Gardening tips - all about size and shapes

Now some tips for your home gardening. The original square foot unit is 4x4ft, 16 sq ft, which can supply one person with vegetables and salads. But many gardeners have found this square block unwieldy. Some people use 3x3ft blocks instead, and this seems to have become a standard size for school gardens using the square foot system.

We've found 3ft-wide beds are too wide, 30" is about the maximum for easy access, though if they're only 3ft long as well, there's access all round.

We adapted the square foot principle to the space we had, as many do, and ended up with two long adjacent beds and several other smaller ones.

We prefer long beds in general (like the traditional Chinese farmers in the local villages), and this is what we recommend: units consisting of two adjacent beds, each 2ft wide and 8ft long, with a 15"-wide path between and around them. This is enough for two people, or if you want more or there are three of you, make two units with 6ft-long beds instead of 8ft, or two units with 8ft-long beds, and so on. Paths should normally be wider, wide enough for a wheelbarrow, but these beds are short, so save space and use buckets if you need to.

Square foot beds face the sun, so there's a front and a back. At the back there's a trellis for climbers (see below), so if you want to make ranks of units, one behind another, they'll have to be quite far apart to allow the sun to reach the rear ones over the trellises in front. You'll have to figure it out. Otherwise have them in line. Or both. Or scatter them about wherever you can fit them in.

The sides in your home garden

The beds are now too high to stand on their own, and making sloping sides that will not fall down will greatly reduce the surface area. Some gardeners make rounded mounds and use the whole area.

Better to board up the beds so the sides are sheer and stable, with the whole surface area to grow in.

There's a great debate over which kind of boards are best. We think free boards are best -- recycled container pallets will do, or thicker boards if you can get them. Don't use pressure-treated lumber! It's got arsenic in it and other toxins, and no matter what they might tell you, it will leach out and get into your plants, and quite possibly into you too. There's another debate on how to weatherproof them. Don't use creosote! -- it's a plant poison. Paint or spray them with vegetable oil, or, better, linseed oil. Some linseed oil has toxic preservatives added -- check the label (or use food-grade flaxseed oil, it's the same thing). Or try this 100-year-old recipe for "Everlasting Fence Posts":

"Take boiled linseed oil and stir in it pulverized charcoal to the consistency of paint. Put a coat of this over the timber, and there is not a man that will live to see it rotten." (From "Lee's Priceless Recipes" 1895)

The sides should be about 12-15" high, but use your judgment. When you've built them, spread a third layer of compost on top and hoe it in lightly to condition the path soil. The soil will settle a bit in time, but it should still leave your plants with an easy root depth of about two feet of highly fertile soil to wiggle their toes in. This will support the kind of cropping intensity and crop quality you require from a square foot garden.

Put more boards on the paths, or flagstones, or gravel. Or fill them with dead leaves or mulch (top up as it sinks). All these will help protect the soil from compaction as you walk on it, while mulching will steadily enrich it -- useful space for deep-rooting vegetables.

Gardening

 

 

Indoor vegetable gardening

Growing plants indoors is especially fun and rewarding. When you are able to eat delicious vegetables from your plants it is even more exciting. Indoor gardening is a wonderful tool for those who have very little space and for those who are unable to bend. Indoor gardeners also love the fact that there is very little weed problem, no hot sun shining down on them, and it is so much easier to have good soil without covering a large area.

Indoor vegetables can be grown easily in any pot or container. Plastic is less expensive usually, but anything will work. Plastic gets hotter than ceramic containers. Ceramic containers seem to be the favorite among indoor gardeners. The most important part of the container is making sure that there is drainage in the bottom. If you are using plastic or metal containers, using an ice pick or another sharp object easily makes holes.

Different gardeners will tell you different ingredients to prepare the best soil. The soil should be lightweight and drain well. A mix that works well is and equal amount by volume of silica, sand, perlite and forest mulch. There is another favorite of equal parts of sharp coarse sand, native soil and compost or peat moss. If your vegetables are growing in hanging containers, you will need a light mix of equal parts of perlite, black peat moss and vermiculite. All nurseries also have premixed mixers, but you will pay a little more for these.

