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Gardening Container Self Watering Article
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41-Container Gardening
from:With the growing number of the population choosing to live in apartments and condos, many believe that their days of growing beautiful and useful plants is over. Thankfully this doesn’t have to be the case. A growing trend among yard less people is the option of container gardening. There are five key elements to keep in mind when growing your own container garden. The type of containers used, what kind of growing mixture, exposure to sunlight, fertilizer, and watering habits all need to be considered before starting your container paradise.
Container type is an important aspect of this style of gardening. You will want the containers to match or enhance your outdoor patio, yet be a healthy environment for the plants you want to grow. Wood pots can be prone to rotting. Cedar or redwood are rot resistant and can be used without staining. If using wood pots, be sure that it is untreated wood to avoid any harmful chemicals polluting your plants. Plastic pots deteriorate quickly in the sun and won’t last very long. While they are pretty, terra cotta pots dry out fast making them prone to cracking and breaking. Glazed ceramic pots are a good option for container gardening. Just be sure there are sufficient drainage holes in the bottom.
Your growing mixture will largely depend on what type of plants you want to grow. Due to the small space the plants have to thrive in, be sure to the mixture will allow proper drainage. You want the soil to retain moisture, but also drain off to avoid over watering. Check into the growing requirements of your plants to see if any sand should be added to the growing mixture. The right mix of soil and other components is very important in container gardening.
Once again when determining the amount of sunlight your container garden will need, check the requirements for the plants. This is especially true with flowers. Vegetables tend to need an average of five hours of sunlight daily.
In container gardening, fertilizer is a key element. Since the plants only have a limited amount of soil to draw nutrients from it is necessary to help them along. The recommended interval for fertilizing plants is every other time you water. Liquid seaweed is an excellent plant booster, just be sure to provide the plants with a wide variety of nutrients for the best results.
You will find with your container garden that watering is critically important. It may take some time to determine exactly how much and when to water. All plants are different and it is important to know what your plants need. Especially in very hot weather you will find that plants may need to be watered daily.
Container gardening is a rewarding hobby that allows even apartment and city dwellers to enjoy a piece of the great outdoors. Decide what types of plants you want to grow, have your materials ready, and be prepared to reap the rewards of your labor.
Gardening Container Self Watering News
Grow a Container Garden - Care2.com
 Care2.com | Grow a Container Garden Care2.com Container gardening is pretty simple, but there are some growing techniques that will help your potted plants thrive. For instance, pots won't hold in moisture as well as an in-ground garden—so, you can try self-watering containers (how-to details in ... |
Minimal space, maximum tomato - Chicago Tribune
 Chicago Tribune | Minimal space, maximum tomato Chicago Tribune Even varieties bred for containers become big plants with lots of roots, and it takes a large volume of soil to hold enough water for those roots to absorb a steady supply. Many gardeners use so-called self-watering or sub-irrigated containers that ... |
How to make self-watering containers for your garden - Du Quoin Evening Call
How to make self-watering containers for your garden Du Quoin Evening Call By Mike Lieberman Since I started urban gardening in New York City in the spring of 2009, I have mostly been using self-watering containers that are constructed using two 5-gallon containers. I've had success with them on my fire escape in New York and ... |
Santa Barbara Garden Post - Santa Barbara View
Santa Barbara Garden Post Santa Barbara View By Cerena Childress on May 19, 2012 in Green & Garden That means, on your doorstep, porch, balcony, tiny sunny patio, rooftop, hanging from anywhere, your sunny wall, in any container you can find, straw bales, big or little raised beds, mini niches in ... |
Leave watering to the pots - Vancouver Sun
Leave watering to the pots Vancouver Sun How would you like a container that took care of all the watering for you? That's the idea behind the Lechuza's self-watering container. Lechuza, a German-based plant-container producer, recognized that while we love to have plants in our homes and ... |