetables and herbs doesn’t stop there. You may need to water certain types of plants on a weekly basis to ensure a constant flow of nutrition into your container. There are many different types and forms of plant food, from slow release to liquid and dry forms. We’ll introduce those in a moment.

However, no matter which form of plant food you end up choosing, it’s important to know how often to add these nutritious elements to your plant. For example, vegetables and annuals and perennials often need to be fed weekly, while herbs can be fed around every other week according to need. Trees and shrubs can get by with an extra feeding once a month. Before you start feeding everything in your container garden, make sure that you are neither under nor over feeding specific plants.

While plant food adds nutrients and enzymes to your container plants, which is a good thing, as with anything, too much of a good thing can be bad. The same goes for plant food. Too much plant food can kill your plants. It may cause the edges of leaves to yellow and curl, and even stunt the growth of certain species. It’s always a good idea to follow package directions of any type of plant food or fertilizer and if you’re still not sure, ask an expert.

Copyright ? Larry Gildea, All Rights Reserved.

Every type of plant needs a basic amount of nutritious
ingredients, much like the human body, in order to function
and grow. It doesn’t matter if you plant in the spring,
summer or fall; plants need a continuous flow of nutrients
to keep them healthy and strong. Some of the most vital
elements to healthy plants of all types are nitrogen, which
helps stimulate growth, and phosphorus, which helps plants
to form healthy, strong roots and potassium to help develop
bloom and foliage.

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Daffodil bulbs should also be divided at this time. Carefully separate the clumps and replant in two or three pots. They will not come to any harm if they are left for two years, but after that their flowering will diminish as they become overcrowded. When you are repotting make sure you use fresh soil based compost soil mix. Rose worthy is a striking pink trumpeted daffodil, which is both reliable and a good neutralizer.

It makes an excellent choice for a border but can also be seen to advantage in a raised container, which allows you to enjoy it to the full. An easy long term arrangement could include variegate, which is commonly known as variegated London pride. This has the benefit of providing an evergreen covering that deters mice, squirrels and voles, which might otherwise dig up and ear the bulbs.

The saxifrage is a neat partner to many bulbs, forming low rosettes of foliage that mat well and soon produce a welcome frill to soften the edge of the container. Best of all, it provides delicate flowers in late spring and early summer, just when the daffodils have finished flowering but need moisture to complete their growth cycle. The saxifrage provides the pot with an added six weeks of color.

After this time, its flowering stems can be cut down and the daffodils leaves removed. For the rest of the summer the pot returns to its evergreen capping while the daffodils lie dormant below. Unfortunately, both the saxifrage and all members of the primrose family are very susceptible to damage from vine weevil grubs, so take precautions in the autumn and again in spring with either beneficial nematode, which acts as a systemic insecticide.

Daffodil bulbs should also be divided at this time.
Carefully separate the clumps and replant in two or three
pots. They will not come to any harm if they are left for
two years, but after that their flowering will diminish as
they become overcrowded. When you are repotting make sure
you use fresh soil based compost soil mix. Rose worthy is a
striking pink trumpeted daffodil, which is both reliable and
a good neutralizer.

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These days going organic doesn’t always mean a trip to your nearest Whole Foods or the Sunday morning farmer’s market. Plenty of urban farmers are utilizing small and medium sized containers for growing their herb gardens. This means if you have a sun filled backyard, open porch or kitchen windowsill you can start growing your own fresh herb garden.

* Many Container Options Are Available. Because herbs don’t require deep soil to grow, there are a variety of plant container sizes that can you can utilize for your herb garden. An oblong window box is great for planting varieties of plants. Just make sure there is “breathing room” between the plants. And check the labels to see which plants work best in the same type of moisture environment.

Another option is to separate the plants into their own individual pots. You can use terra cotta, plastic or ceramic. If your containers will be indoors, look for pots that match your kitchen d?cor. For the more artistic, you can even paint your pots with pictures of the herbs. That’s a great way to know what’s growing inside. An important tip to keep in mind is whether or not you’ll be moving these containers around in colder weather. If so, consider the size and weight so you can make the moves as simple as possible.