Getting the containers ready for planting is easy. After you have established the fact that there is adequate drainage, add the mixed soil. The soil should be lightly packed. If the soil is packed too tightly, there will be problems with root development, drainage and aeration. When you fill the container with soil, make sure there is between one and two inches of space at the top for watering.

It is best to stick with the same basic schedule for indoor gardening as you do with outdoor gardening for when to plant which vegetables. You can start vegetables from seed much easier indoors because you don’t have to wait for certain weather conditions. As the seeds sprout, make sure that you thin them. One squash or broccoli seed will make a very large plant. Starting your indoor gardens from nursery purchased plants is fun because you have instant beauty in your containers.

Cherry tomatoes are especially fun. They will continue to grow for a very long time as you continue to pick off the little tomatoes. They are very pretty. They can be grown with or without stakes to hold them up, depending on your preference.

Herbs are another favorite for indoor gardeners. They are perfect for container gardening. Many of them are very attractive and will spill over the containers. Most also have a very fragrant odor. Mint, rosemary, chives and cilantro grow best in the cooler months. They can be grown from cuttings, seed or transplants.

Plant stands are an excellent way to show off your indoor gardens. They come in many varieties so let your imagination run wild. Plant stands can be easily made with bricks and any boards. Window sills, ladders, ledges, shelves, tables, and just about anything, can be used to make a beautiful indoor garden.

Garage sales are a perfect way to purchase inexpensive plant containers. If you decide to paint your containers, make sure that you only paint the outside. Painting the inside could contaminate the soil and give you all kinds of growing problems. If you are using spray paint, make sure that you cover the top of your container while painting. Sponge painting is an excellent way to decorate your containers. Take any sponge one half to one inch thick, cut into any shape, dampen the sponge and dip lightly into any ceramic coat paint. Most people use too much paint in sponge painting . Sponge a couple of times onto another surface first before sponging your containers. Your indoor garden becomes a bright, lovely area with a little paint.

The only downside that is usually found in indoor gardening is the watering. Plants grown in containers need more care and more attention than plants grown outside. Outside you can use timers and irrigate with drip systems. Indoor gardeners need to water by hand and more frequently because plants dry out faster in containers. If you are patio gardening, this is especially important. Sometimes new, small plants have to be watered more than once a day.

Enjoy your indoor gardening. It’s fun, inexpensive and rewarding.

Gardening 
 

Cement for gardening design

You can have a small square foot garden on a balcony, a bigger one on a rooftop. Check the weight considerations for your rooftop, and it might be wise to check the local by-laws.

A square foot unit measuring 16 sq ft and 12 inches deep will weigh somewhere around 300 kg, depending on the soil, the water content, etc.

You can break up a unit any way you like to fit the space available, right down to single one-foot squares, in boxes or baskets or whatever containers you can find. It then merges with container gardening.

If you use beds, say two 2x4ft beds with wooden sides, you can just stand them on the cement. If the soil is rich and 12" deep your plants will thrive, and the beds won't leak unless there's a real storm. It might stain the cement underneath, and if that bothers you, try putting them in big wooden trays covered with two thicknesses of heavy-duty plastic.

Gardening

Gardening design - trellises

Standard square foot trellises at the rear of each unit are a simple hoop made of electrical conduit pipe, two sides and a top, with wires or string running from the top bar to the ground every foot for the plants to cling to (or be tied to).

This is a neat system, but you can use whatever you like, as long as it fills the function. We use bamboo. The standard height is 6ft, but our last tomato crop went up nearly 12ft, and so did the cucumbers, and the beans appreciated as much height as they could get. Higher is better -- if it's needed it'll be there, if not it won't be in the way.

