Container Gardens Made Easy
By Ken Lain, The Garden Guy

You can't believe how nice it is to finally have Iron Springs Road open again! My hat’s off to Steve Norwood and the city staff, and all the folks at Fann Contracting for a project well completed. It’s reassuring to live in a city that knows how to complete a road project while keeping traffic moving and construction area merchants happy. If you haven't been on this newest road in Prescott, I suggest that you treat yourself to a really pleasant driving experience. Flanked by bike lanes and sidewalks, the five lanes are easily maneuverable.

Spring is my favorite time at the garden center. I feel like a child opening presents on Christmas day each time I open the doors of a truck arriving from our growing operations. Everything is in bloom and I like to take time to smell the flowers or read up on a fascinating new plant that has just arrived.

Like all garden center owners I don't get many days off in spring, but on Thursday I had a speaking engagement in the morning and nothing else in my DayTimer. So, I took the day off and played in the yard. I started with all the container gardens, sprucing them up with new flowering colors. Gardening in containers is easy, but there are some techniques that guarantee great-looking container gardens.

Larger is better with containers. The greater the volume of potting soil in the container the easier it is to keep watered in summer and to resist freeze damage in winter. I like to use containers that are at least 14 inches in diameter and in depth. This size easily accommodates medium size shrubs and any flower, vegetable, or herb. For trees and large shrubs I prefer containers that are about wine barrel size, a minimum of about 20 inches.

The correct potting soil can mean the difference between success and struggle in container gardens. A good potting soil will be lighter than dirt in the yard so it can drain and breathe, but heavy enough to retain moisture during summer’s heat. Potting soils are made to plant directly into so no blending or mixing of additives is needed. Try to find a potting soil that matches what the plants are already growing in when purchased. This way plants make a quick transition between the soil they grew up in and their new container soil. At my garden center we only sell one potting soil and it's the same one the plants are started in at the farm.

I love roses in containers and just added two new bushes during my days in the garden this week.
Some roses are easy to care for and others are high maintenance. Because I am an easy care kind of guy, I like the new Knock-Out roses. They bloomed continually from the middle of April through Thanksgiving last year with no special pruning techniques required. I keep them at about three feet tall in containers, although they can grow a little taller when planted in the ground.

The latest style of jade green containers from Asia was just off the truck so I snapped up several for my play day. I put a Knock-Out in the taller jade green container, but in the smaller container I planted the most exciting new carpet rose to be introduced in years, the 'Pink Supreme' carpet rose. It, too, is very easy to care for, has few bug and mildew issues, and virtually no pruning requirements other than an occasional haircut. This rose grows 18-24 inches high in containers and blooms the exact same time as the Knock-Outs.

I arrange container gardens much like I do plants in a flower bed. Cluster similar colored pots together and place in groups of 3-5 for the best look. Have a tree, some roses, a shrub with flowers flowing over the pot rims for a great look. It's easy to do, and lots of fun to play with all the new pottery colors while combining different plant types.

If you struggle with the artistic side of container gardening feel free to ask for help. Most garden centers have several staff members that specialize in container gardens. Heck, many days I even have the grower himself helping customers. We love helping gardening friends mix and match to find the best plant combinations.

I'm looking for great photos from around the area and will give you a $20 gift certificate to the garden center if I use your photo in a future garden column. I can't make you famous, but I can make your next visit to the garden center $20 more fun. So, if you take really good flower, landscape, and garden photos, you might be one of the winners. Submit your photos directly to my desktop at kenlain@cableone.net. Even if you don't win, your photo will be shared for others to enjoy on my web site at wattersonline.com. Check out some of the entries already submitted on the photo gallery page.

Until next week, I’ll see you in the garden center.

Read Past Articles