10 Tips For Successful Container Garden (Full Guide Inside)

Whether it is a small space issue, or the fact that you simply don’t want to dig up a large part of your yard to house a garden, container gardens are the next big thing in home gardens. We have pulled together 10 Tips For Successful Container Garden or pots to help you navigate through this with the best possible results. Not only can you save money in your grocery budget, but you can get your family involved in growing something from start to finish. This is a great family friendly activity, but also a perfect cathartic garden activity for anyone to do by themselves.

Ready to create your very own successful container garden for your plants? Read on for these 10 tips!

Know Your Climate

One of the biggest things to consider when planting any garden is what climate you live in. There are some plants that do best in dry climates, and others that require a lot of water and rain. Invest in an Almanac for tips on what areas of the country are best for specific crops, but also to know when the best times to start seedlings and plant will be. Almanacs are truly functional and informative items that help you to understand growth cycles and what temperature and climate specific plants thrive in.

Have Proper Drainage and Irrigation Methods in Place

Not only will you need to make sure your plants are watered properly, you want to make sure your containers have good drainage for your garden. If you are housing your garden indoors, those plastic trays will serve you well underneath pots and container to catch any excess water. If you are housing your garden outdoors, you may be able to simply allow them to drain onto the ground instead of the pots. Just make sure they have good drainage and proper watering.

Take Advantage of Areas to Hang Your Garden

Don’t overlook porches, lattice work outside your home or awnings that give you a place to hang plants for convenience.

Start Small and Work Your Way Up

If you are uncertain about gardening in general, make sure that you start with something small and increase as you feel comfortable. An herb garden is a great place to start for pots. Tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce or onions would be next in line.

Don’t Forget to Use Fertilizer

There are various fertilizers out there to choose from. Use your own homemade compost, or purchase a fertilizer blend to mix into your soil as desired in your garden.

Utilize Lighting Appropriately

Some plants need light for a few hours a day, but need shade the rest of the day. This is the joy of container gardening! So often, your containers are easy to move around your home and yard. If you have plants that are picky about light, simply move the container as needed to utilize light and shade appropriately.

Don’t Crowd Your Plants

Just because the plant is small when it goes into the container doesn’t mean it is done growing. Read the back of your seed packets, or research online for specific plant needs and plant accordingly to allow them plenty of room for growth. 

Use Proper Containers for the Plants Potential Growth

Similar to the last container item on our list, make sure that your container is appropriate for the plant. A tomato plant will need deeper roots than lettuce. Plant accordingly.

Secure Pots Against Wind

If your containers are outdoors, they will occasionally be top heavy due to plants and the produce on them. If you live in an area where wind and rain are common, you may wish to secure your pots to a railing or similar to avoid them falling and being hurt in the wind. Don’t forget to care for them. One of the biggest mistakes people make when doing any kind of gardening is to forget about them. There is more to having a successful container garden for your plants than simply planting, watering and giving them light. Weeding your plants, trimming as needed, securing plants as they get heavy and regularly picking the vegetables they produce are all important in your garden. This is not a “set it and forget it” garden. It still requires work for success.

You can easily create a great harvest of home grown produce when you use these tips for successful container gardens. From what sized pot you use, to the method of watering your plants you must understand that vegetable plants are not an easy undertaking. The work you put into your container garden will be well worth it in the end, as you will have a wonderful crop of nutritious food to feed your family and save your budget while growing plants.

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