Gardening Services Guide

Archive for the ‘General Gardening Tips’ Category

You would either have to not eat vegetables or live under a rock to have not heard about the latest produce growing craze. Of course, this is a reference to organic gardening. With more and more reports and studies being released on the dangers of pesticides and fertilizers many people are making the switch to buying or growing organic vegetables. The idea of trying to grow produce purely organic can seem a little daunting. The perfect place to start is with organic container gardening. The smaller size is perfect for trying your hand at this healthy way to provide vegetables for your family.

The first step is to choose your container. It is surprising the amount of produce that can be grown in such a small container. You can choose just about any container you want. Galvanized steel pots and ceramic are popular. However, die hard organic advocates will suggest choosing wood or another completely natural material for your organic container gardening experience.

Deciding on what soil to use is important in the health of your crop and staying in the organic tradition. Aged compost mixed with sand or perlite is an excellent choice and helps to promote proper drainage. You could even buy a pre made potting mix. Just be sure that it doesn’t contain fertilizer. That is a no go in the organic container gardening world.

Just about any plant is fair game to add to your organic container gardening experiment. Some people like to go with a theme in their containers. For example a pot that contained only edible flowers would be fun. Or perhaps a container named “Pizza Night.” You could grow oregano, basil, and tomatoes in that one. Some plants you may want to consider that have proven to do very well in containers are numerous. In the lettuce category, Merlot is a red variety and Deer Tongue is beautiful and healthy with its fancy shaped leaves. Peppers of all varieties do well in this environment. For beauty as well as food, consider the many types of edible flowers. They could even be planted in a hanging basket or in a quaint window box. The possibilities are endless.

As more people are exposed to the idea of eating healthier, chemical free produce, this type of gardening is rapidly gaining in popularity. Learning what works well for you and your family is the first step to a tasty future. Organic container gardening is easy to do, inexpensive to begin, and a reward all on its own. Imagine your satisfaction when you cook your first meal with organic vegetables brought to the table with your own hands.

Many people enjoy the fragrance and beauty of aquatic flowers and plants. You don’t have to have a lot of space or time to create a beautiful display of these unique plants. Using the container water gardening approach is a good way to create and enjoy your low maintenance aquatic design. Visitors to your home are sure to appreciate such a visually interesting garden.

The containers used for container water gardening are as unique and diverse as the plants themselves. Many people have found success using the traditional terra cotta pots or plastic pots. Some more creative ideas are half whiskey barrels, large bowls, or old-fashioned galvanized tubs for a larger design. Whatever style of container you choose to use, it should be about a foot and a half deep and measure at least 18 inches across. To be sure it will hold enough water to keep the plants healthy, choose a container that will hold 5 gallons of water.

The next step to creating your masterpiece is to choose your plants. Like with any floral arrangement varying colors and heights result in visual interest. Just make sure you don’t overload the container and make your creation too busy. Every water container garden has a focus point. Good plant options for this are dwarf lilies or teacup lotus. Both of these water flowers produce a lot of blooms. Floating plants are always interesting to look at and you may want to include one of these as well. Good choices are fairy floating moss, water lettuce, and water hyacinth. Another benefit to using floating plants in container water gardening is that they help control algae and any floating debris. For height in your arrangement consider adding cotton grass or cattail.

To ensure your aquatic plants get enough sunlight, place the container in the sunniest spot on your deck, patio, or balcony. These plants will need between 4-6 hours of sunlight daily. Try to keep the container away from falling leaves and other debris. High winds should be avoided as well. While on the subject of where to place your container water gardening creation it may be a good idea to put the container on bricks or blocks. This both draws attention to the container and allows for adequate water drainage.

Aquatic plants are a unique addition to your landscaping. It isn’t necessary to install a full sized water pond to enjoy these plants. Container water gardening provides the same beautiful display without the need of a lot of space. Low maintenance, affordable plants and flowers, and enjoying your creation are all excellent reasons to give water gardening a try.