Organic Gardening Tips and Methods Container Gardening (Pot Gardening) Part One Section One Growing plants in containers is an exceptionally versatile way of gardening, an enormous range of plants adapt well to these essentially artificial conditions, whether they be short-lived bedding plants, which make colourful summer displays in pots, hanging baskets, or window-boxes, or relatively large shrubs or trees, which can live in large containers. With such a wide diversity of plants to choose from, container gardens can be created almost anywhere, from spaces confined as a patio, roof-garden, balcony, or window-box to areas in the larger garden, container/pot gardening is also ideal for most if not all small gardens...... Using Containers; Growing plants in containers is one of the most flexible of gardening techniques, for many modern gardeners who are aiming to create a pleasing environment in a limited space, container gardening is practical and appealing. For centuries plants have been grown in containers to allow them to be sited where there is no garden soil, for example; in a paved courtyard, on a balcony, or under cover in the home, greenhouse/glasshouse, or conservatory. Plants are also pot-grown to give them prominence in a display, their unique qualities being easier to appreciate when they are placed in an inconspicuous pot, or to enhance them in a container that is attractive in its own right. Growing plants in containers also allows the cultivation of genera that may not thrive in a particular gardens soil, by using tailored formulations of growing (potting mix/compost), these include lime-free (ericaceous) mixes for lime-hating plants such as; Rhododendrons and Azaleas, or very gritty mixes for; Alpine plants or Succulents, which need sharp drainage. Changes in Focus; In a conventional garden, plants are grown in the open ground and displays are relatively static because the components cannot easily be moved about, in such gardens, containers can play a role as focal points, for specimen planting, and/or for filling in gaps in beds and borders. In the container garden , pot-grown plants are easily regrouped with subtractions and additions, a planting scheme can be quickly rejuvenated or even completely transformed. Container gardening therefore is ideal for the experimental gardener wishing to create stimulating arrangements that can be changed when they have outlived their initial appeal. Formal and Informal Styles; These two broad approaches to garden design are as relevant to container gardening as in open ground, the formal style is based on geometric order with a division of space into balanced, often symmetrical units, and the repetition of elements at regular intervals, the informal approach has little or no geometry and the elements are arranged without obvious symmetry. At their most effective, the informal arrangements take their cue from the irregularity of natural landscapes, although there is usually a carefully thought out, underlying balance of mass, form and space. Many popular manufactured containers are of a regular outline that is perfectly suitable for formal arrangements, most plants however, naturally grow in an informal way and so can be used to obscure the lines of the container. When arranging container-grown plants, it is just as easy to create an informal style with soft freestyle planting as it is to ensure formality by planting to emphasize and echo the regularity of the containers shape. An alternative approach to the informal style is to use found or reclaimed containers, such as; chimney pots, old sinks, or drinking troughs, whose original purpose was quite other than growing plants or even vegetables. Selecting a Container; The choice of container is a matter of personal taste and aesthetics, whether the container is manufactured or improvised, however, it must satisfy key practical requirements to make it suitable for the cultivation of plants (or vegetables), the most fundamental elements are that a container holds sufficient growing mix to sustain the plants and the provision for excess water to drain away (adequate drainage). The materials of which containers are made will also affect the final choice, these include; unglazed and glazed terracotta, natural or reconstituted stone, concrete, metal, wood, fibreglass, and plastic. No material has a longer history of use than unglazed terracotta and its warm, earthy-colour and matt-textured surface provide one of the most sympathetic if not natural foils for foliage and flowers. Terracotta lends itself to decoration with incised or relief patterns that are pleasing but not distracting, it also blends in well with most architectural features whether they are made of stone, wood, or metal. More opulent effects can be achieved with containers of marble or more austere ones in other types of stone, the severity of concrete containers, or the strong lines of light-reflecting, galvanised zinc ones, lend themselves particularly well to an ultra-modern style, while wooden ones can be used to create a more rustic atmosphere. Containers in fibreglass and plastic can look inconspicuous but both materials have practical virtues in terms of moisture retention, for example; and the best successfully imitate much more expensive materials. Plants and their containers should complement