“Container gardening affords all of us an opportunity to do gardening — anyone, anywhere,” says Ron Wilson, marketing director for Natorp’s Landscape & Maintenance in Mason. “It’s a great way to spruce up not only the back deck or patio, but the driveway or front porch, adding pockets of color.”
It’s the versatility of containers that makes Louie Capelli, owner of Capelli’s Country Gardens in Springfield, recommend them as a gardening approach.
“You can really plant anything: annuals, a combination pot, vegetable gardening,” Capelli says. “And container gardening is good for any kind of home. You could just have an apartment with a balcony, and you can do containers.”
While container gardening has grown in popularity in recent years, it’s an age-old tool for growing both flowers and vegetables. Here are a few ways to use them to brighten your home and outdoor space:
1. Take a team approach. As you explore container gardening, Wilson advises taking a careful approach.
“Check with your local independent garden stores — most of them have two or three container garden designers who can walk you through what plants are good and what plants are not good for what you’re doing,” he says.
2. Take it easy. Not every container needs to be handcrafted in an Italian ceramics shop. "I do most of them in black plastic pots," says Wilson. "I let the plants do the talking. But you can use a combination of the two."
3. Mix it up. Try out a windowbox with an array of colorful annuals, or a single, large ceramic pot holding a trellis for sweetpea or tomato plants above a mix of fresh flowers and vegetables.
4. Pay attention. Container gardens rely on us for everything: how much sun they get, how much water and how many nutrients. So find plants that are tough and durable, Wilson says, and check them regularly.
5. Second time around. Those classic hefty, glazed ceramic pots are a great addition to porches, patios, living rooms and even the sides of driveways, but can mean a real setback for your wallet. Check for affordable, used versions at moving or estate sales, thrift shops and sites like Craigslist.
6. Try a new look. Keep your space from getting dull by moving containers into new places. You can set a container between two bushes for a spot of color, right in the middle of the mulch.
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