LANDScape a NURSERY “Where you always get the help you need” Container Gardening May 29, 2010 Presented by Evelyn Volk Find us 00 Facebook 1051 US Highway Rt. 202, Ringoes NJ, 08551 (908) 788-2600,Container Gardening Container gardening is Goth a craft andan art Container gardening isa way of growing plants that can be very satisfying to gardeners. It feeds the artist within us because it allows our imaginations the freedom to combine plants ofall colors, shapes and textures to match the plants to the pot and then to place the container display where it does the mast to enhance the garden. ‘The container gardener — with afew exceptions has to have avsion of how the display will look several months later, when the planting matures. They should be able to combine different plants in anaesthetic and attractive way compensating forthe diferent needs ofthe plants they are using, Just ike a seasoned gardener, they take into consideration watering, feeding, deadheading or pruning and when necessary dealing with garden pests and diseases The beginning ofthe gardening experience is deciding where the container or containers willbe located, sun/shade, and subjected to wind or a cozy protected area. Next is deciding design ofthe container traditional or modern. Mostly the containers are chosen to fitin and ‘add to the existing and surrounding plantings. A container or group or containers canbe situated and arranged to be a focal point from a favorite window. Most commonly, they ae located close tothe front {door to make the entry more appealing to guests or located along. a patio or raised deck, along steps, around a pool, or just any place you think needs an additional perk. When starting out, itcan be overwhelming if you choose too many containers forthe time and efforts available to take care of the plants. Depending on your cholce of containers, they wil need water once or twice dally especially if acated in the hot afternoon sun. The gardener can incorporate water absorbing pellets (Soll Moist) and a time-release fertilizer such as Osmocote within the soil to help simplify the care. Try to remember to keep it creative and enjoyable. ‘Most of us want to enjoy summer for what itis ~to enjoy the gardening experience, but not to the extentit becomes drudgery. Containers as Part of Garden Art Artin the garden usually slows a visitor's movement through the garden. Placed in the center ofthe bed, it anchors the garden, Sited inthe intersection of converging paths, it acts as a dominant structural element ofthe design and draws the eye forward, pulling the visitor into the garden. The presence and weight of art or containers placed atthe entrance toa path or home signifies that this Is the correct way to go, that anew space waits to be discovered. Art can be repeated at regular Intervals along a path or through a bed to create rhythm in the garden; it sets the pace tobe followed.Containers are major design elements, extending the mixed garden to a porch, deck or steps and brings it to life. They can be placed ina border to fil the void left by a plant that has gone dormant or sited where sols so poor that nothing will grow. Many are so attractive, you don't ‘even need to enhance with plants. Containers can be filled wit plants that are similar to those repeated throughout the garden, unifying the container area withthe garden as a whole. Dynamic perennials, annuals, tropicals, vines, herbs, vegetable and woody plants can be combined to create mixed containers that echo the style ofthe garden, with outstanding plants featured as specimens. Stressing follage plants in container and playing with texture, form and some wild leaf colors is another fun route Choosing a Pot or Container ‘The plant height (size) in relation to pot size is important for aesthetic reasons. The grown plant height should be about two times the pot height. An oversized pot not only wastes soil mix but also increases the rsk of over watering to the detriment ofthe small plant. Pots come in dlifferent shapes, sizes and materials Containers come in all shapes and sizes. Any receptacles may be used to grow plants, provided adequate provision is made for drainage. Pots are also chosen to complement the landscape design or the specific area where it is going to be used, ‘There are two basic materials used in making horticultural pots. Each has advantages and disadvantages. 4. Clay (or earthenware) Isa natural material, which “breathes” ori porous, allowing water to evaporate from its surface. As such, It reduces the danger of water logging from overwatering. Clay pots are heavier, more sturdy and able to support large plants without toppling over. However, clay pots are also bulky to handle and breakable, requiring care in handling. Because itis capable of absorbing mineral salts and water from the medium, the surfaces of clay posts often show unsightly whitish marks from salt deposits, During repotting or top dressing, these marks should be scrubbed off by Using household bleach and then rinsed in vinegar. Such marks are not associated with tlazed cay pots. 2. Plastic pots are very popular today and are available ina wide range of colors, thickness, durability, shapes and sizes. Plastic pots are generally less breakable than clay pots. Even though molded polystyrene pots are used in some situations, hard plasies area most common because they are lightweight and easy to handle, Plant roots grow more evenly ina plastic container. One problem with ths synthetic materials that it is not porous and thus plants grown in plastic plants grown in plastic pots are prone to water logging because they lack the ability to absorb moisture and lose it through evaporation. Beforerousing plastic pots, they should be washed to remove al dit and sterilized, Pots may bbe soaked for about 10 minutes in disinfectant, rinsed in water and air dried. When reusing an old pot, it should be cleaned and disinfected with household bleach before reuse, When cleaning glazed clay pats, they should be soaked in water for several minutes toremove alla bubbles in the clay. When dry clay pots are used for repotting, the