| Container gardening is a great way to be able to | | | | 4. Most container plants should have around 5 hours |
| garden in small apartments or homes that have no | | | | of sunlight each day and may need to be watered |
| yards. Additionally, plants in containers can be used to | | | | each day. Make sure the soil stays moist but not |
| enhance your garden, porch or patio. They offer | | | | wet. To test for this, just stick your finger down into |
| great versatility as they can be moved to suit and | | | | the soil - is it dry down deep? Then it needs water. |
| the containers themselves can add to your outdoor | | | | If it is still moist on the top or just below the top |
| decor. Here are 7 great tips that will allow you to get | | | | than hold off watering until tomorrow. |
| the most out of your container gardens. | | | | 5. Container size depends on what you will be |
| 1. Use good quality containers with wide openings for | | | | growing. Vegetables are going to need big deep pots. |
| best results. Cheap plastic containers can deteriorate | | | | Depending on the size and amount of plants you will |
| in sunlight and wooden ones can rot over time so | | | | have in the container, you want to choose containers |
| you might consider ceramic pots for better durability. | | | | that are somewhere between 15 and 120 quarts. |
| Clay pots are good too, but they are very porous | | | | 6. Hanging baskets are great garden containers but |
| and can absorb a lot of water so be sure to check | | | | you have to keep a close eye on the soil as they |
| the soil often if you use a clay pot container. | | | | can tend to dry out. One way to help is to line them |
| 2. Drainage is key - standing water will encourage | | | | with sphagnum moss since this will help to keep |
| root rot. Make sure your container has holes in the | | | | water loss down. Also, you should try to move them |
| bottom and add some marbles or stones at the | | | | out of the direct afternoon sun if possible. |
| bottom too. Make sure the holes are about ½ | | | | 7. When placing your containers in arrangements, |
| inch and you can line the bottom of the container | | | | always use different size containers and odd numbers |
| with newspaper or burlap to keep the soil from | | | | of them. For some reason, a grouping of 3 or 5 |
| seeping out. | | | | containers will look much better than 4. If you will be |
| 3. When container gardening, you want to have good | | | | putting them on a hard surface like cement or wood, |
| soil to provide nutrients to your plant. Also, you want | | | | place them up in bricks or blocks to help with |
| a loose mixture that will allow the water to be | | | | drainage. |
| distributed evenly throughout the entire soil base as | | | | So what plants can you put in your containers? |
| this will help with even root growth. | | | | |