Features of planting plants in different containers

Containers for planting flowers can be made of any materials: ceramics, plastic, rubber, metal or wood. It is mistakenly thought that flowers grow well only in ceramic pots. They grow and bloom well in any containers, you just need to ensure the correct ratio of soil and drainage and use modern and ancient methods of moisture retention – hydrogel and mulching.

Note! In boilers, the soil dries out much faster than in the open field, and the plant absorbs nutrients very quickly, that is, when creating a container garden, you must monitor the soil moisture in the containers daily, and on hot summer days, watering should be doubled, it is enough to fertilize every 5-7 days.

Features of planting plants in containers

For ceramic containers, it is enough to pour a little expanded clay on the bottom so that the bottom is closed. Then we put the soaked hydrogel, or we lay a drainage mat, pour soil and plant the plant, cover it with mulch on top. We do all this to keep the soil moist for as long as possible.

Planting in a wooden container is similar, but expanded clay requires a little more. For a plastic container, a layer of coarse-grained river sand should be poured onto a layer of expanded clay, a centimeter and a half thick. You need to try to choose a looser soil, it is advisable to mix it with perlite and vermiculite, sphagnum, hydrogel.

When planted in a metal container , expanded clay occupies one-third of the height of the container, followed by a layer of sand and light soil. At the same time, it is still better to move such containers in the shade in the heat, and in rainy and cold weather – under a canopy or in a gazebo, in a place protected from the wind.

Planting flowers in pots requires special conditions, because they do not have water runoff, and it is more difficult for the roots to breathe, so all the indicated drainage rates should be increased by 1.5 times.

Selection of plants for the container garden

The range of plants used in container gardening is large – these are not only annuals, but also perennials, including: bulbous, alpine and indoor plants, dwarf conifers, small trees and shrubs, even vines and aquatic plants. When planting tall specimens, stones are placed on the bottom of the containers for greater stability and protection from the wind.

Lavender comes in pink, purple, white, and even yellow.

Containers, plants and soil are the main materials for a future container garden or terrace. The selection of plants is very important, not all flowers like to be in containers, or rather, in small containers. If you have large pots (diameter more than 30 cm), you can plant any of the garden annual flowers in them, and if your containers are larger than 45-50 cm. in diameter, then even perennials can be planted. If you want to plant a perennial and the container is smaller than the required size, you will need to bury it in the ground to surface level for the winter so that the flowers successfully overwinter and do not freeze.

If the containers are small, then plant flowers that are undemanding to the volume of land. These are petunia, surfinia, pelargonium, lobelia, ageratum, marigoldsand, low-growing varieties of zinnias, asters, daisies, verbena, salvia, calendula, begonia, small dahlias, all spring onions and gladioli. And nasturtium in this regard is very capricious. Decorative sunflower loves large containers. Climbing flowers also do not tolerate a small amount of soil, the only exception of them is sweet peas.

In containers, it is interesting to grow not only perennials, but shrubs and even trees. Boxwood is uncomfortable to live in, but spirea and barberry, shiny cotoneaster and alpine currants, willows, larch, ornamental apple trees grafted onto a low stem also look charming and give the garden a slight Japanese accent.

Mountain pines, dwarf spruces, larch on a trunk attract special attention in a container, it will be spectacular if they decorate the patio or accentuate at the entrance to the house. If you have a coniferous plant in a flowerpot, then remember: that the spruce, pine and their thorny relatives must be dug into the ground along with the container. In the event that it is too heavy or too beautiful, carefully remove the plant from the container and transfer it to the ground. In the spring, you will be able to perform the reverse operation.

Roses also like to live in pots, especially elegant here are the ground cover “queens of flowers” and rose varieties “Mozart” and “Ballerina”. You will like it in pots and standard roses, and it is easier to insulate them for the winter in a pot.

In a sufficiently large container or in several medium-sized containers, you can plant a mini-garden. Healthy spices (parsley, dill, thyme, rosemary, mint, lemon balm, etc.), chives, salads, cherry tomatoes, ornamental peppers, strawberries feel comfortable in pots. Add useful flowers of nasturtium, calendula and marigolds there for greater decorativeness – you are guaranteed the delight of guests. Such containers are the place near the barbecue or barbecue.