1© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

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Container gardeningUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTAMASTER GARDENER

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Containers for plants can be anything!

As long as it has:

Drainage!!

Drainage!!

Drainage!!

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Plant containers can be anything that holds soil!

Remember: DrainageDrainageDrainage

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Moisture-loving plants can stand in water: bacopa, peace lily, cannas. Plastic pots are good for these plants.

Most plants cannot stand in water and need oxygen as much as moisture. Double pot these or use containers with several drainage holes.

Dry loving plants require drainage and pots that dry out: terra cotta, or clay. Plastic is worse for these plants.

KNOW YOUR PLANT’S MOISTURE REQUIREMENTS!

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CONTAINER OPTIONS: TERRA COTTA OR CLAY

Classic choice because it is great for plant root growth: provides good air or oxygen exchange.

Heavy Dries out quickly Develops mold, salts

etching

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CONTAINER OPTIONS: PLASTIC & FIBERGLASS

Lightweight, maybe too lightweight

Hold moisture longer, maybe too long

No staining Colorful, can be

decorative and attractive

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CONTAINER OPTIONS: WOOD

Minimum temperature fluctuation: good insulators

Needs replacing eventually, can last many years

Informal, natural appearance

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CONTAINER OPTIONS: GLAZED CERAMIC

Beautiful Non-porous and can

be too airtight for root growth

May clash with plants flowers and foliage

Phormium, New Zealand flax

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CONTAINER OPTIONS: METAL Little insulation: can

be very hot or very cold, less of a problem in large containers

Can be very attractive

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CONTAINER OPTIONS: STONE, HYPERTUFA TROUGHS

Heavy in weight and cost

Harder to find Moss grows on

containers Drainage may be a

problem.

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Traditional Container Soil Mix:• 1 part garden soil• 1 part peatmoss (wet first: soak in a bucket)• 1 part sand

Use new soil each year.

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Most people use synthetic soil.

Lightweight; holds water and air; ideal for plant growth.

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Cocc

Coconut fiber or coir is in the ingredients.

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Slow release fertilizer is in this potting soil, but in a very small amount.

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Container plants need fertilizer. You can use a slow release fertilizer in the soil mix and weekly liquid fertilizer applications for actively growing flowering annuals in containers.

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WATERING: VERY IMPORTANT

Daily in summer Small and hanging

containers need extra care

Type of container type makes a big difference

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Pouches require lots of water. Use a piece of hose in the back of the pouch.

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What plants should you use? It depends on:

• Site • Personal preference• Color scheme• Purpose: food, color, hide/cover, frame, soften, attract attention

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Hot sites call for careful plant selection.

Purple or pink fountaingrass loves sun and warm or hot locations

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Shade is easier: Begonia ‘Dragon Wings,’ great container plant.

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Hidcote, England

Fuchsia: likes cool weatherand lots of moisture.

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Osteospermum ‘Orange Symphony’ likes cool weather; opens with sun

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PERSONAL PREFERENCE

formalinformal

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COLOR SCHEME: RED AND PINK

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White color theme: featherreed grass ‘Overdam’Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’, caladium and Zinnia angustifolia ‘Crystal White’

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Purpose: define a patio: Sissinghurst white garden

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Define a bench: Plectranthus,sweet potato vine ‘Margarita’, coleus, supertunia

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Fuschia,Carex buchananii, licorice plant, nasturtium, fan flower

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Decorate: Denver Botanic Garden: Up on the Roof

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Define or make a new garden with just containers

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Place plants where there is no soil access.

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Cover a bare wall: use tough plants

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Containers allow you to grow plants where there is no access to the soil.

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Highlight a special plant collection: carnivorous plants; herbs

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Denver Botanic Garden: a trough for every county, showing their native plants.

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Mini-landscape: Trough Gardens; Rice Creek Gardens.

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Use containers to feature an area: entryway, walkway, door, bench.

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Sissinghurst entryway

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Containers can highlight a flower border

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COMBINATIONS FOR CONTAINERSResources, fun websites: http://www.plantbynumber.com/

Ball Horticultural, Inc. http://www.provenwinners.com

click on: Combinations

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Proven Winners: A. Lysimachia ‘Goldilocks’ 2 plantsB. Lobelia ‘Laguna Sky Blue’ 3plantsC. Petunia ‘Supertunia Double Purple’ 2plants

“Pennies from Heaven” Proven Winners

A A

B

B

C

C

B

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New forms of old favorites

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Nasella or (Stipa) tenuissima, pony tails, Mexican Feather Grass; Osteospermum, Angelonia’Angelface Blue’, Argyanthemum ‘Butterfly’

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Scirpus cernus,fiber optic grass; vinca,dusty miller,viola

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Tibouchina grandiflora, large leafed gloryflower is a South American flowering tree, tropical plant.

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Tropical look: Olbrich Gardens, Madison, WI

Use coarse and fine textured plants.

A banana shredded from

hail at the Arboretum.

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Nicotiana sylvestris, flowering tobacco and Hibiscus

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Containers for food and horticultural therapy

Use raised beds for elders, children, or where soil is very poor.

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Container vegetables require: 1. Full sun 2. Lots of water3. Fertilizer4. Rule of thumb for container size: 3 gal of soil for every 1’ of plant

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William Baffin hardy shrub rose, probably some roots in the ground, roots cannot survive above ground winters in Minnesota.

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CONTAINERS FOR ALL SEASONS

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Containers can providebeauty and interest in winter.

In our zone 4, nothing survives the winter in a container, without significant protection.

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FURTHER REFERENCES: Best Annuals for Minnesota: http://www.florifacts.umn.edu/St. Paul (USDA Winter Hardiness Z4; Heat Z5; 169 growing days)

Books: Contain Yourself by Kerstin P. Ouellet, 2003. Ball Publishing.

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© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this PowerPoint is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to the Extension Store at 800-876-8636.

Discover more atextension.umn.edu

Created by Mary Meyer, Extension horticulturist