I’ve been asked dozens of times about starting a successful container garden. I grow my garden pretty much every way you can think of. I have several container plants, greenhouse plants in both containers and a raised bed, in-ground plants, indoor plants, as well as plants grown directly in water.
I would be lying if I told you I haven’t had dozens of plants and seedlings die on me outta no where, because I’ve had plenty. So, with that said I want to give advice for beginner growers to maintain successful container gardens.
Knowing what growing zone your in will tell you everything you need to know about selecting plants for a container garden. I‘m located in Georgia and my growing zone is between 8A and 8B, which is a pretty middle ground type of environment because I can grow crops that do well in warm weather and crops that grow well in cool weather. If your located in places like Texas or California I wouldn’t recommend that you choose plants that are cold hearty because certain plants like broccoli or fennel may never sprout if the temperature is to warm.
There are several different types of fruiting plants that grow and produce high yields in containers. My favorite container plant is pineapple. There are several ways you can start growing your very own yellow fruit. Pineapples are part of the bromeliad family and do well indoors and outdoors with minimal work. If you choose to grow your pineapple from seed expect a long ride before seeing a little pineapple form. You can speed this process up drastically by purchasing a fully grown pineapple from your local grocery store and grow a pineapple either from the core or by just cutting the top breaking a few leaves off and sitting it in a bed of water until it roots. You can also put a top or core directly into the soil and grow it that way.
I personally like to put my pineapples in water with a rooting hormone to speed up the waiting period before putting it in soil. Pineapples don’t need to be watered that often and do well even when water is scarce. Pineapples can take anywhere from 1 to 4 years to produce a fully grown fruit, which seems like a really long time but keeping them as indoor plants makes for beautiful home decor while it grows that juicy yellow fruit that so many of us cut our mouths on but enjoy anyway, lol.
Another high producing container plant is aloe vera, you can pick up various types of aloe vera from your local garden center. These plants don‘t require a lot and provide a benefit with its gooey insides. Aloe Vera gel or nectar has been used for wounds, burns, hair, skin, pain reliever, beverages and much more. Aloe can be grown in many mediums from soil and water to clay and even just perlite! I currently have four different variety‘s growing in water, and coco + perlite. They add a beautiful eye-catching greenness to any space and only require minimal work to maintain.
Low Maintenance Container plants
Basil - growing basil is such a joy as long as this plant has proper drainage, room to grow its roots, and kept watered it will grow and produce more basil than you can handle. Basil can be grown indoors as long as it remains in a sunny location and gets some fresh air. Best grown outside on a porch or balcony with good sun coverage.
Succulents- Succulents add a uniqueness in any space and don’t require a lot of maintenance for it to thrive. For best results opt for succulent soil and food, don’t water leaves, and don‘t overwater, remember succulents have a lot of water inside of their leaves that enables them to withstand drought longer than other plants (but that doesn’t mean water them like a cactus either some succulents are more finicky than others)
Air plants - ya’ll there is nothing better than having an air plant that in most cases doesn’t need a container, regular watering or feeding, and will grow quite large depending on the type of air plant you get. These are great indoor plants but can still be grown outdoors in a confined space. ( I’ve had an air plant that flew right on off my porch and into next week.)
Flowers - Flowers are always a container garden go to because they sit and look pretty and don pretty much water ever you want as long as they get their required sun, water, food, and/or fertilizer. Enjoy beautiful flowers year round with annuals, if you don’t feel like maintaining flowers outside of the warmer months of the year look for flowers with short blooming periods or flowers that go dormant in the winter and return in the spring.
Comments