How to Grow a Basket of Crops

Hang a basket brimming with leafy herbs and succulent tomatoes close to your kitchen door for easy access to fresh ingredients. With a sprinkling of annual flowers, this pretty mix is a match for any bedding design!!!!

When to Start: Mid- to late spring
At Its Best: Summer
Time to Complete: 2 hours

Materials Needed:!!!

• large hanging basket with liner
• soil-based potting mix, combined 50:50 with multipurpose potting mix
• slow-release granular fertilizer
• plastic bags
• gravel mulch
• liquid tomato fertilizer
• tomato plants
• violas and nasturtiums
• herbs; those used here are: basil 'Magic Mountain', chives, flat-leaved parsley and thyme

Prepare the Basket!!!!!

Buy the largest basket you can find, ideally with an integrated liner. Because tomatoes are greedy feeders and need lots of water, they may not be as successful in a small basket that holds a limited amount of soil, water and food. Line the base of the basket with a sheet of plastic to create a reservoir at the bottom. Stand the plants in a tray of water for 30 minutes until the top of the soil is moist. Remove, and leave them to drain.

Plant the Sides!!!!

Half-fill the basket with potting mix. Cut two or three crosses in the liner above the soil. Tip a thyme plant from its pot and wrap the leaves in a plastic bag. Carefully push the bag from the inside out through a slit, so the root ball is resting on the soil. Repeat with the other thymes

Mix in Fertilizer!!!!

Fill in around the thyme root balls with soil mixed with slow-release fertilizer. Top up the basket with more soil to 4 inches from the rim.

Add the Plants!!!

Set out your plants in their pots to check that they fit. Then plant them up at the same level they were at in their pots, with the tomato plants at the edge and the basil in the middle of the basket

Water Daily!!!!

Add a gravel mulch. Hang the basket on a strong bracket in a sunny spot. Water daily and feed every week with a tomato fertilizer. Harvest leaves from the herbs as you need them, and pick the tomatoes when they are ripe.

 

 

Top 10 Rules for Growing a Kitchen Garden

Growing fruits and vegetables isn't rocket science, but it does involve science. Here are easy tips to help ensure your success in growing food in the garden!!!!!

Find the sun. Most vegetables want six hours of direct sun a day — and more if they can get it. Exceptions include lettuce and radishes, which can get by with less

Start small. If you're beginning your first garden, help yourself avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed with weeding and general maintenance. You can grow a surprising amount of food in a bed just 10-foot square

Build up your soil. The foundation of a healthy, productive garden is a rich, well-draining, crumbly soil that has good tilth. Liberally add organic matter such as finished compost, bagged humus and straw.

Time your crops. Soil temperatures matter as much as air temperature when you're planting. Even peas, which are spring crops that are resistant to light frost once they're growing, won't germinate when the soil is below 39 degrees

Be ready to supply cover if a late frost hits. Here, early-spring veggies grow under plastic

Mulch, mulch, mulch. You wouldn't think twice about mulching your ornamental beds, so do the same with your veggie and fruit plantings. Keeping a layer of organic mulch over this radicchio's shallow roots helps conserve moisture and suppress weeds

Anticipate animals pests. To a raccoon these young corn plants mean dinner in the making, once the ears are fully developed. Talk to your neighbors and try to learn what pests to expect in your area. With the right kind of fencing, you can deter raccoons, rabbits, groundhogs, deer, dogs and other unwelcome visitors.

Mingle your plants. Too much of the same kind of plant in a grouping sends 'eat here' messages to bad bugs. Here, squash, peppers and beans share the space.

Stay on top of the harvest. Pick produce when it's ready. Removing beans as they mature allows more of the plant's energy to go into supporting the later fruit that forms

You don't have to hide your vegetable garden. Where you can, find a way to integrate your fruit and veggie garden with an area of your yard where you tend to hang out. When the crops are close at hand, you're much more likely to pluck off a bad bug or give a thirsty plant a drink.

The Kitchen Garden!!!!!

Planting Among Vegetables !!!

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) make a very pretty and effective edging plant, but it is unlikely that a large quantity will be needed as this is a cut-and-come-again herb, which regrows quite quickly. Good-sized clumps can be sown among your other vegetables, perhaps in a grid pattern to help remind you of the crop rotation compartments that are so useful in keeping the plot productive. Planted near peas and beans, chives may also help reduce insect pests.

