Container Gardening Basics

Today from gardening for beginners, we'll be showing you the basics of container gardening. Many people enjoy growing plants but do not have the space for a proper garden, in this situation, a container garden is an ideal solution. Container gardens have the following advantages - they are portable (you can move them easily without damaging the plants), they are dynamic (you can easily add or remove containers or pots as you wish, it's easy to start a small container vegetable garden and expand slowly) and most importantly, they take up far less space and require less maintenance than regular gardens. More often than not, they also cost less.

You might be interested in container gardening if you live in an apartment or a house in an urban estate, when land and space in general is very pricey. Granted, some plants cannot be grown in a pot as they require too much space (roots may grow too deep, or the overall plant is far too large, such as apple trees), but nevertheless container gardening is very useful for any beginner.

Starting a container garden is easy, so long as you know a little gardening basics. You might want to begin with easy plants such as chili and onion, which don't grow very large and can be kept indoors. Purchase a few small ceramic pots, try to get those with holes at the bottom and come with a drainage pan as they allow excess water to drain off and prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged. Buy some quality topsoil from a nearby plant nursery with the suitable acidity and mineral content for the type of plant you are growing.

Garden pests are not as much a concern in container vegetable gardening but they can become a concern if conditions are poor. Do not allow stagnant water to collect anywhere, turn unused pots and drainage pans upside down to prevent the collection of rainwater, which can breed pests and insects which may be harmful to human or plant health.

Keeping the containers indoors can be beneficial, especially if the weather is too cold outdoors and the pots are small enough. Remember, though, that soil contains many pathogens and thus should be kept away from consumables and other sensitive products or equipment.

That's about the basics of container gardening. The best way to learn more would be to try it yourself. You can also refer to my guide on how to get started on gardening.