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Expand your planting space and make gardening more convenient and accessible. This is especially
true when growing herbs and vegetables. Containers allow you to grow edible plants closer to
your grill, kitchen, and your outdoor living space. Here are five tips to help you increase
your success when growing edible plants and flowers in containers. Start by selecting
plants suited to the growing conditions. All the plants in a container should also have
the same watering and fertilization needs. Consider starting with a simple thriller,
filler, and spiller design style. This works well for herbs and vegetables, as well as
more traditional flower-filled containers. Use taller flowers, vegetables, and herbs
for your thriller. Tomatoes, peppers, Swiss chard, and dill, as well as peas and pole
beans on a trellis, make great vertical accents. Parsley, sage, and basil make great fillers.
And allow spreading plants like oregano, thyme, and marjoram to spill over the edges of the
pot. Select a container with drainage holes to prevent overwatering, especially during
rainy weather. Look for containers made of a durable material that complements your landscape
design. Plastic, glazed, and fiberglass pots tend to hold moisture longer than terracotta.
Select a pot big enough to accommodate the plants you want to grow. Selecting the right
size pot with the right number of plants means better looking plants, bigger harvests, and
fewer pest problems. Plus, larger pots dry out less quickly than their smaller counterparts,
and that means you'll need to water less often. Fill your container with a quality potting
mix. It needs to be well-draining, but still retain moisture and nutrients. Check the label
to find out what the mix you select contains. Look for organic matter, like aged bark, compost,
and/or sphagnum peat moss, to hold nutrients and moisture, as well as perlite and vermiculite
for drainage. Some potting mixes contain fertilizer to get the plants off to a good start, while
others use a slow-release fertilizer for season-long feeding. More on this a bit later. Proper
watering is easy. Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil slightly moist. If
the soil dries out between waterings, the fruit of peppers and tomatoes will develop
blossom end rot, and others may fail to fruit. Containers need checking every day, but if
you don't have time, don't let this stop you from growing in pots. Here are a few tips
that can help. Use self-watering pots that extend the time between waterings. Or, install
a drip irrigation system with a timer. Many garden centers and garden catalogues sell
easy-to-install systems that are specifically designed for containers. And don't forget
to mulch. Spreading a thin layer of shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or other organic
matter helps conserve moisture until your plants grow and cover the pot. Check the label
once more before adding fertilizer. If the label says, "provides a season of nutrients,"
you're set for the early part of the season. Plants in pots often need an extra feeding
due to the frequent watering that can wash out some of the nutrients. Let your plants'
growth and productivity, not the calendar, be your guide. Consider mixing a slow-release
fertilizer labeled for herbs and vegetables into your potting mix when you plant. Make
a second application if your plants look light green and hungry, or use a liquid fertilizer
every week or two. Just be sure to check and follow label directions. No matter what plants
you choose, keeping these five tips in mind will help you increase your container gardening
enjoyment and success.