The Urban Permaculture Farm Magazine

Design Objective:

The popularity of container gardening is exploding. Municipalities, park districts, and businesses are leading the way with colorful planters and urns that change with the seasons. The convenience of containers makes it possible for homeowners and apartment dwellers to join the fun, too.  Summer is great time to start a container garden, because you have a huge selection of foliage and flowering plants with which to decorate.

The first step is selecting the containers. Your choices depend on your space and the type of plants you want to grow.  Style and design are important, but functionality comes first.  Pots should be large enough to accommodate plants and have drainage holes so roots don't sit in water and rot. Only a few plants (e.g. palm sedge, elephant ears, calla lily, lizard’s tail) can survive in containers without drainage holes.

Terra-cotta, wood, and other porous materials have the best drainage, which has advantages and disadvantages. The better the drainage, the less chance of root rot, but the greater the chance of roots drying out. If you are a forgetful gardener or if you travel a lot during the summer, choose a less porous container.  Ceramic, plastic, and stone materials hold water much longer. For ornamental effects ceramics and composite plastics can be your best options.

The other consideration when choosing a container is weight. Toting a large stone container or wooden wine barrel up several flights of stairs can be tough (believe me). Ease of transport is definitely a factor that affects your enjoyment of gardening. Plus, you need to consider the weight limits of your balcony and the strength of the wind. Check with your condo association for balcony limits. As far as wind goes, you have to make an educated estimate. If you have lots of breezes with the occasional gust, you may not want to choose lightweight pots, especially for tall plants, because they may tip over. Heavier pots are better for windy areas.

I recommend a quality soilless mix that's formulated for container growing. There are many types on the market.  Look for OMRI listed varieties. Avoid using garden soil or topsoil. My favorite container soil amendments are sand for drainage and compost for nutrients.  Use container inserts (like Better-Than-Rocks, Ups-A-Daisy, etc.) in the bottom of containers to reduce the amount of soil needed.

Like any endeavor, start small at first. Plant a few containers to feel your way and see what works best for your particular site and taste. In a short time you will have containers brimming with foliage, flowers, and fruit.

Get Out & Grow