Container Garden 411

You can bring new life to your balcony by adding a few potted herbs. Having them in containers makes it a cinch because you can move them around (as you figure out the amount of sun your balcony gets). If you cultivate your balcony herb plants in containers, they are portable—so you can bring them inside at the end of the season.

Balconies are all about sunlight and you will want to go with herb plants like morning glories that grow well with a lot of sun. These little herbs will tolerate the reflection from the windows and doors and also the heat that a metal balcony captures. Check out your balcony at different times of the day to see the quality of sunlight, the heat and the intensity. You’ll also want to know which way your balcony is facing—will you get a lot of morning or afternoon sun?

Use gray or silver-colored herbs as well as those with a velvety texture or thick leaves in your balcony garden. Their unique features prevent the loss of water in evaporation.

Try a few of these fabulous herb plants on your balcony:

• Aloe vera: Adding an aloe vera plant to your balcony will be easy. It tolerates the sun very well and needs minimal watering. It is also very helpful for burns, just lop a small piece off and rub it on the burn. It will cool the location, but it can be sticky!

• Cayenne pepper: With cayenne pepper on your balcony, you can always add a little spice to your meal next time you grill out. This herb should do very well on your balcony and add some color too.

• Cucumber: A trailing vine, like a cucumber, can provide an added touch to your balcony. You can also use cucumbers in cosmetics—like facials! You can also grab a few cucumbers to slice for your salads, straight from the balcony!

• Hens-and-chicks: These are among my most favorite plants. These do not need a lot of watering—they are water-holding succulents—and can tolerate the hot temperature and bright sunshine that you might have on your balcony. They are adorable to look at too!

• Lavender: Just one whiff of the soothing aroma of this fragrant herb and you’ll be more at ease. It is also a brilliant plant that adds a nice pop of color.

You can choose a few nice-sized containers to put on your balcony or try a hanging balcony basket that has an inside layer from a coconut liner. I actually made my own balcony basket with chicken wire and moss. It was my first try at something like that. That basket wasn’t the best thing since sliced bread, but it was functional. It will work better if you carefully consider the drainage when you are buying your basket or pot.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Windowsill Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

With a good and proper container gardening design you can take care of the hardest part of container gardening, keeping your plants alive. Most people who start with this kind of gardening are having a difficult time the first time round. There are, however, a lot of helpful tips and tricks we can give you to make the learning curve a smoother. With proper container gardening design you can avoid a lot of misery.

Size matters

The size of a container determines where the container can be placed. The smaller containers can be placed bigger containers but also around areas like tables or window ledges because they do not need a lot of space to work with. Container gardening design is also good for hiding things you don’t want seen like composting or garbage container. You should try to design it so that the even the small containers make a big impact.

Look and feel

The most important part in buying pots for your container gardening design is to remember that it’s not only the container that can become a decoration or a focal point it’s also the plant inside that should be completed. Especially when you grow flowers it’s alright to mix them and try to design your container garden to match them.The place, color, size shape and texture of the plants should be the most important in your container gardening design not the container itself.

The author of this article, Hank Gordon, writes at his website www.gardenersinfopoint.com about a Garden Tool Caddy and for example the Raised Vegetable Garden Beds.

Choosing Plants for Your Garden

Many times we buy plants on impulse then find there is nowhere in the garden that really suits them. Carefully examine your garden before buying plants to see how much sun it gets, to see whether the soi is waterlogged or well drained. Then you’ll be ready to go and buy the best plants that suits you; shade loving plans, sun-lovers for warm spots, drought-resistant plants for parched areas that could either be sunny or shaded.

But hold on! Test your soil first, to determine the pH level of your soil and what kind of nutrients you need to add, if any. Is the soil acid or alkaline? Most plants prefer soil that is slightly acidic, but there are some that must have alkaline soil to grow. You can alter the soil’s pH level, but it’s much easier to simply plant for the soil you have.

Now you are ready to plant. Well…. almost. Will you plant in groups or singly? If you buy ‘one of everything’ your garden may seem rather spotty. Group plantings are organised, harmonious and you can vary the color for interest.

Before planting out, place your chosen plants around the garden bed in their pots to see how they will look. Re-arrange them until you are satisfied. Grouping plants in sets of threes or fives usually looks better than planting in groups of even numbers. Be sure that you have an interesting combination of colors and textures of plants. If you have tall plants, they should go towards the back or center for equal views from all sides. Try to keep your plants away from trees. The roots of trees are fiercely competitive and will steal all the nutrients and moisture meant for your flowers.

A way to maitain harmony in your garden is choosing the right color scheme. Imagine the color of the flowers when they are in bloom. Some colors may not go with others, but can still be planted side-by-side if they have a different blooming season. Foliage color is also important. Many flower plants have silver, grey or purplish foliage that is just as attractive as the flower. This signifies that they’re still in good standing well past the blooming season and therefore have value.

Be sure to visit us for more Decorating Ideas for Home Decorating

Fresh vegetables and herbs can cost a lot of money these days. Fortunately, there are ways to save money on fresh herbs and vegetables. Even if you live in an apartment building, you can still grown your own herbs and vegetables through container gardening. Yes, you can grow your plants in containers even if you live in the 20th floor of a high rise building. People all over the world are known of coming up with container gardening ideas that could turn their small apartments into a green place with lots of fresh herbs and vegetables growing in every corner. To help you grow your own herbs and vegetables, here are some container gardening tips for you.

Calculate The Amount Of Space Your Have For Container Gardening

Container gardening can be a form for art. If you know how to create a balance between your plants and your furniture, you can make your home more attractive. You are required to be creative while using spaces in your apartment for container gardening. To make sure that you do not end up with too many pots and containers than you can use for container gardening, you need to know how much space you have available before you start buying container gardening supplies. Take a look around your apartment. You may move a few pieces of furniture here and there to make some rooms. Clear a space near the window. Remember that your plants will need some sunlight to grow. If you enjoy setting near the window, then it would be wise to consider giving up a little of your space in favor of your plants. No, you do not have to move everything away from the windows and replace them with pots and containers for your plants. Make sure that you do not upset the overall set up of your home when you move things around. You do not really want your home to look topsy-turvy.

Know What Herbs And Vegetables To Plant in Container Gardening

Some herbs and vegetables are not meant to be grown indoors. Exotic herbs and vegetables are especially difficult to grow inside a small apartment. Since not all herbs and vegetables are difficult to grown indoors, you need to choose your plants wisely. Buy an indoor gardening book and check out which herbs and vegetables are suitable for indoor gardening. Once you know which plants thrive well indoors, that is the time when you start looking for planting materials.