 Gardening

Benefits of hydroponic gardening

 

Hydroponics is proved to have several advantages over soil gardening. The growth rate on a hydroponic plant is 30-50 percent faster than a soil plant, grown under the same conditions. The yield of the plant is also greater. Scientists believe that there are several reasons for the drastic differences between hydroponic and soil plants. The extra oxygen in the hydroponic growing mediums helps to stimulate root growth. Plants with ample oxygen in the root system also absorb nutrients faster. The nutrients in a hydroponic system are mixed with the water and sent directly to the root system. The plant does not have to search in the soil for the nutrients that it requires. Those nutrients are being delivered to the plant several times per day. The hydroponic plant requires very little energy to find and break down food. The plant then uses this saved energy to grow faster and to produce more fruit. Hydroponic plants also have fewer problems with bug infestations, funguses and disease. In general, plants grown hydroponically are healthier and happier plants.

Hydroponic gardening also offers several benefits to our environment. Hydroponic gardening uses considerably less water than soil gardening, because of the constant reuse the nutrient solutions. Due to lack of necessity, fewer pesticides are used on hydroponic crops. Since hydroponic gardening systems use no topsoil, topsoil erosion isn't even an issue. Although, if agricultural trends continue to erode topsoil and waste water, hydroponics may soon be our only solution.

Hydroponic system, Gardening

Buying a hydroponic system or building a system

 

This is the most asked question relating to hydroponics. Should I buy one or build one? This author recommends a little of both. If you have an engineer's mind and dream of building your own hydroponic system, buy one first! Getting an inexpensive system will allow you to get your feet wet and give you a better understanding of how hydroponics works. The hands on experience is worth the cost of the system and chances are, you will be able to reuse the parts in that system when you set out to build your own.

If you would rather get right into building your own, do your research. Get all the information you can and don't rely on just one source. This is a constantly changing industry and there are many books still on the shelves that are already outdated. Building your own system can be very rewarding or extremely frustrating. It's mostly trial and error so, be patient.

Hydroponic gardening is the wave of the future. It is currently being studied in classrooms around the country, local horticultural societies and in government funded research at major universities and NASA. It is also becoming a popular hobby. Hydroponics is fun, exciting and easy to get involved in.

 Hydroponic System, Gardening

Flower Garden - Early Blooming Flowers

 

Gardeners in cold climates can still enjoy colorful flowers in the garden as early as March and even February in some areas, even when there is still snow on the ground. How early certain bulbs, perennials and shrubs will bloom varies from one zone to the next, and even on the location within your own garden (depending on sun, shelter, etc.). The following list is by no means exhaustive, but will give you ideas for some early bloomers that are good bets for producing flowers in late winter and early spring.

EARLY BLOOMING BULBS
Plant these tiny early risers in the fall for late winter/early spring blooms. They will bloom well before your daffodils and tulips.

Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa gigantea)
Flower: Blue, Pink, or White
Height: approx. 4 inches

Siberian Squill ( Scilla sibirica)
Flower: Blue or White
Height: approx. 5 inches

Snow Crocus (Crocus chrysanthus)
Flower: White, Gold, Blue or Purple
Height: approx. 4 inches

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)
Flower: White
Height: approx. 4 inches

Winter Aconite (Eranthus Hyemalis)
Flower: Yellow
Height: approx. 4 inches

EARLY BLOOMING PERENNIALS
As soon as the snow melts (and sometimes even earlier) these hardy perennials spring into action.

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectablis, D. eximia, D. formosana)
Flower: Red, Pink, or White
Height: varies with species
Hardy to Zone 3
Full shade to Partial Sun

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Flower: White
Height: 6 to 8 inches
Hardy to Zone 4
Full Shade to Partial Sun

Primrose (Primula denticulata, P. vulgaris, P. veris)
Flower: White, Pink, Yellow, or Purple
Height: 8 to 12 inches
Hardy to Zone 5
Full Shade to Partial Sun

Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis)
Flower: White, Pink, or Purple
Height: 12 to 18 inches
Hardy to Zone 4
Full Shade to Partial Sun

Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)
Flower: White or Purple
Height: 8 to 12 inches
Hardy to Zone 4
Full Sun

Sweet Violet (Viola odorata)
Flower: Blue, Purple, or Pink
Height: 6 to 8 inches
Hardy to Zone 4
Full Shade to Partial Sun

 

Hydroponic systems

 

Hydroponic systems are characterized as active or passive. An active hydroponic system actively moves the nutrient solution, usually using a pump. Passive hydroponic systems rely on the capillary action of the growing medium or a wick. The nutrient solution is absorbed by the medium or the wick and passed along to the roots. Passive systems are usually too wet and do not supply enough oxygen to the root system for optimum growth rates.

