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| Tips for Successful Container Gardening |
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Smelling pretty
Many annuals give off a scent. So, why just go for visual pleasure in container gardens when you can add some wonderful fragrances to your home. Try dianthus, sweet alyssum, candytuft, petunia, heliotrope, or sweet pea. To get the most enjoyment from these and other fragrant plants, position them where your nose will find them: on a deck in containers; close to a window; and on the edges of your garden, patio, pathway or porch. |
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Bugaboos
If bad bugs are a problem (unlike lady bugs or other good bugs who feed on the bad ones) here's a simple organic potion to keep them away. In a blender mix 4 cloves of garlic with 1 chopped onion. Place this mixture in a large glass jar and add 2 cups of water. Add 2 teaspoons of bottled hot pepper sauce, stir ingredients together and steep for 2 days. Strain the mixture and add one tablespoon mild liquid dish detergent. Then dilute with 5 cups of water. Using a mister, spray plants once a week and watch the bugs retreat. See pests and disease. |
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Ten perennials for containers
African lilies, asparagus ferns, bulbs, tickseed, ferns, coral bells, plantain lilies, lavender, purple fountain grass and pansies. |
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Mix it up!
Mix several sizes, shapes and colours all in the same container for a variety of distinctive looks. Have fun with your container garden. Try a spike of dracaena in the centre, surround with geraniums and fill in the rim with a trailing vinca which will spill over the edge. Choose plants with similar sun needs when combining together in a container. Or, use a trick from Mother Nature by combining plants that help each other...a sun-loving larger plant shades a smaller plant which thrives on only partial sun. |
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Buying plants
When buying plants carefully select ones that have a healthy appearance and good natural shape. Balanced proportion can affect plant growth. Trunks should be straight and plants shouldn't have twisted, slanted or deformed stems. Avoid plants that have major limbs that are missing or broken. |
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