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Check out this video about rock gardens:

The ladies show us how to use pots and containers to liven up the end of a driveway and hide ugly utilities. They also challenge your perspective on what kinds of plants are ornamental.

Check out this video about gardening tips:

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? www.getyoursfreetoday.com ?????????????????????? Click link above to get your FREE $500 Dollar Home Depot Gift Card! You can use it to buy supplies! ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? You cant bear to toss your beloved old blue porcelain bowl set. And maybe that Michelin tire might come in handy again, so you should keep it. Although you might not use recycled porcelain bowls or apple barrels but rather terra cotta or woven pots, the simple concept of growing plants in pots or urns in addition to other objects, offers you a variety of enjoyable and creative ways to maintain and experiment with your garden. The concept of container gardening existed before Boccaccios Isabella planted her lovers noggin in a pot of basil: the Egyptians and Romans likely developed the idea. Of late, container gardenings popularity grew in southern California in the 1950s, and since then interest has escalated steadily. This brief guide is designed to facilitate decisions in planning and growing your garden in containers, since you will need to select the right containers and their ideal locations and plants. Container Gardening Advantages What makes container gardening so great? Consider the following short list of pluses. Flexibility Containers allow you to enjoy plants in areas where a traditional garden is awkward or impossible. Even with limited space in an urban apartment …

Check out this video about container gardening:

Hi! This is Going Organic. You can find our website at “www.goingorganic.weebly.com”! Today I am going to talk about composting. It is winter time here in Central Florida. I am composting in containers to prepare for a container garden in the spring. I’ve drilled 3/8″ holes in the bottom of these 40 gallon containers. I’ve added oak leaves to the containers with shredded paper and cardboard from the home shredder, used coffee grounds from Starbucks, water from the fish pond, egg shells, cow manure, vegetable scraps. All those old bills and junk mail you shred at home can be a carbon source for your compost. This is one more way to recycle and not send paper to the landfill. Used coffee grounds are a good source of nitrogen. Once the grounds are used, their ph is close to neutral. So they are very safe for plants. I picked up this bag full of coffee grounds the other day. Starbucks has a recycling program for their coffee grounds. Anytime, you can walk in and ask for their used coffee grounds. They will pull the whole trash bag full of grounds out and double bag it for you. The other day, the server even carried it out to the car for me. I just want to say “Thanks!” to the Lake Mary Starbucks for all their free coffee grounds. I’ve been using water from the fish pond, since it is used as liquid fertilizer in hydroponic systems. I have a page on my website on how to build an easy portable fish pond. I save the egg shells from cooking, since tomatoes like calcium. I let them …

Check out this video about vegetable garden:

Not everyone has the room for a full size vegetable garden. No problem, you can grow vegetables in containers. Visit us at www.thebayougardener.com

Small containers make big impact on garden
Plants that fit well in small containers, or alternately, in the landscape/garden but stay diminutive in size, are always nice…
Read more on The Community Voice

There are many questions that need to be addressed before you start on with your practice of flower gardening in containers. Few of those questions are as follows:

- What size of container do you have in mind? Would you prefer planting several different flowers in one large pot or you would like to use small containers for planting various flowers?

- Are you open to the idea of few hanging plants besides the stationary containers?

- Would you like to keep a provision for rearrangement in your container garden in case its looks start getting boring after a certain period of time?

- What’s purpose is your endeavor of container gardening serving?

- What type of visual appeal are you planning to give to your container garden?

- Will it be mini plants or large plants in your container garden?

Though, given the right conditions and care, almost any plant can be grown in a container, however, if you are planning to have mixed plants in your container garden, there are several important points that need consideration. For example, the strawberry plants are usually not very competent when it comes to extracting nutrients and water from the soil. Therefore, planting them with an aggressive plant can result in strawberries being deprived of all the necessary nutrients required for their growth. Thus, it will be better if a small study can be done beforehand to find out the plants that possess similar characteristics and can be planted together for equal growth opportunity.

While its feasible to grow any flower plant in a container, you will still need to provide it with necessary ingredients like water, light, soil and nutrients. You may even be required to employ a grow light (can be purchased at the local gardening store) for flowers needing full sunlight. The flowers that can survive even with indirect sunlight will fare well even near the window space. You must also be cautious that you don’t use the normal garden soil for container gardening as it will transform into compact-hard type after some time, resulting in cramped roots.

It’s better to use enhanced solutions like sterilized potting mix, soil-less potting mixtures or the prepared potting soil that can be bought at any nursery in your vicinity. In case you prefer adding some organic matter to the enhanced soil, you can use peat moss. Some specific plants like African violets and orchids demand special types of potting mixtures. All such requirements must not come as a surprise, thus, you must keep yourself updated and aware of all the needs of the plants in your container garden.

Even though you may be all geared up to create the best possible container garden right now, please remember, it’s not possible to maintain such high enthusiasm levels throughout the journey. Hence, you must carefully plan out the plants you will grow depending on your availability and effort that you will be able to spare. Plants like African violets are relatively easier to grow as compared to exotic breeds like bird of paradise that requires great attention.

Once you have figured out the plants that you will be growing in your containers, it’s time to start thinking about the designs and placements. Let your imagination take over at this point and indulge in whichever way to enhance the visual appeal of your garden. You can either consider clustering up the containers together or placing them away from each other at strategic locations. You can also think about lining them up neatly on wooden benches or adorn your bland looking stairway. Nothing looks beautiful than cute looking small containers with beautiful flowers in them giving you company while you climb the stairs. Window boxes can even be employed to brighten up the windowpanes.