Hydroponic systems can also be characterized as recovery or non-recovery. Recovery systems or recirculating systems reuse the nutrient solution. Non-recovery means just what it says. The nutrient solution is applied to the growing medium and not recovered.

The Wick System

The wick system is a passive non-recovery type hydroponic system. It uses no pumps and has no moving parts. The nutrients are stored in the reservoir and moved into the root system by capillary action often using a candle or lantern wick. In simpler terms, the nutrient solution travels up the wick and into the root system of the plant. Wick systems often uses sand or perlite, vermiculite mix and a growing medium. The wick system is easy and inexpensive to set-up and maintain. Although, it tends to keep the growing medium to wet, which doesn't allow for the optimum amount of oxygen in the root system. The wick system is not the most effective way to garden hydroponically.

The Ebb and Flow System

The Ebb and Flow hydroponic system is an active recovery type system. The Ebb and Flow uses a submersible pump in the reservoir and the plants are in the upper tray. They work on a simple flood and drain theory. The reservoir holds the nutrient solution and the pump. When the pump turns on, the nutrient solution is pumped up to the upper tray and delivered to the root system of the plants. The pump should remain on for about 20 to 30 minutes, which is called a flood cycle. Once the water has reached a set level, an overflow pipe or fitting allows the nutrient solution to drain back into the reservoir. The pump remains on for the entire flood cycle. After the flood cycle the nutrient solution slowly drains back down into the reservoir through the pump.

During the flood cycle oxygen poor air is pushed out of the root system by the upward moving nutrient solution. As the nutrient solution drains back into the reservoir, oxygen rich air is pulled into the growing medium. This allows the roots ample oxygen to maximize their nutrient intake. Rockwool and grow rocks are most commonly used growing mediums in Ebb and Flow type systems. The Ebb and Flow is low maintenance, yet highly effective type of hydroponic gardening.

Nutrient Film Technique

The Nutrient Film Technique or NFT system is an active recovery type hydroponic system. Again, using submersible pumps and reusing nutrient solutions. The NFT uses a reservoir with a submersible pump that pumps the nutrient solution into a grow-tube where the roots suspended. The grow-tube is at a slight downward angle so the nutrient solution runs over the roots and back into the reservoir. The nutrient solution flows over the roots up to 24 hours per day.

Oxygen is needed in the grow-tube so capillary matting or air stones must be used. The plants are held up by a support collar or a grow-basket and no growing medium is used. The NFT system is very effective. Although, many novice hydroponic growers find it difficult to fine tune. It can also be very unforgiving, with no growing medium to hold any moisture, any long period of interruption in the nutrient flow can cause the roots to dry out and the plants to suffer and possibly die.

Continuous Drip

The Continuous Drip system is an active recovery or non-recovery type system. This system uses a submersible pump in a reservoir with supply lines going to each plant. With drip emitter for each plant the gardener can adjust the amount of solution per plant. A drip tray under each row of plants, sending the solution back to the reservoir, can easily make this system an active recovery type. In the early days of hydroponics, the extra solution was leached out into the ground. Continuous Drip systems are often used with Rockwool. Although, any growing medium can be used with this system, thanks to the adjustment feature on each individual drip emitter.

What does hydroponic gardening mean?

