The creativity of container gardens can add punches of color, elegance and drama to our gardens. As with statuary and garden art, they are the accent pieces in gardens, drawing the eye and saying, “Look how beautiful it is here!” Because the plants grow quickly, the constant morphing makes boredom a non-issue!
The key to success with a container garden is choosing a pot that has good drainage. Here are some other considerations for choosing your new container:
Pick a pot that appeals to you. The creative gardener within doesn’t care what others think. Determine your style, and satisfy it! Just like choosing art and the decor for your home, consider your style and what best suits you. Pot selections are almost unlimited, as pots come in all sorts of styles, from traditional terra cotta to sleek-glazed pottery, painted ceramics and even lightweight pottery.
Style
Pick a pot that appeals to you. The creative gardener within doesn’t care what others think. Determine your style, and satisfy it! Just like choosing art and the decor for your home, consider your style and what best suits you. Pot selections are almost unlimited, as pots come in all sorts of styles, from traditional terra cotta to sleek-glazed pottery, painted ceramics and even lightweight pottery.
Size Does Matter
Your plans for planting determine the size container you’ll require. Select a pot that gives your new plants room to grow for seasons to come. For maximum health and ease of growth, plan on a minimum of two inches larger than the pots the plants were in when purchased. The more room in the container, the better for trees and shrubs that you plan to keep in their pots longer than 3 years. Also, keep in mind that large pots retain moisture longer, smaller pots dry out more quickly. The more potting soil in the pot the better for its plants.
Shape
The shape of the container might be dictated by its surroundings. For example, you might want a square pot to fit into a corner or a low bowl-shape to sit on your outdoor table without obstructing diners’ flow of conversations. You might want a big bold pot with some height to accent the middle of a raised bed. Choose the shape that best fits your style and the pot’s allotted space.
Color
Look for pots to complement the colors of pots you already have, or to stand out as a bold contrast to drab surroundings. Brightly colored containers will stand out wherever they are placed. If your chosen place for a container garden doesn’t seem right with a bold splash of color, choose an earth-tone or neutral-colored pot and let the plants be the stars of the show.
Watters Garden Center has received a huge selection of new pottery for 2017 with easy-to-work-with trendy new colors, shapes, textures and styles. Most will be downright inspirational against that boring rock lawn or uninspiring, colorless, beige landscape! Browse our container departments and you’ll find the perfect pot for that new container garden.
Gardening in Containers is Oh-So-Easy
Regardless of their sizes, container gardens require little work while satisfying a gardener’s creative urges. The only requirement is regular watering.
These Easy Steps Simplify Planting a Container
Choose a pot with drainage holes.
Fill the container ¾ full with Watters Potting Soil, and tamp down firmly. The more soil, the better. A generous volume of soil increases water retention capacity, which encourages better root formation.
Arrange desired plants on the surface of the soil to determine a design.
Plant one plant at a time, firming soil around each plant, adding soil as necessary with a trowel.
Potting soil should be two inches below the top of the pot rim to create a water well.
Water thoroughly two to three times to saturate the soil (water should run out bottom of the pot).
If necessary, use a saucer to protect surface. From water damage.
Feed with Watters All Purpose Plant Food 7-4-4 every other month to encourage blooms, fruits and foliage.
Water your new plants at two-week intervals with Watters ‘Root-N-Grow until your new garden shows signs of growth and buds.
Water requirements vary with the season. Through the heat of summer watering is likely necessary at daily intervals, but through spring only every two-to-three days.
Because the 2017 containers have arrived, and beautiful spring plants are arriving weekly, yes! You CAN start gardening in February!
Until the next issue, I’ll see you at the garden center. QCBN
Ken Lain, the mountain gardener, can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .
Free Classes are held at Watters Garden Center each Saturday at 9:30 a.m. February’s schedule is:
Free Advanced Landscape Pruning to Spring Success
9:30 a.m., Feb. 4
Not all plants need pruning in the yard, but timing is critical for those that do. Learn these mountain timely techniques sure to make the yard happy, bloom better and reduce disease this spring. A guest arborist, Grant Tibbett from Jonny’s Tree Company, shares his local tree advice that makes the landscape thrive this spring.
Wildflowers, Ready – Set – Grow
9:30 a.m., Feb. 11
Late winter is the ideal window to start wildflower seed outdoors, but you can’t just chuck them in the landscape and expect success. We share all the local tips that ensure these bloomers. You will know the best seed, soils, food and technique that brings on the color this spring. Come early, this class can be standing room only.
Gardening for Newcomers
9:30 a.m., Feb 18
Learn all the mountain secrets to local garden success. This is an information-packed class guaranteed to increase garden blooms and fruit this year. The first 10 students to bring $10 and a soil sample receive a pH soil test done on site with advice on how to improve the garden. You will know exactly what to do this year.
Fragrant Mountain Roses
9:30 a.m., Feb. 25
Beautiful roses are admired, but these roses will tickle the nose. Not only will you know which roses are most fragrant, but you’ll have all the insider tips the brings your rose to life with these season long bloomers. Oh, we’ll have a HUGE selection of fragrant roses on hand that day as well . . . imagine that.