Crop Planning

Short rows of lettuce provide the opportunity to grow many different salads and succession sowing can keep crops producing for most of the year. Try interplanting with small rows of leafy herbs, such as lamb’s and miner's lettuce, chicory (Cichorium), dames rocket (Hesperis matronalis), red orache (Atriplex hortensis var. rubra), and French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), or perhaps garlic chives (Allium tuberosum). If there is the space, grow a large row of comfrey as this makes a superb compost activator and liquid fertilizer.

The Community Plot

The large, dedicated kitchen garden may be a thing of the past, but community plots are very popular again. Many herbs need continual cropping to keep healthy and lush while others just look unattractive when they have been cut or cropped. These are ideal for growing in the vegetable patch, but it is not necessary to grow in rows — clumps and patches can look very attractive. Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum) sown in late spring will rapidly germinate and spread into a sizeable clump. Many cultivars are available and they all have edible flowers and the bright colors attract pollinating bees. Try planting them next to your planned salad bed so you can harvest both at the same time.

How to Create an Ornamental Edible Garden!!!!

Try these tips for making the food section of your garden more attractive!!

Plant a pretty container with a mixture of herbs and edible flowers such as nasturtiums

Mix your edibles with ornamentals. By interplanting a variety of different plants, you'll boost the attractiveness of your vegetable garden and likely reduce the pest problems often seen in big plantings of the same crop

You don't have to give up great taste when you choose a good-looking plant. Many types of lettuces and Swiss chard are as pretty to look at as they are good to eat.

Create attractive hardscaping and use seasonal ornamentals that help take the focus away from the beans, potatoes and other veggies that tend to start looking disheveled as they mature.

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This beautiful little kitchen garden features herbs, fruits and vegetables, arranged with easy-to-harvest accessibility in mind. As summer wears on, and some edible plants begin looking a bit tattered, the semi-formal design and stone path hold the look together.

Greenhouse............

Greenhouse Flooring, Heating and Staging !!!!!!

Greenhouse floors need to have excellent drainage. Floors can be made of concrete, stone slabs, brick, sand or even dirt. Gravel floors provide excellent drainage and can be used in conjunction with a weed barrier to keep weeds from growing up through the rocks.

Gas heat is more expensive to hook up initially, but in the long run it's more economical. A heater is especially important in colder zones, where a greenhouse may be heated for months at a time. A greenhouse needs to maintain a minimum temperature of 55 degrees for most plants.

Keeping your greenhouse cool is just as important as keeping it warm. If it gets too hot, the plants will suffer. This greenhouse uses an evaporative cooling system to keep temperatures down. It also helps keep inside air circulating: a key ingredient for healthy plants. Vents in the ceiling let hot air out when the temperature rises.

Staging areas are important in the greenhouse. These are places where tables and benches are set up to act as plant stands or work areas for potting plants, filling flats, etc. Staging areas give you more usable space.

Freestanding staging pieces are made from durable plastic and fiberglass, materials that are rust- and warp-proof. When setting up a freestanding staging area, leave a generous gap between the back of the staging and the side of the greenhouse to allow for air circulation. Freestanding staging can be moved around to accommodate different plants in different seasons and removed from the greenhouse when not in use.

In a greenhouse, using every inch of space is essential. A 12' x 12' greenhouse is fairly large, but it will quickly fill up once you add plants, shelving, lights and other accessories. The walls in this greenhouse are clear from floor to ceiling, letting light in on all levels, including the floor. You can also use otherwise empty ceiling space by hanging baskets.

To start new plants from seed, you can set up a propagation area. Naegeli suggests using a germination mat because it heats the bottom of a seed tray and thereby stimulates growth. Seeds need more warmth than other plants in the greenhouse, so this is a very localized way to heat one area of the greenhouse without raising the entire greenhouse temperature.

Water and Lighting in a Greenhouse!!!!!!

Water and light are essential to plants, and in a greenhouse you'll have to provide both. There are several different watering methods to choose from: hand watering, capillary mats that bring water up from below, overhead watering, and drip irrigation that delivers water directly into each pot.

Greenhouse expert Scott Naegeli says a drip irrigation system is easy to lay out and is very cost-effective. It delivers small amounts of water over long periods of time, so plants stay uniformly moist. Installation is fairly simple:

• Be sure the mainline that carries water into the greenhouse is sunk underground at least four feet, which is below the frost line, to make sure the water in the line doesn't freeze.
  