clay ‘tends to absorb moisture rapidly from soll Potting Mix and soil Container plants grow best in potting mix or container mix. A ‘200d potting soll or mixls both well aerated and dense son plants ‘won fall over. Mixes that contain perlite, vermiculite and peat moss i bes. Fertilizer and Water Plants in containers need to be fed more than plants in the garden since frequent watering, ‘causes nutrients to leach out of the sol over time. Feed blooming plants more often since ‘they require more energy for flower production, thus feeding about once every two weeks ‘while in flower is recommended. Some gardeners prefer using fish emulsion every two weeks through the growing season or you can use a slow-release fertilzer such as Osmocote to give your container plants an extra boost. To increase bloom production, try a Bloom Booster fertilizer. If you're planning on over wintering your container plants, stop fertilizing your plants by September so plants can go dormant in time for winter Lght Requirements The most common cause of lack of blooms in container plantings is insufficient light. tis Important to avoid putting ow light plants such as impatiens in a fll sun area and vice versa when putting full sun plants such as zinnas, geraniums, grasses, et, in too shady of an area. When deciding to plant up a container, first decide where you want to place the finished container and what kind of light you receive in that area and choose appropriate plants for the container so they can thrive all summer long. Pruning or Deadheading of Container Plants Pruning of container plants is similar to pruningiin the ‘garden. When a bloom is expired, you will want to deadhead or prune the plant so that more blooms can begin growing. With some annuals, such as petunias, cosmos, pruning right before the next leaf set is all that Isnecessary. With other plants such as geraniums, Gerber dalses, deadheading the expired blooms down to the base ofthe plants necessary. Many times,gardeners ill ust ‘pop the heads off ‘of spent blooms leaving sticks atthe top of the plants. Doing this will not promote any new blooms leaving only follage in your containers. The benefit of planting annuals such as impatiens, begonias, bacopa, flowering vinca, etc, are that they are maintenance free and will drop their spent blooms continually allowing for the new blooms and flowers to emerge. For a colorful container al summer long it is best to Incorporate these types of plants ito your container so there is always color in between your deadheading/pruning maintenance. Over Wintering Over-wintering of containerized perennials and woody plants is economical and a great way to save your favorites. With some plants however, such as annuals and some tropical, itis best to just start with new plants the following season. Pots for Perennials, grasses and woody plants must be able to tolerate freezing, Soil is a good insulator however, for better insulation ‘you should further isolate by protecting your pots from wind by heavily mulching with straw, oF layers of bubble wrap. Pots can be sunk in the ground or brought in a garage or other sheltered areas. Over wintering can sometimes be tricky asit really depends on how harsh the winter is because It’s the constant ‘thawing and freezing thatthe root systems endure in Unprotected pots. Many tropicals, such as elephant’s ear and cannas’can be stored dry in pots in cool, dark or low light areas forthe winter. As the warmer weather approaches, moving them back into light and water sparingly until new growth is visible is advised, Container Design Color {you are unsure about how to use colori your planting try the following color combinations. ‘White: Versatile, wth green achieves unique freshness, with yellow is cool and lively, with pinks and blues is romantic and it sets off bright oranges and reds Purple: Works well with pink and gray, sophisticated with yellow, more light hearted, with brown is somber but classy, with crimson appears ‘gal with orange = jazzy and with white is cool! Blue is eye catching while reds, yellow and orange are ideal fr flamboyant displays, mixin magenta and you have a vivacious mix!{sa container gardener, ou can work with arange of textures by putting together plants with similar feel. You can also develop interesting contrasts of texture by planting hard and soft next to soft and velvety, Through the textures of the plants you choose different moods can be created for any sotting you would like to fil. Whatever ‘mood you choose to achieve have fun with it and experiment Scale and Proportion ‘when planning the scale and proportion of your display itis important to consider the growth habits ofthe plants you choose. For standard designs, a tall center plant in 2 round pot, the finished height should ideally be between one and 1.5 times the height of the container and the planting should be triangular in shape. ‘Traditional container planting designs include a tal plant inthe center to balance the pot or adds height to the container and a focal point. With smaller potsits best to avold a height in the center as it makes low arrangements look too heavy Instead use plants that can be enjoyed from all views of the container. Grouping Grouping your pots together is a great opportunity to ‘make the most oftheir various heights and styles. One ‘of the advantages of grouping is that it provides a disguise. If you have a couple of less mature plants ‘around your garden, they decrease the overall appearance and beauty you worked hard fo. By ‘overlapping and placing mature healthy plants around the less mature plants, it disguises and enhances the look of your container garden. Novice container gardeners always tend to make this mistake. They place the container plantings close together before they are mature. Once the plants start to mature, they start to grow and overflow off the edges of their container. Since they are placed so tightly together, the plantings never get a chance to display their extravagant foliages and flowers. Provide a bit ofa gap for each container so ‘that you may avord ths cilemma and offer the