By Kathleen LaFrancis Eaton, Ph.D., Master Gardener
The month of May evokes memories of tiny leaves poking through dirt scooped into paper cups. Our classmates’ pressed close as we scrambled to be first to check progress on our Mother’s Day projects. Now we cherish these gifted pansies, geraniums and fragrant herbs, giving them a place of honor. The most precious gift is sharing the wonder of growing them with young people.
All it takes is a bit of soil, a seed (or two to be sure), consistent watering, sunshine and drainage. Nurseries, gardeners, even teachers and grandmothers help things along with artificial light—especially in our area. There are many commercial seed starter kits that make the process easier, tidier and perhaps a little faster. Or you can go as low tech as slices of paper towel rolls filled with potting soil on a repurposed deli tray. Purchased plants in two-to-six-inch pots provide faster results.
A container garden is a gratifying and fun gift to make, give, and receive. Even if you are giving the container as a gift, it’s good to know where it will be placed for size restrictions and sunshine.
Plants can be grown in almost anything from an old boot to window boxes or hand-thrown pots. Your choice will affect what plants you can grow. Plant growth in containers can be restricted within reason. You can even bonsai species of cedar trees on your kitchen counter. At the same time plants should lushly fill to overfill their space. The depth should accommodate a half-fill with soil (check plant labels for the right soil mix) leaving enough room to transplant the deepest plant plus an extra inch. The extra inch is to prevent soil loss during watering.
Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the container; if there aren’t any, ensure they can be drilled without damage. Hanging vessels should be lightweight. If streaming foliage will cover your pot, it might not make sense to spend a lot of money on something that won’t be seen. Consider investing in features such as self-watering or freeze-resistance. If a pot is to remain outside during winter small fissures will take on water and expand when frozen, eventually breaking the pot. The extra initial expense is less than annual replacement sand and the added effort of repotting.
Before reusing or repurposing a container, sterilize by scrubbing off soil and mineral deposits. Then soak in a solution of ten percent chlorine bleach and water. Kids need supervision using bleach.
Most kinds of plants—from herbs, vegetables and flowers to small trees can be grown successfully in containers. Part of the fun is mixing it up. Flowers next to some veggies and perhaps even beneath a dwarf tree can be quite elegant. Choose plants that enjoy the same growing conditions. That’s easy if you want several varieties of the same plant such as lettuce, sedum, or geraniums.
Lettuce bowls are a favorite for the youths at the Denny Greenhouse Project. Lettuce grows well early in the year and thrives with continuous harvesting. Master Gardener Janice Tallman created the sedum planters pictured, adding driftwood and reflective glass globes. Sedum will happily fill their space, shoulder-to-shoulder, year after year.
When planting a container garden, think in layers. Choose tall plants for the middle or back, then medium in front of those, and short or trailing near the edge. Variation in foliage leaf size, shape and color provides interest long before and after flowers show their colors. Herbs provide a lovely aroma, as well as flavor in the kitchen. Beans curl up a small trellis then dangle fruit in bright red, green or purple. Themes, like tomatoes and peppers for making salsa, are useful combinations. Personalize your container garden with interesting rocks, weathered wood, or outdoor art.
Whatever your choice, you can be sure the shops will be hung with baskets of fuchsias by Mother’s Day. Master Gardeners are available at many nurseries and farmers markets to answer your gardening questions. MG’s will be on hand to assist in your plant selection at the Bi-Annual MG Garage Sale, June 6, from 11 am – 3 pm at McCollum Park.