* Drainage Is Essential. No matter which container you choose it is important that there is proper drainage. If the pot doesn’t come with holes, simply poke a few in the bottom and make sure you have a tray underneath to catch the access water. Herbs can survive a few days of “drought conditions” much better than drowning. Also, when watering, try not to hit the plants directly with water. This will prevent a potential build up of fungus. Any decent potting soil that allows for drainage but also holds moisture is best for your herb garden. You can find varieties of this type of soil at any home, garden, or department store.

* Let the Sun Shine. As with all plants, your container herb garden will need plenty of sun. They should be soaking up the rays at least 4-5 hours each day. You should factor this in when it comes to placement. Having your plants close to your cooking is ideal so you can just snip and simmer away.

* Harvest Time. Allow your herbs to grow several leaves before you begin taking your sample and be sure to leave enough behind so that your herbs will continue to thrive. And since most herbs are perennials you’ll be able to use them all year long. I recommend pruning your herb plants even when you don’t use to keep them flourishing. These cuttings can be dried and used at any time.

* Picking Your Herbs. The best way to decide which herbs to grow is to merely think about your favorite recipes. What do you like to sprinkle on top of chicken, pork or in soups? Basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano and cilantro can all add fragrant tastes to any dish – and the fresher the better.

And herbs don’t mind living amongst other fruits and vegetables so why not grow a variety of colorful – and spicy – chili peppers in the same container. Just imagine a simmering pot of tomato sauce finished off with a couple of clippings from your handy herb garden! Boy, that’s what I call, “good eating!”

These days going organic doesn’t always mean a trip to your
nearest Whole Foods or the Sunday morning farmer’s market.
Plenty of urban farmers are utilizing small and medium sized
containers for growing their herb gardens. This means if you
have a sun filled backyard, open porch or kitchen windowsill
you can start growing your own fresh herb garden.

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Kids normally have an insatiable hunger for knowledge. Their curiosity leads them to a lot of things that we as adults may find unsightly (especially if they turn out to be a mess as the end result). So it comes as no surprise that growing herbs from scratch holds a great deal of appeal for kids of all ages.

The advantages of having kids make their own garden? Well, it encourages a base interest in nature. It is like a science class that puts theories about plants and life to practice. Observation is the key to a successful class, and what better way to introduce the wonders of nature than through the use of simple gardening? Also, most kids tend to eat their own harvest, vegetables and/or fruits alike – living testament that yes, even children feel a sense of responsibility and fulfillment at such a young age. It’s safe to say that it gives them an increased awareness of the things around them and they would most likely grow up to be individuals who know the importance of looking after the environment.

The easiest plants to grow are vegetables. With container gardening, you don’t actually need to live in a farm for you and your child to have a bountiful harvest. All you would need are some containers, seeds or seedlings, and a place where you would put your containers and you’re all set. Choose vegetables that you don’t need to transplant, won’t need much maintenance, and don’t care about soil quality or climate.

Cress is probably the easiest vegetable to grow. It can be grown indoors in flat containers with a damp kitchen towel (that provides moisture to the veggie) – it grows quickly. Unlike other vegetables, it can grow within days. You can try mustard too, since it grows pretty fast as well. Carrots are also a good vegetable to start with. What’s interesting about them though, is the fact that there are 4 carrot colors – the typical orange, red, yellow and purple. They prefer a cooler climate, but would still need sunshine. Never let a carrot go through a dry spell, always keep it watered. These germinate in about 2 to 3 weeks and will take around 2 to 4 months to fully mature.

Potatoes are more fun to harvest than sow, but should be watered frequently. You can grow potatoes in tires too, but for this one, you should really choose a sunny spot for them to grow better. (Note: Green potatoes are poisonous, so take extra care when you harvest.) Onions need almost no maintenance aside from the initial weeding. It is best to plant onion sets (miniature onions) rather than onion seeds.

Introducing gardening to your kids would be fun, but harvesting would be more so. When you see your child all muddied up, holding up his first crop harvest with a smile that beams up all the way to Mars, then you would be assured that the work is well worth it.

Kids normally have an insatiable hunger for knowledge. Their
curiosity leads them to a lot of things that we as adults
may find unsightly (especially if they turn out to be a mess
as the end result). So it comes as no surprise that growing
herbs from scratch holds a great deal of appeal for kids of
all ages.

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Hanging baskets can alter a landscape significantly dependent on the array and color found within it.

