Container Gardening A How-To Guide

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

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Container GardeningA How-To Guide

Hennepin County Master Gardener Program

Images by Mary Meyer

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What Is Container Gardening?

The practice of growing plants in containers instead of planting them in the ground

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Goals

Know: How to use container gardens in the landscape

Feel: More confident that you can start a container garden

Do: Start a container garden of your own

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Why Practice Container Gardening?

Easy Economical Have a garden in any space Liberation from your geography Outfox the critters Instant gratification Can grow almost anything

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What Do You Need for Container Gardening?

Container Mix Fertilizer Water Plants

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Containers For Plants Can Be Anything…

…as long as there is

drainage


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Container Options Terra Cotta or Clay Plastic & Fiberglass Wood Glazed Ceramic Metal Stone, Hypertufa Troughs

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Terra Cotta or Clay

Classic choice Heavy Dries out quickly Develops mold,

salts etching

Image by Mary Meyer

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Plastic & Fiberglass

Lightweight Holds moisture

longer No staining Colorful,

decorative and attractive

Image by Mary Meyer

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Wood Informal, natural

appearance Good insulators Needs replacing

eventually


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Glazed Ceramic

Beautiful Non-porous Can be too airtight

for root growth Colors may clash

with plants flowers and foliage

Image by Mary Meyer

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Metal Attractive Little insulation: can

be very hot or very cold


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Stone or Hypertufa Trough

Moss grows on containers

Heavy Expensive Harder to find Drainage may be a

problem


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What Else Do You Need for Container Gardening?


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Soil Mixes

Potting soil May contain

– Pasteurized soil – Sphagnum peat moss– Vermiculite– Perlite– Composted manure

Image by Mary Meyer

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Soilless Mixes

2-3X lighter May contain

– peat moss and/or ground bark

– vermiculite– perlite

Image by Mary Meyer

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Some Mixes Retain Moisture and Contain Fertilizer

Image by Mary Meyer

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Use Two Fertilizers Follow product

directions

Planting: mix in fertilizer granules

Watering: add dilute soluble fertilizers

Know N-P-K

Image by Mary Meyer

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Container Soil Fertilizer Water Plants

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Water Often Daily in summer Water soil, not

plants, until water drains out

Small, hanging containers need extra care

Type of container makes a big difference

Image by Mary Meyer

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What’s the Last Thing You Need for Container Gardening?

Container Soil Fertilizer Water Plants

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Four FactorsGuide Plant Choice

Location Purpose Color Personal

preference

Image by Mary Meyer

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Locate sun-loving plants in sun

Purple or pink fountaingrass loves sun and warm or hot locations


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Begonia ‘Dragon Wings’

Locate shade-loving plants in shade

Fuchsia


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


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Purpose

Produce food Add color Hide / cover Highlight Frame Attract attention

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Full sun Lots of water Fertilizer 3 gallons

mix: 1’ of plant

Food

Image by Karin Ciano

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Nicotiana sylvestris

Color

Hibiscus


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Cover a bare wall

Image by Mary Meyer

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Highlight a patio

Image by Mary Meyer

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Highlight a flower border

Image by Mary Meyer

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Soften corners

Image by Mary Meyer

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Frame a bench

Image by Mary Meyer

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Frame a walkway

Image by Mary Meyer

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Frame an entryway

Image by Mary Meyer

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Attract attention

Image by Mary Meyer

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Highlight a special collection

Image by Mary Meyer

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Create a landscape

Image by Mary Meyer

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Winter interest


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Formal or informal

formal

informal


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Choose eye-catching color schemes

Image by Mary Meyer

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White color theme


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Great combinations


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Great combinations

Image by Mary Meyer

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Great combinations

Image by Mary Meyer

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Great combinations

Image by Mary Meyer

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mg.umn.edu

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Hennepinmaster

gardeners.org

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Social Media

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What questionsdo you have?

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Please fill outyour evaluation

Know: How to use container gardens in the landscape

Feel: More confident that you can start a container garden

Do: Start a container garden of your own

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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.

Thank you!Extension Master Gardener Program Yard & Garden Line(952) 443-1426

Extension.org/horticulture

Container Gardening A How-To Guide

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