  
• Use a 3/4-inch poly pipe as the water supply line. Position it to run down the length of the bench.
  
  
• From the main line, connect lateral lines to run between pots.
  
  
• Set the system on a timer to ensure regular watering.

Once the water system is in place, you'll need to address any lighting needs. Although fluorescent lights are popular, they help the gardener more than the plants. This type of lighting is good to work by, but plants need more light, especially in northern regions.
A high-pressure sodium bulb does a better job of simulating sunlight to stimulate plant growth. A 125-watt bulb gives off plenty of light when hung at least three feet above plants or seeds. This is a good distance to avoid heat burn.
Grow lights help to lighten shady spots and propagation areas in the greenhouse. What you are germinating or propagating determines how long you need to leave the lights on, usually an average of 12 to 16 hours each day. If you are growing tropical plants, you may need to set up grow lights if the plants don't get at least eight hours of sun each day.

Choosing a Greenhouse!!!!

Having a greenhouse means never having to give up gardening because of the weather. You can continue to propagate seeds and cuttings and grow a variety of plants from season to season. Having a home greenhouse is a dream for many gardeners, and there are many styles and sizes that fit most budgets and space considerations. When deciding on a style for your home, the sky's the limit. There are small solariums, medium-size greenhouses and larger structures like conservatories.
You'll find most greenhouses are made from aluminum, which is lightweight and weatherproof. Galvanized steel is also lightweight and very sturdy. You can also use wood, but be sure to choose pressure treated lumber, cedar or redwood for weather resistance. No matter which type of greenhouse you decide on, there are several considerations when choosing a building site:
Light

• Sun-loving plants need six hours of sunlight. Sites with less need supplemental light.
• A sheltered area is good, but too much shade results in poor growth. Look for trees, shrubs and structures that may cast shade.
• Southern exposure is best, east or west is okay, but northern exposure is probably too shady.

Exposure

• If the site is too exposed, it will be costly to heat in winter and keep cool in summer. Insulation can help in this situation.
• Protection from wind will keep the greenhouse sturdy longer.
• Too much shelter can mean not enough light.

Foundation

• Be especially careful to choose a level area where water doesn't collect.
• Many foundations are dug in and then filled with concrete.
• Plan ahead when possible; the less frozen, wet or snow-covered your yard is the easier it is to lay the foundation. Contractors can thaw frozen ground and move snow, but it costs more.

Proximity

• Putting a greenhouse against a house makes connecting water, gas and electricity easier.
• The area in front of the greenhouse should be clear of obstacles.
• The path leading to the greenhouse should be level and wide enough for a wheelbarrow. Be sure the ground is hard enough to withstand wheelbarrow traffic.

Materials

• Galvanized steel, which is lightweight, is sturdy and won't rust. It can withstand weight up to 100 pounds. It's also good for windy areas because it can withstand winds up to 70 miles per hour, making it a good choice for inclement weather.
• The greenhouse walls can be constructed from glass, which is heavy and can be expensive; film plastic, which is economical but not insulating enough for colder regions; or a rigid plastic, which is shatterproof and retains heat.

Assemble a Greenhouse Kit!!!!

Materials and Tools:
eight 12-foot 4x6 landscape timbers
one box landscape spikes
10-pound bag white gravel
three 12-foot 4x4 posts
12 10-foot pressure-treated 2x4s
15 10-foot 1-1/4x6 pressure-treated decking
greenhouse kit
3-1/2 inch galvanized nails
air compressor with hoses
framing nailer
hammer
level
line level
measuring tape
pencil
power miter box
rakes
safety glasses
shovels
string line

Steps:
1. Greenhouse kits require a simple foundation, basically a perimeter of landscape timbers with a gravel floor. Based on the measurements given in the kit, make a square, level perimeter of 4x6 landscape timbers

      2)  Nail the landscaping timbers together and spike them to the ground using landscape spikes. Check for square by measuring opposite diagonals. When the diagonal measurements are identical, the box is square 

  
   3)  Lay down landscape fabric to eliminate the weeds, then dump in 4 to 6-inches of gravel. This will assist in drainage.