Hanging baskets can contain floral, herbal of vegetable plantings. I hope in future to plant a hanging basket similar to one I’ve seen recently, which featured an assortment of different lettuce. Can you imagine the ease if salad were on the evening dinner menu and having the ability to slip outside onto your patio with the scissors and snip the necessary amount of leaves required to cater to your family? Now you can’t say that that isn’t a great idea, now to action it in the forthcoming days and show you I did it!

In the meantime, here are a few Tips.

1 Plant Selection – Several plants can be placed together in a hanging basket or container, however it should remembered to ensure that they all like the same growing conditions ie shade, waterings. Imagine the scent of that of that hanging herbal basket!

2 Watering – Remember prior to fertilizing water and allow to drain. Water as the plant requires, know your plants needs i.e. some plants don’t like wet feet! Remember to consider the weather. A drip line irrigation system can also be set up to water the plants as seen in the pictures below at Florida Aquarium.

3 Fertilizer – When feeding your plants, water first with unfertilized water and drain; then re-water with a fertilizer solution to ensure the fertilizer is retained in your hanging basket. If your hanging basket is to be a floral display, feeding once a week with a water-soluble fertilizer will ensure that you have a continuous array of healthy blooms. Remember if the container holds edible plantings that a fertilizer for edibles be used. Always remember to read and follow the directions accordingly.

4 Balance – Remember that your plants are going to grow so consider positioning when planting, you don’t want your hanging basket to be uneven, the aim is to achieve a balance as the plant grows.

5 Care – Remember to deadhead or pinch the plants if they require it to encourage further growth.

Enjoy!

Hanging baskets can alter a landscape significantly
dependent on the array and color found within it. Even the
air could be scented with a herbal hanging basket!

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It does not matter if you live in the country or city; you can find somewhere to grow a container garden, even if it is just a small one. If you do live in the city, instead of using your balcony to store bikes or your barbeque, create a gorgeous, relaxing outdoor retreat by using container gardening and following a few tips. Choose containers that are colorful but won’t detract from the plants you plan to use. Use pots that are different in shapes and sizes. Select your plants carefully so that they compliment each other and fit well in the spot designated for your container garden.

For gardening on balconies that are very long or narrow, use shrubs, different height trees and plants at the ends and corners, to add interest and round out the hard lines. Create points of interest by grouping bright colors and interesting shapes together. More tips for container gardening are to keep repeating a plant grouping or plant throughout your balcony area and use colorful flowers for accents only. Show off your large plants, shrubs and trees, by using interesting shapes and bright, beautiful colors. For gardening on your balcony, consider how your garden looks from inside your house. Buy trees and shrubs that not only bloom in the spring but also display wonderful fall colors. In climates that are cold, move your container garden indoors or line containers with builders foam and set your plants in them.

Here are some more good tips for gardening on balconies. For height, hibiscus blooms the entire summer and grows up to three or four feet tall. Dwarf Alberta white spruce have beautiful gray-green dense needles that add interest and are very soft. At maturity, they reach heights of up to eight feet. Ornamental sweet potatoes are a light colored vine that grow over the pot edge and look wonderful with darker plants. Use ornamental grasses in the background for a graceful, interesting look.

Once you have all your new plants arranged on your balcony, follow the maintenance tips on the label of the plant, to keep them healthy and beautiful. Container gardening is the same as traditional plant and flower gardening, as they require water, soil and sun. Purchase a hose that attaches to your kitchen sink because this makes watering your balcony plants far easier than carting pails of water outside. Plants in containers dry out far quicker than plants do outdoors, in the ground. Check each plant daily to see if it requires watering. Use fertilizer monthly or check the label to see the recommendations and follow them. Weeding is usually not a problem with balcony gardens. The last two tips for gardening on your balcony are to remove any dead or yellowing growth and sit back, relax and enjoy your garden.

Container gardening on your balcony will bring you lots of satisfaction and enjoyment. Once you get the hang of it why not plant some herbs too. They will add yet another hobby, gourmet cooking! You can also use herbs for medicinal and beauty recipes. There is no end to what you can do with a container garden. Use your imagination and have fun.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright ? Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Gardening on balconies or container gardening, is great for
apartment and condo dwellers. You can create a fun and
gorgeous container garden on your balcony for beauty and
relaxation.

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Growing plants in containers can be for a number of reasons, be it for climatic reasons, available space, or for aesthetic considerations.

