Containers
Containers Aplenty
| The containers used in container gardening can be just about anything available, from painted coffee cans to beautifully colored and textured pots and hanging baskets. Among the most popular of the traditional containers are the terra cotta (clay) pots that are available in a large array of sizes from two inches to behemoths of 50 inches or more in diameter. Plants seem to have an affinity for clay and usually thrive in these pots, given proper attention. There are a large variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate shallow rooted and long rooted plants, bulbs, shrubs, and small trees. However, these clay pots are relatively expensive. A much cheaper version that mimics the shapes and sizes of the more expensive containers are the hard plastic containers, which also have the advantage of being much lighter in weight. Unconventional containers used in container gardening include tiles, hollowed out logs, baskets, fruit and vegetable crates, barrels, plastic tubs, and many more. Be creative and use your imagination! |
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Selecting Your Containers
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The secret to selecting the proper containers for your plants is to first and foremost choose the size which will benefit plant’s root structure. Choose containers which are not too large (soil will stay too wet) or too small (inhibits root growth and soil dries out too fast). Try not to buy nursery plants which are root bound – they require special attention when replanting. Select a pot one size larger than the original pot size each time you transplant, which is when the roots start to become root bound. Containers of any type are suitable provided that there is a drainage hole. Drainage material should be placed over the hole, such as broken clay pots pieces or stones. Plants can be placed in cheap containers, such as red clay or plain plastic pots and then set into larger, more decorative containers called sleeves. Moss placed over the pot and sleeve will hide the cheap pot. If necessary, the height of the planter pot can be raised to the rim of the sleeve by placing an inverted pot of the correct height underneath. |
In Prospective
It should be emphasized that containers are always subservient to the plants themselves, which are the main focus of any planting scenario. Containers can enhance the planting display, but must always take a back seat to the plants.
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