Organic Gardening … in Containers!

If you have a small backyard, or if you don’t even have a backyard, but still want an organic garden, don’t despair. You can still cultivate a beautiful garden if you’re willing to make a couple of compromises. All you need is a container of any size and a pocket full of imagination. One has a slew of possible containers for the plant. You could use bathtubs and even those ubiquitous plastic containers. But knowing how to utilize them creatively will be the only way towards the goal of beauty epitomized in a little shell.

Benefits of A Garden in a Bottle

The main benefit of container gardening is the element of convenience that is inherent in it. You don’t have to submit to the inevitabilities that come along with the fluctuations of weather, which could hammer down the plants with rain or kill it slowly by intense heat. The mobility that comes along with container gardening helps avoid that. When summer comes, the container should be outside, relishing the warmth that comes along with it. When its winter, however, you can still help the plant survive by putting it indoors, beside the kitchen or living room window.

Adding to the ease of maintaining the plant, it also adds some extra oomph to your living room or patio. Its bright colors will complement and brighten up the rather predictable interior of the house. Bring nature in your home and see it sprinkle the place with added freshness and pizzazz.

Along with these two, helping the plant survive is a million times easier. The fact that the presence of weeds will practically disappear and random pests such as snails, slugs and diseases that stem from soil will be at bay proves this point. Furthermore, potting mediums are more convenient and a lot easier to manipulate since they provide the optimal pH for your plant.

How to Set it Up

First of all, you need to purchase premium soil for the plant so it will be lighter and also provide proper drainage. Make sure that the potting mix you purchase does not contain fertilizer or organic matter, so you have to put the necessary nutrients in the soil yourself. You may buy a separate fertilizer in the garden shop or make one yourself. Pay attention to the instructions because if you put too much fertilizer into the container, you’ll burn the plants roots. There are numerous types of fertilizers that cater to specific plants so make sure you find the best one for the specific plant.

Watering the Plant

The most important thing the gardener must remember is that container plants need more watering than usual. That’s because the plants that are in a garden benefit from numerous amounts of soil that hold the nutrients in water. While the container on the other hand, usually doesn’t hold up and drain continually as you water the plant. So water it frequently but not so much that you’re virtually drowning the plant.

You should water the plant in a way that it is gentle on its stem and leaves. So sprinkle the plant with a soft flow that doesn’t harm the plant in any way. In warmer conditions however, you have to water the plant more frequently, maybe do a little re-watering 45 minutes after your initial one, so you will ensure there is enough water held in the container.

There are many advantages and very few disadvantages that come with container gardening. The former are mainly convenience and mobility while the latter comes from the fact that it is simply too small to be admired. But for the busy bee, who has a busy schedule and deadlines to rush through, container gardening not only takes little of time, but the benefits that come with gardening in general, provide a fresh atmosphere.