Container Gardening 101

container gardening 101:
container sizes

When it comes to container gardening, there are so many options for container sizes that it can be difficult to choose the best one for your plants. Here are a few tips to remember as you plan out your next container gardening project!

What's the best way to start container gardening?
Plan, plan, plan. Always decide which plants you want to grow in each container before you purchase the container or plants if possible! You don't want to spend your hard earned money if you end up with too many plants or too small a container!

Big vs. small
Generally speaking, it's preferable to grow plants in larger containers than smaller ones. This is because large containers will hold more soil which ultimately means longer retention of water and moisture, meaning your plants will get the water they need with less frequent waterings. Another important benefit of a large container is that more soil will make the garden bed more resistant to temperature fluctuations that could otherwise shock your plants.

Width and depth
Consider the size and shape of your plants' root systems, and choose a container large enough to provide adequate space for the roots of all the plants that will be planted together in that container.

Container color
For plants that might be sensitive to temperature changes, light coloured planters will reflect more light and keep soil cooler than a dark container that absorbs light and produces heat.

Consider your space
An important final consideration is to know what your physical limitations are, not just on space, but with weight! If you're planning to locate your container(s) on a balcony, deck, or staircase, it's very important to know how much weight the structure can safely hold.