Gardening with Containers

Containers are a very versatile way of brightening up a garden or getting some growing done in a smaller garden. Perfect for growing herbs or flowers, they are a pretty addition to a garden; but they aren’t as easy to maintain as you might think as growing in a container can be hard on the plants – they need a little extra TLC to thrive.

The container is a space-saving way to grow shrubs, climbers, herbaceous perennials, fruit and vegetables, and with careful attention you can even successfully grow some roses in a container too.

Top tips for planting in containers

Most types of plant will respond well to being
planted between early spring and autumn; permanent plants do best when planted in early spring. Delicate plants are best left until after the last frost of winter – May is usually a good bet. If you’re planting to brighten up the garden in winter, though, opt for late summer or early autumn.

Choose your container

If you’re planning to leave your plants outside all year round, plant them in a frost-proof terracotta container – not just frost-resistant. Some frost resistant pots can crack when the temperatures drop. Find a container that’s big enough for the roots, but at the same time avoid putting a plant with a smaller root ball into a big container as they tend to become waterlogged when composted. Just increase the size of the pot if you feel it’s getting too big. You can also avoid waterlogging by putting the container up onto small blocks or bricks.

Planting your containers

Put your choice of drainage material at the bottom of the container, and then fill the rest of the pot with compost, just leaving enough room to arrange the plants on the top.

Take the plants out of their pots, gently tease out the roots and add a bit more compost to the root balls. Add the plants to the container, making sure that the root ball is level with them with the top of the compost. Once they are in place, firm up the soil around them and water well.

Always keep a gap of about an inch (2.5cm) between the top of the soil and the top of the container, so that the water can soak in properly.

Maintenance

Start feeding the plants around four to six weeks after planting (unless you’ve opted for compost with a slow-release fertiliser included.) Carry on throughout April – September with a general purpose feed, but stop over the winter months as it’s not necessary.

To make sure that the compost doesn’t dry out, check it every day and water regularly between April and September. If the weather is warm, you might have to water twice daily. Make sure that you dead head flowers regularly to encourage growth of new ones.Following these tips should give you baskets, tubs and containers to be proud of.

Re-pot in early spring. For permanent displays, repotting is needed at least every two to four years to prevent problems with drying out and waterlogging. In between, top dressing (scraping off the old compost from the top of the container and replacing with new) is useful

Reduce watering during winter months

Ideally, prevent the compost from freezing by moving containers under cover or covering them in bubble-wrap. In very wet periods, move pots under cover to prevent the compost becoming sodden.