Container Gardening Mastery: Pots, Mixes, and Plants for Every Space

(Editor's Note: Originally published April 29, 2008. Comments welcome; authors may not respond promptly.)

Why Container Garden?

Poor soil, gorgeous ceramic pot needing a plant, favorite plant with specific light/heat needs, tiny space, balcony/patio/deck restrictions—all reasons to garden in containers.

How: The Three Essentials

Container, growing medium, plants. But what kind, type, which? My haphazard approach (leaving plants in nursery pots way too long—ten times?) taught me plenty.

The Container

Choose one you like—it contributes as much to aesthetics as the plant (see photo: DG member rcn48's Betula 'Filigree Lace'). Must hold enough medium to retain moisture until next watering. Most critical: drainage hole. More plants die from overwatering than underwatering. Drill one if needed (pottery bit, cold water flow).

The Mix

Yard dirt in a pot? Mistake (and tough with compacted city soil). Bagged potting mix works for many. DG member Tapla advocates rapid-draining mix: pine bark fines, grit/vermiculite, other ingredients. Key: drainage. Water and fertilizer salts must drain completely while aerating roots.

Specialty mixes (orchid, cactus) exist for specific needs. Most use soilless medium. Dirt is just a vehicle for oxygen and water. Plants need nutrients: N, P, K, micronutrients. Include via all-purpose fertilizer.

Moisture-retaining crystals? Some swear by them; others (me) worry about environmental impact. Northeast U.S. has ample water/high water table. Individual trial and error—and watering frequency—decide. Each watering assesses plant health (per DG author Lee Anne Stark).

Gravel layer myth: Doesn't help drainage. Reduces soil volume for roots. Ensure drainage via hole + pot on well-draining surface (or on gravel under pot).

The Plants

Many plants suit containers, at least temporarily. Coleus, African violets, palms, impatiens, pansies, geraniums in window boxes. In my tiny yard, nearly everything starts in containers while we decide if we like each other. Annuals, herbs, vegetables—this summer: patio single-serving cantaloupes!

Perennials in pots? Trickier but doable. Pot up for summer while deciding bed placement. For permanent pots: choose plants hardy to 2+ zones colder (less root protection). Pot must be tough—fiberglass, wood, brick, stone. (My yard: plastic pots and broken ceramics.)

Containers are portable (respect your back). Move for parties (part shade), return to sun. No tree-cutting for light—just shift the pot. Let imagination go crazy—pot something up today!

Forums: Annuals, Cactus/Succulent, Coleus, Container Gardening, Perennials.

Articles: Reviving old plastic pots, Pot Potential, Grow mini-cantaloupes, Overwintering coleus, Make a Planter From Blue Jeans, Pot Ideas for Succulents, Mulching Indoor Plants, Container Gardening to the Max.