Organic Container Gardening Basics
The benefits of organic container gardening - flexibility in design options, minimal space required, easy transport from one place to another, and even protection from scavenging wildlife, to name a few - are sufficient reasons to engage in this wonderful art. When you decide to do so, keep these basics in mind and you will be successful.
B - Buying and Choosing Plants and Medium
Fortunately, you can grow just about anything in containers from fruits and vegetables to ornamental plants. Well, of course, you have to factors in the special needs of the plants being considered in terms of support necessary like trellises, amount of sunshine required for good growth, size of the container necessary, and other cultivation concerns. For example, dwarf varieties of tomatoes will often need lesser space than, say, carrots.
You can purchase growth medium at many nurseries and garden centers, often in specialized mixes suited for organic container gardening. If you want the homemade variety, just mix one part each of garden soil, compost, and sand, maybe with some peat moss and organic perlite.
A - Adequate Watering
Unfortunately, container-grown plants tend to suffer from dryness faster than direct soil plants. Thus, you might need to water more regularly especially during hot weather. Just be sure, however, not to over-water them as root rotting can also set in. To be sure about the amount of water necessary for plant type, you can always ask the expert at the nursery for advice. This way, you avoid wasting precious seeds, not to mention your time.
S - Soil Maintenance
You will also have to perform regular soil maintenance in organic container gardening, just as you would in direct soil plant cultivation. Opinions vary on this aspect but it is generally agreed that drainage is very important in keeping the soil at optimal levels of nutrition intake and hydration rate.
I - Insect Control
Pests are a natural accompaniment to any type of gardening. The important thing is to be vigilant about the insects that make your container plants their home, which you can just remove by hand. This is especially true of hardy aphids although you can also spray them with water from the kitchen sprayer, with special focus on the underside of leaves. Remember, no insecticides and pesticides are allowed in organic gardening.
C - Container and Compost
The best thing about organic container gardening is that you use just about any type of container available in your home. This way, you can recycle your old plastic bottles, tin cans, ugly pots and pans, tubs, canisters and tires, thus, helping the environment in the process. You can just buy the pretty terracotta, plastic, and ceramic containers in your local nursery. Well, of course, organic fertilizers like compost, fish emulsion and worm castings are excellent choices. Otherwise, it will not be organic gardening anymore.
S - Sense of Style
Who can forget the endless possibilities of style in organic container gardening? Only your imagination will limit your container gardens from mimicking full gardens. Just have fun and enjoy the process of plant cultivation in containers.
The bottom line: Container gardening using organic methods can be challenging but it can be very rewarding, too.