Container gardening can be very convenient for individuals with minimal space in their homes or those who wish to have plants inside their homes. Container gardening enables the gardener to bring in a splash of color to their homes. Compared to single pots, most containers used in container gardening are relatively large and can contain several plants of the same species or of different species.

Choosing A Container For You Garden

One thing that you should consider when choosing a container is the kind of plant you wish to put in the container. Some vegetables require deeper pots for their roots to burrow into while others will not require as much space. Container gardening mediums vary from containers such as plastic pots, terracotta containers and wooden boxes.

Plastic containers for container gardening tend to discolor in time and may also eventually be susceptible to cracks and deterioration. Unglazed terracotta containers will dry up eventually and may be prone to breakage as well as being heavy to cart around. Glazed terracotta containers are ideal since the glaze seals them and protect them from drying up. Wooden containers are prone to rot although choosing wood that is not susceptible to rotting is an option. 

One advantage of wooden containers for container gardening is that these can be made to fit the specifications of the area you wish to put your plants in. You must bear in mind that treated wood that you will use for container gardening can affect your plants so ask what chemicals were used to treat the lumber before you buy.

Containers used for container gardening must also have a wide opening for better plant growth. The containers must also have appropriate drainage to prevent root rot and other root damage.For containers with big drainage holes, you can line the bottom part of the container with news paper to prevent soil loss.

Most container gardening are for indoors plants so it is good to consider the areas where they are placed. Sunlight is one thing to consider as well as the temperature in the area. Some plants need more sunlight than others so make it a point to ask or find out what kind of care your plants need.

Container gardening can be extremly satisfying when you plant herbs or vegetables that you place in your kitchen for fresh use when you are cooking. Live plants can also bring color to any area of your home.

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Image via WikipediaI decided to have a go at growing tomatoes in pots this year and have been very pleased with them. I also have my beloved plot with tomatoes growing in the ground. Over thirty years I have successfully grown tomatoes in my garden plot. But growing my tomatoes in containers is anew departure for me.

The comparison between the pot grown tomato and those in the ground.I grew 2 varieties this year moneymaker and an Italian cherry tomato variety. These seeds came with a vegetable magazine. I sowed the seeds in March 2008 and grew them on in my conservatory in 6 inch pots. I always have far to many plants and ended up giving most of them away to friends. Once the risk of frost had gone I set them out in the garder and in my containers and within a month I was picking tomatoes. As I speak in late august I still have many fruits to pick so it has been a good year. I did notice 2 slight differences between the containers grown tomatoes and those in the ground.

Firstly the moneymaker tomatoes were slightly smaller than the ones grown on my plot.

Secondly there were not quite as many cherry tomatoes in the containers.

Other than that the results were very similar. You may not know that the taste of home grown tomatoes is far superior to shop ones. For the container grown tomatoes

I did treat them differently and with a bit more care.

1. Make sure you put tomato plants in a really big pot.

I like the root systems to have plenty of room and not become pot bound. Your tomatoes need a big pot of at least 10 inches in diameter to have enough room for the roots. I use standard clay terracotta pots but any wide and deep container will work fine.

1. Water your tomatoes even if it rains.

We have had a dreadful summer in the UK this year and it has rained constantly. I still found that the pot grown tomato plants were wilting a bit if I didn’t check them for watering. The plants grown in the ground do not need this. The pot is protected by the leaves of the tomato plant and the water cannot get through to it. Very little water gets to the root of the plants. So I made sure to check them often.

1. Be ruthless with pinching out side shoots on the tomato plants.

I only pinch out once or twice a season when growing tomatoes in the ground because they seem to do fine. I have learned this through trial and error. The moneymaker tomato plants in the pots were regularly pinched out throughout the season to make sure that I had a good large crop. With cherry tomatoes there is no need to pinch them out as they provide plenty of fruit naturally. You can leave them alone safe in the knowledge that with regular watering they will give a good harvest.

1. Remove excess foliage once you have the tomato fruits.

I have always done this to tomatoes and do not know where I picked this tip up. Once you have all the tomatoes set on the plant remove any leaves that are hiding the fruit from the sun. Some people pick their tomatoes when green and ripen them under glass but I like them to ripen on the vine. Removing the leaves also gives you slightly bigger tomatoes.

If you have missed this tomato season then I encourage you to plan ahead for your tomato growing in 2009. Grow some in pots and containers as well as in the ground. They are a lot of fun and be grown on any sunny spot you have.

Image by cafemama via FlickrEstablishing  a herb container garden for your home not only gives  you the chance of growing fresh herbs year-round for a assortment of uses, in addition it provides an eco-friendly method of decorating your patio, sunroom or balcony. Using ornamental ceramic pots, clay urns, wooden window boxes or any distinctive item that can serve as a plant holder for your herb container garden will add color and fragrance wherever you decide to place them.

Benefits Of A Herb Container Garden 

There are plenty of reasons for having a herb container garden versus a traditional herb garden in your yard. Besides having the ability of growing fresh herbs throughout the year right at your fingertips, the herb container garden, once set up with the proper supplies, requires little care. With proper light, soil, drainage and water, the plants tend to take care of themselves. Additionally, herb plants tend to be mostly pest free. A herb container garden can be a convenient way of growing fresh herbs without all of the work a traditional garden requires. The containers should be portable so they can be moved inside during cold weather, they’re decorative and fragrant, they take up little space and they’re good for the environment.

Creating A Herb Container Garden

Creating a herb container garden for your home can be easily achieved with just a few supplies. Basically, the main item to be concerned with is the container itself. It must be large enough to accommodate the plants, stones and soil but it must also be a size that is easily moved from the outside to the inside during cold weather. If you plan to have a herb container garden only during the warmer months that are conducive to gardening, then how large and how portable the container is will not be an issue. Regardless of the portability of the container, it must provide excellent drainage for the plants.

Putting Together A Herb Container Garden

Once you’ve selected the type of herbs you want for your herb container garden, depending on the size of the container used, place several small rocks or stones inside the container which will help with water drainage. Fill the container with an appropriate amount of soil, place the herb plants inside, add a little water if the potting soil is very dry and then add more potting soil. Place the container in a location that will provide full sunlight and water only as necessary.