Hydroponics is a popular and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional gardening; and even if you have no yard, you can take advantage of its unique benefits in order to provide healthy, fresh produce for your family. Hydroponic gardening is perfect for city dwellers, commercial plant growers, schools, and farmers alike. Build yourself a hydroponic system, or buy one of many commercially available models, and you will be well on your way to enjoying a plentiful harvest.
Hydroponics is a centuries-old method of growing plants without the use of soil. The nutrients plants normally dervie from soil are delivered directly to the plants' roots. In a hydroponic garden, plants are suspended in growing trays. Without soil, the roots of the plant need not expand in an effort to seek out nutrients; therefore more plants can be grown in a smaller space. Plants no longer compete for root space or nutrients and grow faster and produce more fruit or flowers. Hydroponic systems often employ a growth medium such as Vermiculite, Rockwool, gravel or Perlite to physically support plants.
There are two basic types of hydroponic gardening: passive and active. In a passive garden, plants are suspended from a grow tray and their roots rest in a reservoir of water and nutrients. Alternatively, the grow tray may rest above the reservoir and the water or nutrients be passed to the plants via a wick. In an active garden, a water or nutrient solution is delivered from a reservoir to the plants at timed intervals via a water pump, drip line or spray line. In many active hydroponic gardens, the water or nutrient solution is recovered and returned to the reservoir for recirculation. In both active and passive systems, it is necessary to use an air pump to oxygenate the water or nutrient solution.

Hydroponic gardening

Vegetable garden

Planning and planting a successful vegetable garden
Nothing tastes better than vegetables picked fresh from your own garden. There’s a certain satisfaction to serving and eating food that you yourself have grown and harvested. Although they typically demand a good bit of space, vegetables can even be grown in window boxes. Everyone, then, can experience the many joys of the kitchen garden.

Advance planning is a must as there are many factors that can affect the success and manageability of your vegetable garden as well as your enjoyment of it.

The traditional method of vegetable garden design was to plant long, orderly rows. Most home gardeners now opt for planting in beds rather than rows. This method allows you to concentrate your compost on the area where the plants are growing rather than wasting it on the paths between the rows. Walking between the rows also ruins the soil structure, so beds are really a better way to go. The beds do need to be small enough so that you can easily reach in to weed and harvest all the plants without stepping on the bed itself. Also, if you raise your beds about 8 to 12 inches, you will have improved drainage and the soil will stay warmer in colder weather, such as early spring.

Another popular style is potager, which mixes flowers in together with herbs and vegetables in an ornamental fashion so that the garden is both functional and ascetically pleasing. Many vegetables also thrive in containers, so you don’t even need a garden in order to get those garden-fresh veggies.

Location is another consideration when planning your garden. Many people tend to want to hide the vegetable garden away in a dark corner and save spotlight for the flowers. Vegetable gardens, however, need sunny, open spaces in order to thrive, so you won’t reap a bounty if you are not willing to devote some real estate. Also, think about location when planting. You can economize space by planting vegetables next to each other that mature at different times. This way, you have already harvested one when it’s neighbor is becoming mature, so both have plenty of space and sun when they need it most.

Planting your vegetable garden
Preparing the Soil
Putting some extra effort into preparing your beds before planting will save you a lot of time and effort in the future. Dig the bed up to break up compacted soil (this will help with drainage) and removing rocks and weeds as you go. Try to pull out as much of the weed roots as possible so that they will not come back to haunt you later. This is also a good time to amend your soil.

Companion Plants in the Vegetable Garden
There are some plants that, when planted close together, will benefit each other. Likewise, there are certain combinations of plants that will inhibit the growth of one or both types of plants. Here are a few combinations to avoid:

Potatoes – inhibit growth of tomatoes and squash
Beans – inhibit growth of onions
Broccoli – inhibits growth of tomatoes
Carrots – inhibit growth of dill
This isn’t to say that you can’t grow these plants together in the same garden, just don’t grow them right next to each other.

Watering
Vegetables need a bit of extra care when it comes to watering. Consistent watering will produce successful results. If you have a large garden, you may want to consider a soaker hose. This will ensure that your plants get an even watering without getting the leaves wet and all you have to do is remember to turn on the house.

Rotating Crops
Assuming that you plan to grow vegetables more than one year, it is important that you rotate your crops. Crop rotation prevents building diseases up in the soil and preserves micro-nutrients. Rotating is not very difficult, but does take a little advance planning as well as a basic knowledge of the vegetable families. Vegetables are broken down into basic family groups. These groups should be rotated together as they use soil in similar ways and share similar pests.

