2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Growing crops in containers has many advantages: it is easier to work the soil, take care of the plants; it is convenient to move them, choosing the best places for them, and, at the same time, changing the design of the site … And also thanks to the plants in containers, you can organize a garden in unusual places for it: in an ordinary apartment, on balconies, roofs, etc
Container selection
Almost anything that will hold soil and water is a candidate for containers: wooden tubs, pots, jugs, cans, plastic bottles, etc. The size and shape of a container depends mainly on your needs and imagination. But at the same time, it does not hurt to take into account some useful nuances:
- The deeper the pot, the less watering is required. The soil in small containers dries out faster and therefore will need to be watered more frequently. Unlike the inhabitants of an ordinary garden bed, the soil of plants in containers, especially on hot and windy days, requires more frequent moistening (more than once a day).
- Containers of dark colors will absorb more heat, which can accelerate the development of seedlings. But the soil in such containers will need more moisture if they are located on the sunny side. It is optimal to choose containers of lighter, colored shades.
- When choosing a container, it is necessary to provide that the volume of the container does not interfere with the development of the plant's root system. It is advisable to observe the spacing between shoots indicated on the seed bag or on the box with shoots. The leaves of the plants should touch each other, providing shade that will help retain moisture in the pot.
- Conventional, inexpensive plastic containers have an advantage over classic clay or terracotta pots when placed in direct sunlight. When, like clay containers, air is allowed to pass through, allowing the water to evaporate quickly, plastic containers do not "breathe" and the moisture lingers in them much longer, which allows them to be watered less often.
Drainage and good soil are important
Drainage is essential for container plants - it allows them to breathe. Therefore, if the container of your choice does not have drainage holes at the bottom, add at least one. But if you don't want to spoil a beautiful ceramic vase, then you can put a simpler and smaller container in it, in the bottom of which there will be the necessary holes.
Many people for container gardening are digging soil from a regular plot or simply collecting it from the street. However, it is recommended to use a specially prepared container mix - weed-free and nutrient-rich. It retains moisture well and has a beneficial effect on the development of plants, soil with peat and perlite or with vermiculite.
Subtleties of humidification
It is necessary to thoroughly water the soil before planting, making sure that the water appears on the pallet, which means it has passed through the entire mass of earth in the container. It is better to move the pots before watering: after that it is much more difficult to do this due to the increase in their weight. After sowing the plants, it is advisable to keep the soil moist, but not too much. Among the many seedlings that have hatched, only the strongest need to be left. It is easy to check the degree of soil moisture - immerse the index finger into the ground on 2 phalanges: if after excavation its tip turns out to be dry, then watering is necessary, and vice versa.
Plants in containers placed outdoors and in the sun will help retain moisture with a small layer of mulch at the top of the soil. For this, sawdust, crushed bark, gravel, etc. are suitable. Containers with plants in the shade or partial shade of mulch require much less or you can do without it altogether.
Some more useful benefits
One of the unique benefits of container gardening is that you can extend the flowering or ripening season of your fruit. To do this, after the onset of cold weather, it is enough to move the containers with plants to a room with good access to sunlight.
Growing in containers gives you the opportunity to try something new on a small scale. If you have shady areas in which you want to try to grow some crops, then plant the necessary plants in containers first, put them in a shady place and observe their development. As soon as something goes wrong, the plants can be safely rescued from the shady captivity. A similar experiment is quite suitable for sunny places.
Container gardening is also a great choice for introducing kids to the basics of gardening. The containers can be selected taking into account the age and interests of the child.
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