How to create a container garden?

You can create a nice potted garden on your terrace

Who said that to have a garden you had to have a plot of land to be able to plant your plants in it? Actually, it is enough to have a free space, it does not matter if it is small or large, or if it has a dirt or paved floor. For this reason, even if for example your balcony is small or your patio has an L shape, you can enjoy a nice, allow me the word, flowerpot garden 🙂.

You just have to know some keys to make better use of the space, something that will undoubtedly help you to have a great time taking care of your plants. So let's see how to create a container garden.

Make a draft

It is the first step. Often we go directly to buying plants without being very clear about how we are going to distribute them, and that can lead us to find ourselves in a situation where we see that we have too many pots ... or we lack space. To avoid it, the first thing to do is think and decide what design you want to give to your pot garden, taking into account the meters you have available, the shape of that space, and noting which are the shady corners, which are the semi-shade and which ones in direct sun.

Of course, the climate must be very present, since the same plants cannot be grown on a balcony in an area where the climate is warm all year round, as in another where there is frost or snowfall every winter. To make it easier for you, We recommend you visit a nearby botanical garden, read about garden design and / or watch gardening programs to get ideas, and buy plants that are being grown abroad from the nurseries closer to your home.

Choose the plants that you are going to grow in pots

This is the most important step, since it will largely depend on how the design you give to your pot garden will finally be. Therefore, it is necessary to bear in mind that not all plants that are sold can live well in containers throughout their lives. But do not worry, because there are many that will not give you any problem. Here is a list:

Trees and shrubs

There are few that can grow well, but of all that there are, we recommend these:

  • Japanese maple: It is a deciduous tree or small tree from 1 to 12 meters high depending on the variety or cultivar known for the beautiful colors that its leaves acquire in spring and especially in autumn. It needs an acid substrate and irrigation water, with a pH of 4 to 6, and semi-shade since the direct sun 'burns' it. Resists up to -18ºC. More information in its plug.
  • Azalea: it is an evergreen shrub that reaches a height of 1 meter that produces small but very pretty flowers, red, pink, or white, in spring. Like Japanese maple, it needs acidic (or lime-free) substrate and water, and protected exposure from the sun. Resists cold and weak frosts. More information in its plug.
  • Callistemon or pipe cleaner: it is an evergreen tree or shrub depending on the species that reaches a height of 2 to 10 meters. Its red tube cleaner-shaped inflorescences make it very interesting for terraces and patios. Of course, it needs sun, and moderate watering. It resists frosts down to -7ºC. More information in its plug.

Cactus and succulents

Taking into account that these plants do not usually need much space, except columnar cacti or tree succulents, and that their growth is rather slow, there are many varieties that can grow well in your container garden. However, you have to choose, and we are left with these three:

  • echeveria: it is a highly variable genus of succulent plants, characterized by having generally rounded, fleshy leaves of very different colors that form a rosette with or without a stem (false trunk). In spring and sometimes also in autumn they produce yellow, orange or pink flowers grouped in long flower stalks. But for this they need sun, a substrate that drains the water well and rather scarce irrigation. They resist weak frosts. More information in its plug.
  • Rebutia: is a genus of cactus with short spines that produce some of the most beautiful cactus flowers. These are orange, yellow, or white, and sprout in spring. They usually reach a height of 5 centimeters, but tend to form groups. They require sun, a substrate that drains water well, and little watering. They resist weak frosts. More information in its plug.
  • Sempervivum: it is a genus of succulents that forms rosettes of fleshy leaves whose height is about 3-5 centimeters. The color of these leaves can be green, teal, or even brown, so they have a high ornamental value. To grow well they need semi-shade, well-drained substrates and few waterings. They resist cold and moderate frosts. More information in its plug.

Edible plants

There is a wide variety of plants suitable for human consumption that you can have in your container garden. These are just a few:

  • Lettuce: it is a biennial herb grown as an annual widely used to make salads. It reaches a height of about 30 centimeters, and its seeds are sown in spring. Three months later, it will be ready. Of course, put it in the sun and water it frequently. More information in its plug.
  • Pepper: it is a perennial bush grown as an annual that reaches a height of up to 1 meter. The seeds are sown in early spring, and harvested in summer. It needs sun and frequent waterings. More information in its plug.
  • Tomato: it is a grass or bush that reaches a height of up to 1 meter. Its growing season goes from spring, which is when its seeds are sown, until autumn, which is when the last tomato is harvested. It requires sun, a lot of water and, also, a tutor so that its stems do not break. More information in its plug.

Flower plants

There are many plants of this type that are grown without difficulties in pots, like these:

  • Dimorphotheque: It is a lively herb with a creeping or upholstery habit that produces daisy-shaped flowers during spring and summer. It reaches a height of about 30 centimeters, with an extension of up to 1 meter. It lives well in the sun as well as in semi-shade, and needs moderate watering. Resists cold and weak frosts. More information in its plug.
  • gazania: it is a lively herb that reaches a height of about 30 centimeters. It is popular for its daisy-shaped flowers, which open in the sun. It needs a sunny exposure and moderate watering. Resists cold and weak frosts. More information in its plug.
  • Geranium: it is a shrub of about 40-90 centimeters high, well known for its flowers: small but numerous, of showy colors, and they sprout almost all year round, and for this they need sun or semi-shade, well-drained substrates and frequent waterings. Otherwise, they resist moderate frosts. More information in its plug.

Put the plants in the right location

Once the plants have been chosen, it will be time to put them in their place. But beware It is not only important that you give them adequate light according to their needs, but you must also ensure that those that are larger are behind of the smallest since otherwise the latter would not grow well.

Also, to make better use of space do not hesitate to put a table or shelf, or even one or more shelves hooked to the wall. Consider the option of acquiring some planters to create beautiful compositions of Sempervivum, or other small succulents such as Fenestraria or Lithops.

A nice bulbous pot can also look great, combining spring flowers with summer flowers. If you dare, you should choose a wide container, since it is advisable to respect the separation between bulbs that is indicated on the container.

Enjoy

When everything is ready, you can enjoy your pot garden. Water and fertilize your plants whenever necessary, and feel free to inspect them from time to time to see if they have any pests or symptoms of disease. In case of happening, we advise you to treat them with ecological remedies like these that we say here

Photos of potted gardens

If you need more ideas, here are a series of images of gardens made with pots:

We hope it has been useful to you 🙂.


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