Sometimes certain climates preclude the growing of plants year round and container gardening is the only alternative. This affords the option of growing outside, until such time as the cold forces the container being brought inside, next to a sunny window, or into a purpose built sun-room. For those preferring a changing scenery, plants in containers are an easy way to achieve this, by merely moving the pots from place to place, until the desired effect is achieved.

Container gardening has become all the more popular with the increase of people living in apartments. It’s always a pleasure to have a colorful, living thing in an apartment, that requires little maintenance and gives beauty in return. Those in apartments, or flats, lucky enough to have a balcony, of any size, have the added advantage of being able to grow a greater choice of plants, including vegetables and or herbs, in containers.

The addition of containers in the garden allows you a changing vista, placing pots of color around green shrubs, or trees to brighten dull corners of your yard. This a great way of displaying flowering bulbs, too. As they come into flower, bring them close to the entertainment areas, or windows, to be able to appreciate them more easily.

Geraniums, are the classic pot-plant. These plants will generally have vibrant flowers most of the year – continuously. Growing flowering annuals is a great idea for quick, short lived colour inside. If you were to grow pots of chrysanthemums, or marigolds, then as they flower, bring them inside and replace with another pot as each one becomes spent, or a little raggedy.

Plant-pots, or containers, are a huge business and most garden centres, have large areas dedicated to the enormous variety available, from concrete to ceramic pots. However, you don’t have to go to any great expense for plant containers, as just about anything that will hold soil can be used. If you have an old worn out wheel-barrow, or discarded packing crates, hollow logs are suitable, large chipped crockery, a bucket or pail, even old boots – all are suitable as planting containers provided they can hold soil AND will drain excess water. The classic is of course, old wine barrels. If the recycled container you have chosen is a little too far gone, like a wheel-barrow having too many holes, this can be remedied by lining the bottom with several layers of paper-bark, as you would do with a wire hanging basket.

Always use top quality potting mix for container gardening, as nutrients tend to leech out from containers. I would also add some water retaining crystals, as pots and containers do tend to dry out faster than the soil in a garden. Watering and feeding need to be done more often for this reason.

If you have planted perennials, like agapanthus, or similar in your containers, they will need periodical re-potting, as the plants will become over-crowded in time. When this is the case, divide the plants into manageable pieces, re-pot the ones from the outsides of the original clumps, and the plant material remaining can be either put into new containers, or planted out into the garden. If the plants are not the dividing type, then re-pot them into larger containers.

For moving the larger pots, there are available pot-trolleys, that sit under the pot with wheels – having wheels means you can just push the container to where it is desired, this is an excellent option for patios and the like. Your living space is always interesting, using container gardening inside and in the garden.

A quick solution for a changing scenery, whether indoors or
in the garden – is to plant into pots, or containers. This
allows color and variation to be simply moved from one spot
to another, either with the seasons, or as whim decrees.

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Container gardening is for many people that think that their gardening days are over when they move to an apartment or condo. You can still grow pretty and useful plants if you opt for a container garden. There are a few rules you will have to follow when starting your container garden. The five elements that are crucial to your container garden are the pot (size for each individual plant), the soil, how much light your plants will need, watering requirements and fertilizer. For example herbs do not need big pots but they do need at least six hours of sunlight. Their fertilizing is minimal and they need good drainage in loose soil.

Choosing the right container is very important for you and your plants. You will want to choose a pot that is complementary to your home or outside patio and you also want to meet the needs of the plants. Cedar and redwood containers are rot resistant while other woods will rot. If you do choose to use wood pots make sure that they are not treated with harmful chemicals that will be detrimental to your plants. Do not use plastic pots in the sun; they will fall apart very quickly. Terra Cotta containers do not do well in the sunlight. They dry out quickly and have a tendency to crack and break. The best pots to use for your container garden on the patio are glazed ceramic pots. These are pretty and colorful but make sure there are plenty of drainage holes.

For soil that is completely dependent on what kind of plants you plan to grow. Remember you are going to be growing your garden in limited space so make sure that the soil will drain sufficiently. The key here is to have a soil mixture that will retain moisture put has adequate drainage as not to drown the roots. A little bit of research into the type of plant you are growing should tell you each individual plants needs. For instance some plants may require a little sand be added to the mix. In container gardening getting all the components right is absolutely necessary for your success.