  
4). Following the manufacturers instructions, assemble the greenhouse kit

5). If desired, build and secure workbenches for the inside of the greenhouse. Bolt a 4x4 post to the landscape timber bottom frame. Then, make a perimeter of 2x4s. Next, make an inner perimeter of 2x2s, measuring 1-1/8 inches from the top of the 2x4 frame. This will give you a ledge to set the shelving boards on. Once that’s done, just lay in the shelving boards

Spring Gardening Guide

Hearty annuals like pansies can be planted in early spring to brighten your mostly still-dormant garden

Grab your gardening boots and get ready to get your hands dirty. With so many returning to their roots this time of year, a talk is in order with Sheri Ann Richerson, author of "Complete Idiot's Guide to Year-Round Gardening" and "101 Organic Gardening Tips," to get the dirt on how to weed, prune and prep gardens for spring.

Early Spring: Determine Your Start Date!!!!

While spring technically begins on March 21st, it's important to take your climate zone into consideration. "Remember, most plants prefer frost-free conditions and soil temperatures that are 50 degrees Fahrenheit or higher," Richerson said. "You can use a cheap kitchen thermometer in place of the more expensive soil thermometers -- simply insert the probe into the ground and let it sit there for five minutes so you know you are getting an accurate reading." In terms of gardening, spring starts when the soil says so.

Early Spring: Check the Soil!!!!

First, check your soil. "Never work wet soil," Richerson said. "Pick up a piece of soil with your hands and squeeze it into a ball. If water comes out, the soil is too wet. If the soil crumbles and won’t form a ball, it is too dry." If the soil forms a somewhat crumbly, loose ball, you're ready to start prepping

Early Spring: Clear the Area!!!!

"Remove plant debris from the garden," Richerson said. Rake your leaves, clear out old mulch and pay special attention to unwanted refuse in the beds. If you need to turn the soil, do it by hand instead of using a roto-tiller. While you're down there, be on the lookout for insect eggs belonging to ladybugs, praying mantis or other "good bugs." "If you find these, try to leave them alone," Richerson said. Not only do they eat the "bad bugs" (the bugs that eat your plants), they also often keep you company while you garden.

Early Spring: Get Rid of Weeds!!!!

With weeds, the best defense is a good offense. "Remove weeds as soon as they begin to emerge," Richerson said. "You can pull them or chop them off right below ground level." The goal is to get rid of any unwanted growth before it starts to steal the sunlight and nutrients from the plants you're trying to nurture.

Early Spring: Prune Now to Enjoy Later!!!!!

Trees, shrubs, flowers and houseplants all need to be pruned. "Pruning encourages new growth and helps give plants a nice shape," Richerson said. "Some plants need pruning to encourage them to continue to flower or flower more profusely." If you've never pruned before, think of it like a routine trip to the barber shop, except you're the barber and your garden is the customer. Essentially, your giving your plants a haircut and encouraging them to take a specific shape. "Always make cuts at a 90-degree angle right in front of a branch or leaf cluster," The goal is cut as close as you can without damaging the part of the plant you're hoping to keep. In terms flowering shrubs, remember that it's best to prune them after they flower so you don't accidentally trim off a baby bud

Early Spring: Start Your Seeds!!!!

Now's the time to plan ahead. "Consider the plants you want to start from seed and how much room you have before you begin," Richerson advised. Then, get out your calendar and count backward. "The typical indoor seed starting time frame depends on the type of seeds -- the average range is anywhere between four weeks and 12 weeks prior to the last frost in your area

 

Early Spring: Start Your Spuds!!!!!

Potato planting begins as early as November, but if you get them into the ground before St. Patrick's Day, you'll be fine. When you begin to plant your potatoes, select a spot in full sunlight and dig a trench 12 inches deep. Then "fill the bottom 4 inches with grass clippings, leaves or straw and place the sprouted potatoes on top of the straw -- be sure they are cut up and cured first," Richerson said. "Cover them with an additional 4 inches of grass clippings, leaves or straw and a light layer of soil." When you start to see refill the trench with your displaced soil

Early Spring: Plant Cold-Loving Annuals!!!!

In the early spring, you can plant some of the heartier annuals, such as pansies, like the ones here, and snapdragons. "Once heavy frosts in your area are over – typically four weeks before the last expected frost, you can begin planting annual plants that don’t mind light frost

Mid Spring: Plant Trees and Shrubs!!!