Alliums
Include Onions, Garlic, Scallions, Shallots, and Leeks.
Brassicas
Include Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, and Kale.
Crucifers
Include Turnips, Radishes, Rutabaga, and Collards.
Cucurbits
Include Cucumbers, Squashes (from zucchini to pumpkin), and Melons.
Legumes
Include Peas and Beans.
Mescluns
Include Arugula, Swiss Chard, Chicory, Endive, Escarole, and Radiccio.
Solanaceae
Include Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplant.
Perennial vegetables such as Asparagus, Rhubarb and Artichokes should not be rotated and therefore should be planted separately. The rest (most vegetables are hardy or semi-hardy annuals) should be rotated every year on a four year plan (so that the same family of vegetables is not planted in the same location within four years). This is easy to accommodate if you have planted four beds for your rotating plants and one bed for your non-rotating perennials. See where that advanced planning starts to come in handy?

Timing
How many times have you had a co-worker or friend arrive at your home or office with bags full of zucchini or cucumbers? If you plant all your vegetables at the same time, everything will come to maturity at the same time. The solution is to continually plant small amounts of short-season vegetables throughout the growing season. That way, you can enjoy your vegetables all summer long and not be inundated by them all at once.

Nothing, however, will save you from the dreaded onslaught of zucchini; I just don't plant it and that way I'm happy for the occasional gift. If they start to bomb you with bags of it, drop 'em off the Christmas card list and shun 'em. Nothing like a good old fashioned shunning to get those zucchini pushers in line...

Vegetable Container Gardens
Vegetables that thrive when planted in containers include: tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, carrots, chard, lettuce, beans, peas, and cucumbers. For information on how to get started, visit our article about container gardening (link to container gardening article).

Ornamental Vegetables
Who says that vegetables garden are homely? There are many vegetables that, in addition to tasting good, are also very attractive. These include: sweet peas, French (green) beans, runner beans, endive, kale, red cabbage, and ruby chard.

Vegetable gardening can be great fun and it is truly rewarding to enjoy delicious food from your own garden. With these basics tips, you are well on your way. Enjoy!
 

Gardening

Container gardening

If you have designed your garden in such a way that you have areas of paving or gravel, you may want to liven these up with some well-planted containers. Equally, if your garden is very small, some strategically placed pots full of colourful flowers may be what you need.

Choosing Your Containers

• Pots are an obvious place to start. They come in all shapes and sizes, glazed, terracotta, hand-painted, stone (real or fake), plaster - you name it. If you intend to leave your pots outside all winter and you live in a cold climate, don’t forget they must be frost resistant. There’s no point buying hand-painted containers in Spain then expecting them to survive a winter in Scotland!
  
  
• Troughs look good against a straight wall but you need to choose your planting carefully because we’ve found that many plants quickly become pot bound in a trough. For example, in a trough 24inches (60 cms) long, we have just ONE verbena which is doing very well but it’s foliage reaches to each end and we originally thought that the trough would take at least three plants.
  
  
• Wooden containers. You can buy these or make them yourself if you have the skill and you can add a trellis for something to climb up the centre. You can use small split logs for a rustic effect or normal wooden planks for something a little more formal. Don’t forget to leave drainage holes. The wood will last longer if you apply a wood preservative and line your container with plastic. Many wood preservers are coloured these days so your container could be blue or green or whatever you like. The easiest to construct is obviously square, but if you’re a little more adventurous, you could try octagonal or triangular. Divided containers are great for growing herbs.
  
  
• Hanging baskets, wall hanging half baskets or pots or hanging pouches are lovely for trailing plants and can create quite a show in summer.
  
  
• Basket-shaped or amphora-shaped pots look great but are quite hard to plant and maintain.
  
  
• If you have a talent for construction, you could build your own pots or raised beds with bricks or decorative blocks.

Planting Your Containers

There are so many different plants suitable for container gardening that I would need a complete book to name them all. Suffice to say that a small shrub will grow ok in a large pot but won’t want to share will a stack of other things. Annuals are great for containers but will need to have the spent flowers removed to encourage further blooming. Herbs and alpines are good too but be careful of the sun/shade needed. Be careful also of herbs like mint which can take over a whole flower bed, never mind a pot, left to its own devices.