Another aspect of your research is to know how much light your plants need. All plants have different light levels. For instance, impatiens do well in the shade while vegetables and flowers thrive in the sunlight.

Fertilizing is a most important aspect of container gardening. When a plant is in a container it only has a small amount of soil to draw nutrients from so you will have to give it a little help. To be consistent it is advised to fertilize on every other watering. Don’t just use one fertilizer; a mix of nutrients will keep your plants happy and healthy.

Watering a container garden should be your utmost concern. It will take time to determine the right schedule for the individual plants since they all have different needs. If you are having an extremely hot spell it will be necessary to water everyday.

You will be surprised how rewarding container gardening will be for you. It allows city folk to experience a bit of the outdoors in limited space. Once you have researched and decided what type of plants to grow your next step is to gather the necessary materials and plant your container garden. You will reap your rewards when you use your fresh herbs or vegetables in your next dish or you cut beautiful flowers to adorn your home.

Happy Container Gardening!

Many people think that their gardening days are over when
the move to an apartment or condo. Container Gardening is
the answer to their gardening urge either in their home or
their on patio.

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Many gardeners have given up on the idea of a garden because they lack space, time or lots of experience. But if growing plants is an interest of yours container gardening could be your answer. Container gardens will allow you to enjoy “playing in the dirt” without investing a lot of time or money. You can get very creative in container gardening using vegetables, decorative grasses or flowers and herbs. You can plant a container garden with any plant that would grow outside. The trick is to come up with some creative ideas for your container garden.

You should do some research at your local nursery or on the internet to choose the plants you wish to grow to help you come up with some ideas. Try to use plants that complement each other and have the same basic needs for water, air and light.

A container garden idea that has taken off recently is the landscape container. Some people plant a simple evergreen tree in a container with good drainage to place at their front door. Or you could plant an assortment of flowers for a bright and beautiful vista. If you do plant flowers, add plants that spill over the sides of the container to add more visuals and interest. What ever container gardening idea you can come up with can be placed on a deck, patio, and balcony or by the front doors. Put them somewhere that your family and friends can enjoy.

You can grow vegetables in containers but choose wisely. Vegetables like squash and pole beans need lots of space, while tomatoes need a deep pot. When you grow your own vegetables you will have tasty produce not the bland stuff that is in the grocery store. Nothing tastes better than a tomato right off the vine. There are many chefs and good home cooks that grow their own for just this reason. Don’t forget to pot some herbs, they are pretty plants and add zest to your meals.

But don’t just stick to vegetables and herbs; why not add fruit trees too? Instead of using an evergreen tree, pot a fruit tree instead. There are many dwarf varieties available that work best in pots since with pots there is less soil therefore less nutrients to draw from. If you live in a year round warm climate citrus trees are perfect. In other regions, stick to pear, apple and cherry trees. Another good container gardening idea is to grow strawberries. With strawberries climate does not matter since you can bring the container inside. Fresh strawberries are amazingly sweet and delicious. Imagine how good a bowl of fresh strawberries will be, strawberries that you have just picked.

Remember that container gardens dry out more quickly than traditional gardens. Be diligent about watering your plants if you don’t want your container gardening ideas to wither and die. Container gardens must be fertilized too. Keep a small notebook handy so you can write down the needs of your plant so you will always know when to water or feed. Keep an eye out for pests. If you find a container that has an infestation, isolate it immediately and treat it with a natural pesticide. You don’t want harsh chemicals on fruits, vegetables or herbs. A good natural pesticide recipe is:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests. So, do some research, come up with your own unique container gardening ideas, gather your materials and get to work. The fruits of your labor will be amazing.

Happy Container Gardening!

Copyright ? Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Container gardening ideas are easy to come up with if you do
a little research. Some good container gardening ideas are
to plant a variety of flowers with vines that hang over the
side. Another container gardening idea is to plant fruit
trees, vegetables and herbs. Use your imagination to come up
with container gardening ideas.

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For container gardening ideas, scan the internet, the library or a bookstore. The challenge is to come up with a lovely container garden plan. There are a widespread collection of containers available for your container garden. These range in size from small-scale house-plant pots to sizeable boxes and planters. Equally varied are the materials from which they are made. These include wood, glass, clay, aluminum, bamboo, straw, plastic, fiberglass, terra cotta, tin, cast iron, zinc, copper, and brass, each with select advantages and disadvantages. What you chooe4 will depend on availability, price, background, and attraction not to mention the characteristics of the gardening pots.

