ON THE GARDEN PATH by Carolyn Herriot

I happily plant in anything that will contain a growing medium – from olive oil cans to old boots – even if it means I have to punch a drainage hole in it first. Container gardening is perfect when you live in a townhouse with a small patio garden or in an apartment with a balcony. You can add interest to your entrance area or some colour outside your window or maybe you would like to grow some organic food, but do not have access to a garden.
You can grow anything in containers: bulbs, winter and summer annuals, perennials, grasses, climbing plants, herbs and veggies. Bamboos provide impressive screens for privacy and containerizing them keeps them from taking over the garden. Experimenting is half the fun.
Try growing salad greens, radishes, green onions, zucchinis, tomatoes, garlic, peas or beans in a planter, window box or oak half-barrel. Many herbs, especially those from the Mediterranean, thrive in hot, dry conditions and are perfect for planters in full sun. In summer, pick fresh sprigs of mint, parsley, chives, oregano or basil from pots outside your door.
I grow bumper crops of cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, basil and tomatoes in large five-gallon containers. For spring colour, plant climbing roses, clematis, honeysuckle and bulbs in cedar boxes on a sundeck; for summer fragrance, plant lavender. Massing colourful planters together is all the rage in gardening circles.
Free-draining soil with adequate drainage is imperative or the soil will dry out, compact and strangle the roots. An adequate level of fertility is needed to feed the plants throughout the season. This can be achieved by incorporating compost or granular organic fertilizer into the mix or liquid feeding on a regular basis. A regular watering routine is important; once the roots fill the containers, they dry out fast.
Screened compost is rich in nutrients and light enough to sustain the healthiest of plant growth for a bumper crop of vegetables. A watering of liquid seaweed from time to time really boosts fruit production and gives plants extra resistance to the stress of being grown in confined conditions.
To keep your planters looking good and to maintain plant health, the most important thing is to top-dress them every year with screened compost, mixed with a balanced, organic fertilizer. Rework planters when they get root-bound or over-crowded. Dig out mature plants and find them a new home in the garden. Refill planters with fresh, screened compost mixed with organic fertilizer and redesign them using exciting, new combinations of plants.
When you come across a new plant you are not sure about, consider growing it in a planter. You can get to know it up close and personal before choosing an appropriate site in the garden. Young shrubs and trees look spectacular grown in terra cotta pots and ceramic planters, grouped together for mass effect.

Container gardening don’ts
Don’t use 100 percent garden soil as it sets to concrete when it dries out in a container. Add amendments to create a lightweight, free-draining growing medium and a slow-release fertilizer to feed plants all season long.
Don’t site sun lovers in the shade or shade lovers in the sun.
Don’t plant your containers so that all the interest happens at the same time. Plan for sustained interest throughout the season. Consider varying heights, colours, textures and bloom time.
Don’t think you always have to combine plants. A single specimen with attractive foliage or beautiful flowers can be just as striking as a mass of different plants.
Don’t forget to grow edible plants in containers. Patio tomatoes, salad greens, parsley, mints and climbing beans make perfect container specimens.
Don’t leave pots that may need extra protection out all winter. Bring them in if necessary. Winter wet with a deep freeze is a killer combination for container plants.
Don’t allow plants to become root-bound in their containers. At the first signs of stress, check the roots and, if necessary, move the plants into a larger container.

From A Year on the Garden Path: A 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide by Carolyn Herriot. Second edition $24.95. Available from your favourite bookstore or order online at www.earthfuture.com/gardenpath.