rather than compete with each other, and the texture, colour, and surface finish of a container are considerations as important as the material itself. To a large extent, this is a matter of individual preference, but it is worth bearing in mind that containers of an assertive colour, a bold, high-gloss finish, or with conspicuous decoration will demand an equally strong planting scheme. Size, Shape, and Scale; The size and shape of a container are governed by practical considerations as well as those of visual appeal, the container must be large enough to accommodate the plant (or plants) to be grown, it is equally important to match the size of the pot to the visual mass of the planting it will hold. A small stone trough for example, would be in scale with diminutive alpines; an ali baba jar would suit a vigorous trailing specimen and a Versailles tub is ideal in both style and capacity for a topiary specimen. For a packed and colourful display of upright and trailing summer plants, a generously proportioned copper vessel (as once used for boiling or washing) might be appropriate. As a general rule, the larger the pot the better and the larger pots need less frequent watering, one advantage of smaller pots, however, is that they can be dropped into arrangements as plants reach their prime and removed when past their best, this technique works best in conjunction with a holding area such as a cold frame, in which plants are brought to near perfection and to which they are returned to recover when their display is over. Single Specimens in Containers; Growing single plants in individual containers is very practical; the growing mix, watering, and feeding regime can be geared to the plant which is also freed of competition for moisture and nutrients, it can also work well in design terms particularly if the plant has a strong architectural shape. The spiky New Zealand cabbage palm (Cordyline australis) and Yuccas make fine specimens, as do plants of softer, weeping form such as cultivars of the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), arching and mound-forming grasses, such as green-and-gold variegated Hakonechloa macra Aureola, also look good alone in containers, as do species that are formally trained, such as a frame-grown common ivy (Hedera helix) or a clipped topiary specimen such as box (Buxus sempervirens). Clematis and other moderately vigorous climbers can be allowed to trail from tall containers, or be trained upwards on a simple obelisk. Lax shrubs such as ground cover roses look perfect when trailing their stems over the containers edge, and many other quite modest plants as; heathers, primulas, and violas - radiate a special charm when given the luxury of their own pot. Mixed Planting; Individual plants in their own containers can be grouped to give the impression of a mixed planting, but a greater challenge is to bring together a number of plants that complement each other and give a sustained display for several weeks or even months. The keys to success are to select plants that share the same or similar cultural needs and to create arrangements of compatible colours and contrasting forms and textures in foliage and flowers, mixed displays are most effective with a strong structure, for example; where a vertical or domed centrepiece is surrounded by lesser uprights with trailing plants breaking over the edge of the container to form an irregular skirt. A spring mixture for example might contrast upright dwarf irises and crocuses with a mat of small leaved thyme (Thymus serpyllum); richly coloured polyanthus among mounds of sky-blue forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica); or daisies (Bellis perennis) with tulips as strong verticals. In summer, the choice is almost endless, by selecting long-flowering bedding and foliage plants, it is possible to assemble a rich arrangements to provide many month of colour (as well as pleasure). Colour Themes; When packing several plants close together, colour clashes become much more conspicuous than in the less condensed conditions of the open garden. In containers, it is perhaps more important to devise combinations of plants based on colour harmonies or contrasts, the harmonies of closely related colours can be quiet and subtle, as in a warm scheme based on cream, soft yellow, and pale apricot, while more heavily saturated colours such as; rich purples with violets and blues create more vibrant harmonies. Contrasts are based on complementary colours such as; red with green, blue with orange, or yellow with violet, the eye is comfortable with these opposites which tone well with one another. Alternatively, more shocking combinations can be tried, for example; orange with magenta-pink, colour clashes can be stimulating, but in a small space, it is often helpful to ease the tension by using pale colours such as creams or near-whites or foliage as a buffer, grey-leaved plants such as; Helichrysum petiolare are invaluable in this respect, as are white or cream-variegated plants such as small leaved cultivars of common ivy (Hedera helix). Note; All information given coincides/complies with the guidelines of The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).....
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 13:36:06 +0000
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