If you're buying partially grown trees or shrubs, wait to buy them until you are ready to plant them. "A good rule of thumb is to dig a hole two-to-three times larger than the plant's root ball, amend the soil with organic matter and back-fill the hole," Richerson said. "Remember, the roots need to grow into the soil, and hard, thick, packed soil is not ideal for anything."

Mid Spring: Divide Your Crowded Perennials!!!!

Perennials, by definition, are plants that grow from the same roots year after year, like the mass of daisies here. Unlike annuals, they don't die after germination. This means you don't have to replant perennials each season. But you do have to be wary of overcrowded roots. The solution is to divide them. "If the perennials are dying, don’t wait," Richerson said. "Do what you can as soon as possible to save some of the plant."

Mid Spring: Plant Cold-Loving Vegetables!!!!

Peas, carrots, radishes, turnips, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, kale and Swiss chard are just a few of the cold-loving veggies you can plant mid-spring. If you're already a seasoned veteran in the garden, take notes from Richerson. "I start planting seeds for my spring garden in January and continue through March. Most people won’t start until April," Richerson said. "I also replant all those frost-loving vegetables again in July and August for a fall/winter harvest."

Mid Spring: Protect Your Plants!!!!

If the soil dries out, your plants have already suffered. "Those tiny feeder roots dry out and then the plant cannot take up water and nutrients as necessary," Richerson said. To protect your plants from dehydration, use compost both before you plant and when the weather heats up. "It warms the early spring soil and cools the soil in summer by protecting the plant's roots."

Late Spring: Plant Heat-Loving Annuals!!!!

 Impatiens, petunias (like these), geraniums and begonias are among the heat-loving annuals you can plant in late spring. "Plant them after the last frost in your area,"

Late Spring: Prune Spring-Blooming Shrubs!!!!

 As soon as your spring-blooming shrubs, like the lilacs here, finish flowering, it's time to prune them. "The exception: plants that produce berries," Richerson said. "If you prune these, they will not fruit."

                                                                                                                                    

      

 

Gardening with Containers

Gardens... should be like lovely, well-shaped girls: all curves, secret corners, unexpected deviations, seductive surprises and then still more curves." !!!!!
 well placed container adds a highlight as well as a planting opportunity in any garden - big or small, providing punctuation to halt the eye as it scans the view to give structure to the design. Where space is restricted or on a bland expanse of paving a tastefully planted container brings life and contrast. More tender plants can be grown as the planter can be moved under cover in the winter or bulbs and annual plants can be added to areas of perennial plants when they are out of bloom.
Anything the right shape can be used as a planter, so depending on the style of the garden the choice is limitless. In a formal setting it is best to stick to classical shapes in metal, stone, terracotta or an artificial material which resembles these. A cottage style garden is more forgiving and recycled objects can be used, eg. old buckets, sinks, wheelbarrows, or the old standard a half-barrel, even Wellington boots have been used. But don't get carried away, a mass of unrelated objects looks a mess, it is best to choose a theme, eg. a group of old metal watering-cans and buckets. The important thing is to ensure it holds enough planting medium and has drainage holes. (If you choose this style you can claim to be following the Arte Povera movement which was formed in the 1960s by a group of artists who used found objects to create their art - the translation from Italian is "poor art".)

The recent introduction of fibreclay containers give the more authentic look of terracotta or lead, the lighter weight is easier for handling and where weight is a factor on a balcony or a rooftop. Plastic pots do not weather to any extent and although they are lightweight they always look artificial.
Terracotta can be problematic where it is exposed to frost which causes it to shatter. It absorbs moisture and this varies depending on the firing temperature. Lower fired pots are softer and will absorb more so the extra expense of harder, high-fired clay may be worth it in the long run. As a precaution the container can be treated with a water repellent. The large pot in the picture below has spent many years outdoors throughout winter. Before it was placed there it was painted with a couple of coats of a clear, silicone-based product which is normally used to prevent water penetration into brickwork

The choice of container can have a great bearing on the result. A plain one would probably be best for a display of flowering plants, otherwise the two elements will clash. - something like putting floral wallpaper with a floral sofa on a heavily patterned carpet. A more decorative container looks better with a single species of a foliage plant, eg. a hosta or a grass, or to be left unplanted and used sculpturally.

