Choosing Plant Containers in your Garden
The use of containers for growing plants has a long history and their popularity has never diminished. Containers are decorative objects in their own right, but they are also practical. They allow the gardener to introduce plants to soilless areas like steps, patios and terraces, and facilitate a variety of fresh, seasonal changes in the garden.
The range of containers available is almost inexhaustible. There are ornamental and plain, informal and formal ones, and it should not be difficult to find a suitable container for any position that is required. The material of the container is relatively unimportant except as an aesthetic consideration, although some types of terracotta are susceptible to damage from frost and this should be borne in mind in cold areas. If the containers are to be on a balcony or roof garden then those of fibreglass or plastic will be much lighter than stone, terracotta or metal, and will reduce the load on the structure.
Containers can be placed on their own or used in groups; larger ones look better in isolation while smaller ones look best collected together, especially if they are all different shapes and sizes. The appearance of a lone container is important, while in a group, it is possible to hide one or two that are not so attractive.
Classical urns tend to look more appropriate in formal settings, while wooden containers are more informal in design, although an arrangement of carefully-planted, painted Versailles tubs can look very smart.
Wherever it is positioned, a container should always have a firm base as a pot full of moist compost is very heavy. In most cases, particularly with very large tubs, it is best to put the container in the final position first and then fill it with compost and plants to save having to move it when it is full.
Virtually any plants, including vegetables, can be grown in containers, but all will need more care than those grown in the open garden. The key to success is not to let the containers dry out, but at the same time never to allow them to become too wet. They will need constant watering, which will leach nutrients out of the compost, so the plants will also need regular feeding during the growing season.
To facilitate drainage, all containers should have holes in the bottom, preferably covered with a layer of stones, shards or coarse gravel to prevent them from clogging-up and to provide an easy passage for excess water. The compost should be free-draining but capable of retaining sufficient moisture for the plants’ needs from one watering to the next.
