All American Hydroponics

Author: Nancy Gleason

In trying to make our homes look more tempting for re-sale in this period of scant flowers, the idea of container gardening has been explored. In Container Gardening Extravaganza Part 1, the type of pot and the grouping of pots have been dealt with. The grouping is very important and assuming that you have followed the Master Plan, the suggestions for planting will follow that formula.

One of the first things we do is to fill the pots with earth - STOP! Before you do that find some big stones from the garden, or the beach, or the local river bank, or if you simply MUST go and buy some pebbles (about three inches long) and lay two or three layers of these in the bottom of your container.

This will allow for drainage if it rains too much etc. It will also allow you to pre-water your plants if you go away for a long weekend without you actually drowning the plants! You will need to ‘feed’ the plants once or twice in the beginning of the growing season, so water first and then add the diluted nutrients.

Once you have put your drainage stones in the bottom of the pot, you can pile on the soil, compost, manure mix etc. With containers it is quite important to add some sand, wood ash or compost with a draining component added, (it will state that this has been included on the outside of the bag).

Fill containers to within two inches of the top with your soil mix to avoid spillage when adding the plants. It is easy to top up at the end and containers look more attractive when the soil reaches the top rim.

It is possible to ‘plant’ an empty flower pot in the larger containers and ‘hide’ it with ivy or a trailing vine. This empty spot can then be changed out with seasonal blooms all through the summer.

I am assuming you want to get the most for your buck and that you will want a few taller plants at the back of the group. However, a tall addition looks more attractive if it is not a big solid lump of foliage. Something tall, bushy and feathery looks good, for instance a tall jasmine or a bamboo bush. Bamboo is ideal as it does not need staking - it brings its own stake with it!

You can choose a less tall but bushier style for the lower pot (on the 6″ block). Find your bamboo at the local nursery or e-mail order from a bamboo nursery in Chilliwack B.C. that specializes in bamboos for the North American climate. (You can order from photos on the web site.)

After you have chosen the tall plants add a few trailing plants to hang down both sides of the pots. Another obvious pot for the trailing plants is the upturned fourteen inch duo of pots; these will look effective with long skinny trailing plants. In the large containers that have will have a lot of soil showing, add some ‘ground cover’ like white or pink alyssum or busy lizzies and trail some blue or mauve lobelia.

It is a good idea to buy some pansies and some trailing petunias and some upright petunias for all the pots to be slightly coordinated. Plant some of these in all of the pots. The temptation to buy random colors will not produce such good results as the color coordinated idea.

If you can choose all your blooms in a color scheme, say white and blue, or yellow and red, or purple and pinks (or whatever) the effect is usually much more artistic. Most gardeners recommend that one third of all plants should be pure foliage and this foliage should be chosen in different greens and yellows with variegated leaves and textures where possible. The silvery gray fern also adds a different dimension.

Always pick smaller-headed blooms for the smaller pots, and try and include a lavender or starter honeysuckle in your larger pots so that you have a gorgeous smell at dusk. You can also cheat and ‘hide’ a solid block air freshener in amongst your plants. However, be smart here - a cinnamon and vanilla aroma could give the game away, so choose a floral smell!

Once the planting is completed, you can top up with soil unless you prefer the professional ‘finished’ look. If this is the case, you can add a top layer of your chosen decorative finish. This could include using a layer of wood bark, or gray river pebbles, terra cotta pebbles or moss, if you prefer that look.

You can add a brightly colored pebble or two into your flat glazed bowl and scatter a few loose flat pebbles or tiny rocks around the edges of the ceramic container pots. Place your favorite chair nearby, listen to the birdsong, relax and enjoy….

P.S. Did you know you can also cheat with the birdsong - get a recording!!