Size also matters. There is little point in using a container less than 30cm in diameter as it cannot hold enough planting medium to retain sufficient moisture for any length of time. The walls also need to be thick enough to keep the roots cool in hot weather and from freezing in the cold. Terracotta pots have been found to be best at maintaining a cooler root-ball in hot weather. In prolonged cold spells the whole container may have to be lagged to prevent the rootball from being damaged as it is more exposed than it would be in the ground. For containers with thin walls such as galvanised steel, the roots can become too hot in the summer or frozen in the winter. A lining of insulation such as ploystyrene foam or heavy duty bubble-wrap can be placed against the inner walls prior to filling with planting medium. Terracotta pots lose moisture through the sides so an inner lining of plastic will reduce evaporation by this route, glazed ones are more suitable - if a little less attractive.

Containers which have a narrower rim than the full width are less suitable for more permanent planting as it makes re-potting very difficult. To remove a plant from such a pot, cut down through the rootball inside the rim to remove the bulbous portion of the roots with an old kitchen knife, or a spade in larger containers - this may require a hammer to drive it down like a chisel, hitting the treads.
It may seem obvious, but a large container should be placed in situ before filling as it may be difficult to move when planted up. Also if the chosen plant is in a much smaller pot it should not be placed directly into a large container as this will affect its development. It would be better to pot it on in progressively larger pots to allow the root-ball to extend slowly outwards; placed immediately into a large pot the roots grow to the sides leaving a root-free zone in the middle. The progression of pots can be inserted in the large decorative container surrounded by compost

Growing plants in a container is much different to growing them in the open ground. The roots are restricted and the growing medium has to provide everything the plant needs, it cannot seek them out as it would naturally. For long-term planting a soil based medium is best as it provides stability for the roots, holds nutrients longer and is easier to re-wet if it should dry out. Multipurpose compost is more suited to short-term planting, its nutrients are quickly used up and if it dries out it is difficult to re-wet.
One of the saddest sights is the tree or shrub with a few yellowing leaves sitting in a container stuffed to the brim with ancient multipurpose compost which has a covering of moss. It may be possible to rescue it by extracting the root-ball, scraping away as much of the old compost as possible and any matted roots. Then repot with a loam-based compost, a little extra feed and plenty of water.

The shape of this urn is unsuitable for planting, but
it has enough character to work on its own

Whatever growing medium is used it should drain easily to avoid waterlogging, but have enough moisture-retaining material to keep the rootball from drying out. A loam-based medium made to John Innes Number 3 formula has the right balance for long-term planting. A mixture of good topsoil, sharp sand and multipurpose compost with some additional long-acting fertilizer, is a good alternative and is much cheaper than commercially produced John Innes composts - a mulch of gravel or bark should keep weeds to a minimum. Use two large buckets to mix the ingredients, passing the mixture back-and-forth a number of times until the constituents are evenly distributed.
Superabsorbent polymer granules made from a special plastic called polyacrylate, bond with water molecules to hold many times their own volume to increase the moisture retention of a growing medium - they are particularly useful in hanging baskets. They are a development from the nappy (diaper) industry where they are used to keep baby dry, whereas gardeners use them to keep their babies wet! The polymers used for nappies last in the soil for about 5 months, but horticultural grade polymers should last for 4 to 5 years so it may be more economical for short term use to disect a nappy and extract the beads - unused of course, although a wet nappy would have additional nutrients!

Another drawback is that the plants are more vulnerable to pest damage. The Vine weevil is a particular problem and it is a good idea to check for the grubs in the autumn. Succulent rooted plants are their favourites, eg. Primula, Sedum and Echeveria; if they are showing signs if dieback or wilting the grubs may be the cause. It is a good precaution in the late autumn to remove the compost and wash the roots to clean off any eggs, before re-potting in fresh growing medium. A drench of *imidacloprid insecticide is the chemical treatment.

