Outdoor container gardening - Tips & techniques

Enjoying the satisfaction that comes with growing one's own flowers and other outdoor plants is not limited to just those lucky individuals with a lot of space. Even some vegetables are particularly well-suited to container gardening and can provide the gardener with fresh, home-grown tomatoes and greens throughout the summer and early fall. Seeing second and third floor apartment balconies ablaze in color and greenery during the spring, summer, and even fall months is a common sight in most cities.

Remember Green Acres, the television show from the sixties, whose main character, Oliver Douglas, was a New York City-dwelling lawyer who dreamed of being a farmer? Oliver eventually did buy his "dream" farm, dragging his reluctant but goodhearted wife, Lisa, off to live his dream in the country. But, before they moved, Oliver had a "farm" on his penthouse balcony overlooking Central Park.

Not everybody can, or even wants to, uproot their families for life on a farm. But enjoying a "mini" farm on one's balcony, or porch, or patio can satisfy those instincts to grow something, whether the focus be on flowers, evergreen plants, herbs, vegetables, small fruit, or a mixture of them all.

Types of Containers

The container type the gardener chooses can depend on a number of factors: finances, availability, size, space of area or areas, and, in some cases, how well the containers interact with other landscaping.

Terracotta planters can be purchased at most home and garden centers. They are readily available and come in many attractive styles, shapes, and sizes. Advantages of using terracotta for container gardening is that it is porous, which not only makes it more difficult to over water but also means air can reach the plant's roots. A disadvantage of using terracotta is that it is breakable so it might not be the best choice in areas of high activity, especially where children and pets are involved, because it could get knocked over and broken.

Plastic is another option. Less fragile than terracotta, it is also almost always less expensive as well and can come in a nice variety of styles, colors, and sizes. There are now many producers offering plastic pots made from recycled materials.

Another attractive container for the patio garden is wood. Available in a large selection of styles (including whiskey barrels!), it is more expensive than plastic but more durable than terracotta.

Metal containers are available in different metals, such as copper, wrought iron, and bronze. Virtually indestructible, they are also quite heavy and might be the best choice for heavier plants, such as shrubs and trees, which likely won't be moved anyway.

If surface space is limited, or if the gardener has every other square foot of available space already occupied by containers of plants, it might be time to look up. Hanging containers are another great way to grow herbs, flowers, and certain vegetables and fruits. There are now hanging planters on the market that actually grow certain fruits and vegetables (tomatoes and strawberries) upside down!

Alternative Container Options

For many reasons, such as financial, or even just the wish to re-use already existing containers for their garden, many are looking at other container options. The gardener could look around their home and find items designated for the trash that would make attractive and unique containers. How about using that old wheelbarrow for an attractive herb garden? Tomatoes and peppers can go in kitty litter buckets. Even an old sink or bath tub can be given another life holding colorful flowers, such as petunias or nasturtiums.