Unlike, traditional borders, container plants are planted very close together so you need to bear a number of things in mind.

• Buy proprietary compost. Garden borders can, to an extent, obtain nutrients from the soil itself plus leaf mulch and other naturally-occurring organic matter. Containers cannot so buy the best compost you can afford.
  
  
• Container plants need a whole lot more water than those in beds. Don’t think that just because it rained all day, much moisture will have penetrated the foliage - it probably won’t. In the height of summer, hanging baskets and the like (unless they have a water reservoir) will probably need watering twice a day. So you have a couple of choices; set up an irrigation system for your pots (optimum but pricey) or add a moisture retaining product to your compost (you will still need to water once a day). These are available at garden centres and take the form of a powder which you hydrate into a gel or water retaining balls which look like polystyrene, either of which you mix with the compost.
  
  
• You will need to feed container plants more often. You can choose a compost which has already had sufficient nutrients added to last a season which is a good start for annuals. You can also buy slow-release pellets which you mix into the compost in the dosage recommended by the manufacturer. The alternative is to apply a liquid feed once or twice every two weeks throughout the growing season.
  
  
• OK, so you have your container and you’ve mixed the correct amount of water retention medium and feed into your compost as required, now for the planting.
  
  
• Try to design the planting on paper or in your minds eye before you start. Remember that trailing plants such as balcony geraniums or surfinia petunias need to be planted around the edge of the container.
  
  
• If you’re using baskets, line them with moss and/or a plastic liner. Fill one third with compost, plant the first “layer” of plants which will poke out of the sides of the basket, add the second third and finish with the top “layer”. If you’re using tubs, don’t forget the perspective - tall at the back or side against a wall or fence and smaller at the front.
  
  
• Groups of pots look good together, particularly if they’re colour co-ordinated and the addition of a few well-placed pebbles or coloured ornaments completes the effect.

All you need now to enjoy your container garden is a strategically placed table and chairs and a nice chilled glass of white wine!

Indoor gardening

It is best to stick with the same basic schedule for indoor gardening as you do with outdoor gardening for when to plant which vegetables. You can start vegetables from seed much easier indoors because you don’t have to wait for certain weather conditions. As the seeds sprout, make sure that you thin them. One squash or broccoli seed will make a very large plant. Starting your indoor gardens from nursery purchased plants is fun because you have instant beauty in your containers.
Cherry tomatoes are especially fun. They will continue to grow for a very long time as you continue to pick off the little tomatoes. They are very pretty. They can be grown with or without stakes to hold them up, depending on your preference.

Herbs are another favorite for indoor gardeners. They are perfect for container gardening. Many of them are very attractive and will spill over the containers. Most also have a very fragrant odor. Mint, rosemary, chives and cilantro grow best in the cooler months. They can be grown from cuttings, seed or transplants.

Plant stands are an excellent way to show off your indoor gardens. They come in many varieties so let your imagination run wild. Plant stands can be easily made with bricks and any boards. Window sills, ladders, ledges, shelves, tables, and just about anything, can be used to make a beautiful indoor garden.

Garage sales are a perfect way to purchase inexpensive plant containers. If you decide to paint your containers, make sure that you only paint the outside. Painting the inside could contaminate the soil and give you all kinds of growing problems. If you are using spray paint, make sure that you cover the top of your container while painting. Sponge painting is an excellent way to decorate your containers. Take any sponge one half to one inch thick, cut into any shape, dampen the sponge and dip lightly into any ceramic coat paint. Most people use too much paint in sponge painting . Sponge a couple of times onto another surface first before sponging your containers. Your indoor garden becomes a bright, lovely area with a little paint.

The only downside that is usually found in indoor gardening is the watering. Plants grown in containers need more care and more attention than plants grown outside. Outside you can use timers and irrigate with drip systems. Indoor gardeners need to water by hand and more frequently because plants dry out faster in containers. If you are patio gardening, this is especially important. Sometimes new, small plants have to be watered more than once a day.

Enjoy your indoor gardening. It’s fun, inexpensive and rewarding.