Gardening At The Lake

Container Gardening Basics

Before you get started on your container garden, consider a few simple basics to get you going in a good direction:

• Match the shape and size of the plant’s root system to your container selection. The smaller the container, the more likely the plant will dry out. Large and deep containers are less prone to drying out and allow plants to deepen their roots.
• Water your container garden thoroughly and fertilize it every week or two. With succulents and cactus, the soil should be almost dry before you water again. They can easily go a week or two without watering. Regardless of the size of your container, you must make sure it drains well. If your container has no drainage holes, water will saturate the soil and may cause disease. 
• If you're in doubt or need more information, then consult your local garden professional who can help you select the perfect plant and ideal container.

Beauty, Simplicity, Flexibility

Blooming Beautiful

Combining planters containing a single species per pot gives the plants space and allows for more flexibility in design and color combinations. This allows for their unique growing conditions of water, soil type and nutrient needs. It also looks more natural.

Looking for that WOW factor? Plant lots of carefree bright flowers—like petunias. Petunias smell wonderful, the colors are beautiful and varied, and they are easy to maintain. These plants grow quickly and fill in densely, creating eye catching focal points. They can be planted in decorative containers, hanging baskets, or window boxes for instant color and life for your lake home. They love full sun and grow well in most well-drained soils.

To bring bright pops of color to your front porch, patio, or deck, there are lots of flower options. Pansies, violas, hydrangeas, calibrachoas, geraniums, marigolds, and chrysanthemums all thrive in pots. Pair these bright flowers with ornamental grasses in containers that provide movement and texture to your spaces.

Edible Gardening

For your edible garden, choose vegetables that are ideally suited for growing in containers. Good choices include tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (sweet and chili), peas, carrots, eggplant, green onions, leafy greens, potatoes, beans and squash.

It is best to avoid planting any vegetables that require more space. Pumpkins, corn, and melons require more space to thrive and would not be suitable for small-space gardening. For container veggies - the bigger the pot, the better. Give those roots room for abundant growth. For tips on growing and choosing the proper container for your vegetables, talk to your local gardening specialist. 

Gardening For Your Kitchen

Herbs are the perfect thing to plant in your container garden if you love cooking. Try planting them close to your kitchen on a sunny windowsill or just outside the kitchen door. This way you will always have fresh herbs on hand while cooking. 

Herbs that thrive in containers include chives, basil, dill, cilantro, garlic, fennel, lemon balm, sage, mint, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Keep in mind that many herbs thrive in Mediterranean-like climates— they need plenty of sunlight and moderate temperatures. Herbs can thrive in both indoor and outdoor settings if these criteria are met.  

The Drought-Tolerant Garden

If your area includes high temperatures and bright sun, succulents and cacti are drought & heat tolerant and incredibly easy and ‘hands-off’ to grow. These plants do not require a green-thumb and thrive on a certain level of neglect, but make sure your containers provide proper drainage. The choices in texture and color add beauty to almost any area.