plantings the opportunity to fully develop. Furthermore, remember to add varying heights to your groupings. Don't just keep them all on the ground. Place smaller plantings on shelves or on upturned containers. This ralsing and falling pattern of grouping increases thelr observability and stature.PLANT UP TUBS AND PATIO POTS Although all the pl litable for anb ter depth of potting Wofien bolder plane trailers with restraint so that the pot itself arein its own right ate or decorative pot unl karge patio pots, the soil atfers seope For larger a plants, and the circular shape genera bold plant for the ne asic me wil are Mowers centre, suc Fiedtteandpascubevery ©) Aleamtud povinginrcin 3 Choe tl best for most plans, but Hie pot sel whee weigh 8 Ora Tues ‘Cunshleratin,sticas na bakony, sch ase osteosper boon used ere, Birk ore theemphasiso aitthe anyway a comerve oltre). Water focabpoin i vein pla roughlyPLANT A HANGING BASKET askets are those planted with also be able to use an enclosed or protected porch. fairly small plants that are then geown on ina Giving. the baskets protection fora few weeks light, frost-free place until it is safe to put them enables the plants to recover from the ‘outdoors — perhaps in late spring or early ‘ransplanting, before they have to contend with, summer, A greenhouse is idea, but you might the winds and drier soil andl Stand the backer ntocket eo keep phomng. Useawirebasket you actasa buffer you are occasionally waking a traditional basket, linc it ‘want tadional display with plenty forget about watering your plants, with moss to the level of dhe fst row ofp iki from thesides as” Mawvevcr dey are no sbi for basket with pouting relat, daly watering. cating dry hae level, thew insert, and hor weal slagspotor 2) Waerorbingcrystlscanbe 2 Yoweanuse propria abiwhic” — Qatdctwotepotingcompatte OD makes for Ad nore moss and pouting ms i epost unt jase Below the se keep the basket on the itupHow to Repot Container Plants Trimming the roots and refreshing the soil give potbound plants a new lease on life by James D. Kr Roots growing out the drainage hole are a teltale sign of potbound plants, Most healthy container garden plants, eventually outgrow their pots. A good way to reinvigorate a rootbound piant is to Fepot it Recognizing when it's time to repot is the first step. Teltale signs include soil that dries out quickly or has become degraded; roots tightly packed within a pot or protruding from drainage holes; and water sitting on the soll surface too long after watering Often a plant simply looks top-heavy or as ifit might burst out ofits pot. The best time to repot most plants is when they're actively growing, in the spring or summer. However, plants can usually handle repotting whenever the situation warrants it. Often a rootbound plant can be pulled easily from the pot, The second step isto get a plant out of its pot, Ifa plant is rootbound, it helps to water the Toot ball thoroughly in advance. For plants in ‘small to medium pots, invert the pot and support the top of the root bali with one hand. Put your ‘ther hand on the bottom of the pot and use a downward throwing motion with an abrupt stop. Many plants wil slip out after one or two throws. If not, knock the edge of the pot against a sturdy surface, such as a potting bench, still holding the pot with both hands. It may take a few good hacks to release the plant; be careful not to break the pot. A plant ready for repotting should slide out with the soll in one piece. If much of the soil falls free ofthe roots, the plant may not need repotting,Ifit does, there wil ikely be @ solid soil-and-root mass in the shape of the just-removed pot, Roots should be white or light-colored. Black, dark-colored, of foul-smelling roots, are usually signs of a serious problem, such as fungal disease. Roots packed tightly in a pot don't take up nutrients efficiently. To promote good nutrient absorption, rim the roots and loosen up the root ball before replanting. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears for this job, removing as much as the bottom third of the root ball ifnecessary. Don't be surprised if what you cut offs a thick tangle of root tissue. Also ‘make three or four vertical cuts about a third of the way up the remaining root ball Cut through any roots growing in a circular pattern to help prevent the plant from strangling itself with its own roots as it grows. If the roots are thick along the sides of the root ball, shave or peel away the outer layer. Or gently untangle the root ball with your fingers as if you ‘were mussing someone's hair. Do this along the top ledge of the root ball, to. The proper size of the new pot depends on the plant and its potential growth rate, how well it's growing under current conditions, and the ultimate size desired for the plant. Rely on your own idea of what a healthy specimen of a particular species should look ike. When in doubt, go with a pot the next size up. ‘Trim off the bottom of the root ball and make some vertical cute up the sides, ‘To keep soil from leaking out the bottom ofthe pot, cover its drainage hole(s) with a paper towel, coffee iter, mesh screen, or pot shard, If you use a pot shard, place it convex side up to avoid sealing the hoie. Jj‘To repot a small plant that's easy to lif, puta few inches of moist soll in the pot and tamp it down lightly. Place the plant in the pot, centering it. The goal isto get the top of the root bal to sit about an inch below the rim of the pot. Ifthe plant is in too deep, gently raise itand add more soil. fit sits too high, remove the plant and dig out some Soil, or just dump the soil out and start over. Now, fil the space around the root ball with sil, ve noticed that there are two ‘approaches to this job - "stuffing" and “fling" Stuffers like to press soil in around a plant. Filles lke to fil the pot tothe brim and let the soll settle in during the frst few waterings. Whether you stuff or fil, eave some room at the top so the pot can hold {enough water with each watering to thoroughly moisten the sei ‘chose pot sgh ger tha the root a_i eh potig tla ti he top of pan