If you want to garden in containers, you gotta have some of the basics – beyond the pots and plants, of course. One of the first things to start with is the potting soil. After all, it’s one of the main reasons people garden in pots – you can manage and manipulate the soil much more easily than in open ground.
Your local garden center should have everything you need to get started in container gardening.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point
The four components of good planting soil are sand, silt, clay and organic humus.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Most prepared soil mixes are fine for the majority of potted plants, but non-natives and fussy tropical varieties such as bromeliads often require a custom mix of soil and organic (or synthetic) nutrients. Mixing your own soil helps ensure the greatest opportunity for success.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Organic fertilizers are available as liquids, dusts, granules and pellets.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Potted plants require a variety of watering methods from simple watering cans to spout and hose attachments that diffuse the flow so soil and roots remain undisturbed.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Tim Butler
Most potting mixes are crumbly blends of organic matter, humus and loam (an even blend of sand, silt and clay). The best potting soils are a good balance of all three. You can determine the relative content of these elements by how well the soil holds together when you firm it up in your fist.
Generally, sandy mixes fall apart, while silt- or clay-based soils clump together. Both have pros and cons: Sand in soil promotes drainage but is poor at retaining nutrients, so your plants may starve. A high clay or silt content, by contrast, retains nutrients but drains slowly, so plant roots may become diseased. The best soils are slightly acidic, a property that helps them release nutrients each time you water.
Ultimately, of course, the right balance of sand, clay and silt depends on the needs of your plants at each stage of development. Compact soils that hold moisture longer are ideal for new shoots, but they’re far less appropriate as plants mature. Heavier mixes often are recommended for larger trees and shrubs, especially those exposed to windy conditions since they help anchor the root systems.
Most off-the-shelf potting mixes contain some nutrients: a balance of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, plus traces of other beneficial elements and compounds. Depending on the plants you select, however, it may be best to buy these nutrients separately and mix them in proper proportion to your plants’ particular demands.
In containers, a balance of drainage, aeration (oxygen) and nutrients is the key to a soil mix that promotes healthy growth. While aeration and water retention may appear to be conflicting goals, they really go hand in hand. A dose of compost, for instance, helps soil retain moisture, while perlite (a volcanic mineral), sand or peat moss can aid aeration – both are great for your plants.
As you peruse the potting-mix section in your garden center, you’ll notice two basic types of mixes: soil-based and soilless. Soil-based mixes are derived from pasteurized garden loam, whereas soilless mixes combine peat, perlite and vermiculite. Soil-based mixes are best-suited for trees, shrubs and other plants that require a reserve of nutrients. Soilless mixes are lighter and better for plants that require extra aeration and fast drainage. Get to know a bit about your plants, so you know which mix to give them for optimum growth.
Beyond the soil, you’ll also need some basic tools. If you do any other gardening, chances are you’ve already got some on hand. If not, you’ll need some essential hand tools for container gardening, including rounded- and pointed-end trowels and a hand fork (which is great for loosening and tamping soil, as well as weeding). These will get a lot of use, so make sure you test the weight, balance and grip comfort before you buy anything.
Next, you’ll need some pruning shears. For general use in the garden, bypass pruners are the best choice – both of their blades are sharp and pass each other. Look for ones with a notch near their handles (or sometimes at the base of the blades) – they’ll prove useful for cutting wire ties without damaging the cutting edges. If possible, try out several pairs until you find a pruners that feel comfortable in your hand. And be sure to check the tension of the shears and the location and operation of the locking mechanism.
Last on the tool list is a heavy-duty watering can. (Any size over 1-2 gallons will provide you with a workout.) Fit it with a bulb or rose diffuser to diffuse and soften the flow of water so the soil doesn’t splash out. Use a pointed nozzle to direct water under foliage and to water only specific plants. Also consider a mister (perhaps just a hand-held spray bottle from the kitchen) to refresh plants and feed them at leaf level.
Of course, if your water source is nearby your container garden, using a garden hose is often faster and easier than carrying a can. Hoses come in retractable coil styles and the more traditional types that wind on a spool. What you use is up to you, but regardless of style, having your hose protected from the sun when not in use can add years to its life.
A hose-end bubbler attachment for your hose is critical to control the flow and spray of the water, while an extension or watering wand allows you to reach hanging baskets and boxes without having to get out a step stool or ladder.
Depending on what you grow in your containers, you may also require vertical supports – whether premade or those of your own creation – to help direct and brace climbing and spreading plants.
Finally, in addition to this basic kit of tools and implements, you’ll need plant food and fertilizer, whether organic or synthetic. Remember, your container plants rely on you rather than on open soil for all their needed nutrients and micronutrients!
You can find all these important supplies (and more) at your local garden center – or even online. And if you see a neighbor out in the garden using something interesting, don’t be afraid to talk shop over the fence. After all, gardening has a long history of passing along information this way. Once you’ve got the basics, let the gardening begin!