Coming now to the actual planting procedure, you must start by placing some chipped wood or rocks at the containers’ base. This is a better drainage solution as compared to holes that may lead to soil loss. Now start filling up the container slowly with your soil mixture (containing organic matter) and the beneficial fertilizer. Don’t go on filling till the top as yet and stop at the level where you’d like your plants roots to settle. Place the plants root ball on the soil and start filling up rest of the container with soil up till one inch from the top. Once done, put plenty of water into the container immediately. In order to prevent the soil from drying up, you can also add dried moss or pebbles around the plants’ base.

Plants that are most optimum for growth in containers are some tender perennials and non-hardy ones like coleus, delicate bulbs, lantana and asters. Annuals are also a wonderful option for container gardens as they bloom in no time and can endure even winter conditions.

The container gardens, though relatively easy to create, need good maintenance. They require constant watering as the soil in the containers dries out swiftly as it is fast-draining and lighter in nature. Plants in the container will also require all necessary nutrients to grow naturally like their counterparts planted on the ground. If taken care of well, your container gardens can liven up your living room and keep your spirits always high.

The Rock Garden Plant Primer: Easy, Small Plants for Containers, Patios, and the Open Garden
Price:
The Rock Garden Plant Primer: Easy, Small Plants for Containers, Patios, and the Open Garden
Product Description
It’s not necessary to have a traditional rock garden to enjoy rock garden plants. In fact, these colorful, small plants are perfect for the pots, containers, window boxes, and raised beds that are the mainstays of modern gardens.

World-renowned botanist Christopher Grey-Wilson recommends easy-to-grow plants for a variety of garden situations including shade, mixed borders, and patios. Introductory chapters explain how to grow and care for these gardener-friendly plants that are cold-hardy and adaptable. Detailed plant descriptions are based on his personal experience of seeing the plants in the wild and growing them in the garden. Includes excellent photographs to aid in selection and identification.
The Rock Garden Plant Primer: Easy, Small Plants for Containers, Patios, and the Open Garden

The Rock Garden Plant Primer: Easy, Small Plants for Containers, Patios, and the Open Garden

When you are ready to mix ingredients for your container garden, be sure the soil is damp and workable. To determine this, take a handful, squeeze it and allow it to drop. If water comes out, it is too wet; if it breaks apart, it is too dry. But if the lump of soil retains its shape or cracks just a little when it is dropped, it is in good condition to work into your gardening pots.

Be certain your garden containers are clean when you start. Soak used or new clay gardening pots overnight so they will not draw moisture from the soil after planting. This is a very important step when you are beginning your plants life. If the pot draws off the moisture the new plant will be deprived. Clean dirty clay pots with a stiff brush and hot, soapy water. Clean gardening pots will be much more attractive in your container garden.

Though redwood, cedar, and cypress gardening pots may be left natural, they may also be stained or painted. First clean the surfaces then apply one or two coats of stain or paint. Let dry completely before planting. Concrete, metal, plastic, fiberglass, and similar materials all need cleaning before planting your container garden.

Suiting plants to garden pots is very important in container garden design. Consider the shape of each container, its color, and texture in relation to the color of flowers and foliage, as well as the ultimate size of each plant in your container garden. Don’t choose material that is too small, and if you want a group of plants for a large container, select one tall specimen for the center to give height and scale. Don’t forget that you can plant vegetables in container gardens; try to incorporate them into your container garden design. And, for a tasty addition to your container garden plant herbs in garden containers or even hanging baskets, your recipes will become marvelous.

In low pots or bulb pans and in tubs, use low-growing plants like fancy-leaved caladiums, petunias, verbenas, Iantanas, ageratum and wax begonias. Hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils are also appropriate. In tall containers, plant specimens of geraniums, heliotropes, coleus, balsam, dwarf dahlias, fuchsias, and marguerites. Reserve the larger container pots and boxes for trees and shrubs or roses.

As a gardener, keep in mind the form of plants, particularly the evergreens which stand out boldly in winter. Rounded types, as clipped yews or globe arborvitae, look well in angular containers. Hollies or yews, sheared into squares or pyramids, look better in circular tubs. This contrast of the curving with the straight always gives interest to the garden and those guests that visit your container garden.

The first step in potting for a gardener is to place sufficient drainage material in the bottom of each garden container, allowing the water to pass through freely, but not so much as to interfere with the roots. An inch or two of flower pot pieces (rounded sides up), or chips of brick or flagstone, pebbles, gravel, small stones, or cinders can be used. The larger the container, the larger the pieces should be. Some gardeners spread a piece of coarse burlap and a layer of sand over large drainage pieces. A layer of Vermiculite or sphagnum moss over the drainage material is also fine to keep soil from clogging holes. If the holes clog the roots will drown in their gardening pot.

Above the drainage, spread a layer of soil, the amount depending on the size of the container and the root ball of the plant. Place the plant in position so that the surface of the soil will be an inch (more for big plants) below the rim of the container. This space is needed to hold water.

Fill soil in around the roots, firming gently with your fingers or a piece of wood so as to eliminate air pockets. Add more soil and firm, but do not make the soil too tight for fine feeding roots must be able to penetrate it with ease.

Finally, water your garden container plants well, let them drain. If water passes through the gardening pot very rapidly, press soil again to firm it; that means there are air pockets. If the soil holds water too long, loosen it a little.

Place the container garden in a sheltered spot out of sun and wind for the first week while they make new root growth and adjust to new conditions. This also helps to avoid shock. Once your plants have settled in, you ready to arrange your container garden according to your original container gardening design.

Happy Container Gardening!

Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningHerb.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com or contact her at mary@webmarketingreviews