Here are some container gardening ideas. In addition to run-of-the-mill circular pots and tubs, there are modern and ultra-modern forms-square, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, and octagonal. Also eligible are old iron kitchen pots, kettles, pails, jugs, casks, vases, crocks, jam tubs, barrels and nail kegs, Japanese fish tubs, aged sinks, bathtubs, bamboo soy tubs. There are novelty containers such as driftwood, wheelbarrows, donkey carts, spinning wheels and boxes attached to roadside mail container. There are also bird cages, decorative well heads, animal figures, and Strawberry jars. Woven baskets may be used to conceal unattractive containers. Even tar paper pots, handled by garden centers and florists, are worthy if painted or veiled to upgrade their exterior. Any of these can be used in your container gardening ideas.

Where to find your container supplies? Begin with what you possess. If you explore cellars or basements, attics, garages, and sheds, you will doubtless encounter objects of interest. Old-fashioned pots and kettles, usually sold in antique shops at rural auctions or observed at old New England inns, have much attraction.

Different container garden ideas to ponder are old cookie and bean jars, pickle and other types of crocks, wash tubs, coal pails, jardini?res, and ceramic bowls. For drainage, scatter a thick layer of substantial pebbles or shattered pieces of pots or bricks at the bottom and then moisten plants with care. In substantial containers, drainage material should be many inches thick. Where rainfall is hefty, be certain to keep garden containers without drainage outlets on porches, below awnings or the under sizable eaves of houses. With pails and old galvanized wash tubs, holes can be easily punctured at the bottom.

Plants in containers without drainage openings stay wet longer. Some of these-crocks, jardini?res and cookie jars-are massive enough to be secure against the elements in exterior container gardening.

What constitutes the perfect container for your container garden ideas? A container needs to be attractive, even if it is not an object of art. It should be sturdy and lasting and able to resist all kinds of weather. This is especially true of the substantial sizes which ofttimes continue outdoors all year around. In the North, alternate icy and thawing is a predicament in winter (and could generate cracking); in blazing climates, intensive heat, humidity, and moisture are to be considered (and could cause fading). And in semiarid areas, there is the impact of searing sun to keep in attention, another source of fading. All these things need be kept in mind when coming up with your container gardening design.

The perfect container must be vast enough to hold a sizeable quantity of soil. It should have super drainage facilities through holes or various openings at the bottom or sides. It must not rust, at least in a single season, and it should have a wide enough base to perch firmly wherever placed. Further, it needs to be heavy enough to withstand average winds. In severe storms, like hurricanes and tornadoes, movable containers can be shifted to interim safety. All of these things should be factored in when you are coming up with your container gardening ideas.

Resistance to rot is another requisite. Wooden containers-except those made of rot-resistant redwood, Western cedar, and Southern red cypress-will require to be treated with a wood preservative. Except for lifelong containers, the capability to move your container garden is another quality, and sometimes a safety precaution, of portable container gardening. Sizable boxes and planters can be equipped with wheels, and garden centers have redwood tubs that perch on platforms with wheels. An opening in the platform corresponds to the hole in the tub. Sizeable containers without wheels can be pushed on iron or wooden rollers by two or more people; however, if you live in an area inclined to severe storms it is best to keep your containers small-scaled.

Smaller containers are ideal for cultivation herb container gardens. If you plan to plant an herb container garden be imaginative. Here are some container garden ideas for herbs that go great together.

* For an Italian selection try Sweet basil, Italian parsley, Oregano, Marjoram and Thyme.

* For a pleasing scented container use Lavender, Rose scented geranium, Lemon balm, Lemon thyme, and Pineapple sage.

* For utterly extravagant salads try Garlic chives, Rocket, Salad burnet, Parsley, Celery.

* And to say “We love French Cooking!” use Tarragon, Chervil, Parsley, Chives and Sage.

Any of these will liven up your meal and please your family.

So these are just a few container gardening ideas. Get out a pad of paper and make up a container garden plot that will add to the view and conceivably even the palate.

Happy Container Gardening!

Copyright ? 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Container gardening ideas gives you some basics in how to
form up your container gardening layout. From the playful to
the practical, it shares container garden ideas for the many
various garden pots you can put in use.

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