Raising the container off the ground is necessary to allow excess moisture to flow away, when it is in contact with the ground the moisture becomes trapped. This can rot the roots near to the base and in frosty conditions a terracotta pot which is saturated may shatter. Three 'feet' are ideal, as they can cope with uneven surfaces better. There are decorative ones, but small pieces of terracotta can be placed out of sight underneath the pot. The drainage holes need to be protected on the inside to prevent the planting medium from blocking them. Broken terracotta has been the traditional material, but anything which will not rot away will do; broken up polystyrene foam packaging such as plant trays are commonly used and have the advantage of being light. However for a tall plant like a tree some bricks or coarse gravel may be more suitable to give more stability to the container

Do not fill the container to the brim as this will make watering difficult. Leave a least 3cm between the surface of the compost and the rim. This space can be filled with water and it will percolate down around the roots. If the compost becomes dry it shrinks away from the sides and the water escapes down the void. Break up the surface to block the space or if possible block the drainage holes temporarily to hold the water long enough for it to be taken up by the rootball. A smaller container can be immersed in a large bucket of water for an hour or so, until the air bubbles stop - it may have to be weighted down at first and the addition of two drops of detergent to a bucketful of water aids the rewetting process.
If sited near to the house, a wall or a hedge, the watering requirements can be affected as even during wet weather it may be in a rain shadow under the eaves, or on the lee side so little rain reaches the pot. The roots of a plant reach beyond its canopy when it grows in open ground, but in a pot they cannot, and the leaves can shed most rain water outside the pot.

A large decorative container need not be planted up directly, a series of large pots which fit inside it can have different plants which perform at different times of the year so that there is always something of interest on show. They can be kept in a 'nursery area' when not on display. The spring show could be of bulbs such as crocus, hyacinth and daffodils. When these begin to fade the pot can be replaced with one of tulips. The next in the series can have annuals. Lilium candidum, the Madonna Lily, has wonderful white trumpet flowers with a wonderful scent and would make a good choice for the late summer display.
One pot could have a more permanent display of foliage plants, to fill any periods when there are none in flower. This also suits tender plants which can be taken under cover for the winter while a frost-hardy display replaces it.

Some plants are better suited to container growing than others. Those which naturally grow in clumps tend to do better. Perennial plants which spread out, grow to the sides leaving a dead patch in the middle. Agapanthus is a good candidate and with fleshy roots it is very tolerant of dry conditions - also it tends to bloom better with restricted roots. If a plant is not suited to the soil conditions in the garden a container can be used to overcome this, eg. using an ericaceous compost to grow an acid-loving plant in a garden with chalky or alkaline soil .

To have some vegetables in a small garden or to get started on the pleasures of growing them, a container is ideal. A sowing of mixed salad leaves makes an easy first step. It is best to have a large pot at least 45cm across and the same deep to hold enough growing medium. Carrots do quite well and potatoes can be grown, but need to be planted near the bottom then more compost is added as the shoots grow. Others to try are 'Gardener's Delight' or 'Tumbler' tomatoes, raddish and peppers. The main thing to remember is that they need lots of water and feeding to produce a bumper crop. A container of herbs near to the back door is handy for nipping out while cooking.

A small tree in a container will need the compost to be replenished every few years. This can be done in the dormant season. Remove the rootball and tease away about 3 to 4cm of the outer roots and compost - so choose a container which is widest at the top. Repot it with fresh growing medium and water well. This is similar to the treatment of a bonsai tree which has to have its roots pruned regularly to keep it 'growing' well. A topiarised box plant is ideal for a container, but it requires regular watering and feeding to keep it performing well, unfertilised the foliage becomes yellow and sparse.

Feeding the plants in the container is important, particularly if a multipurpose compost has been used - the fertilizer in these mixes only lasts for a few months so needs to be replenished. As a general long-lasting feed the coated pellets such as Osmocote contain roughly equal proportions of the three major nutrients - Nitrogen (N), Phosphate (P) and Potassium (K). For a flower display use a feed higher in Potassium (sometimes called Potash). The organic alternate is bonemeal. The use of too much fertilizer can cause a build-up of harmful salts which reverse the osmotic flow and the roots are unable to take up water.

There is a vast range of containers available and they can be used in a number of ways around the garden. Also the number of plants which can be grown in them is large as well, from annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees to vegetables and salads. The container can be used unplanted as a decotative object in its own right, or even sealed and made into a water feature. So whatever the situation there is no excuse for not having one, or preferably more, in the garden. But do not get carried away, too many pots can look untidy, try to limit the number to one, or a neat group per vista

This replica amphora adds interest even in winter
when the perennials are 'resting'

WELCOME TO MY SMALL WORLD OF FARMING WHERE I WILL SHARE WITH U MY EXPERIENCE &SKILL RELATED TO MY PASSION GARDENING.....