aquaponic organic

Benefits of Organic Container Gardening

If your space is limited or you want the ability to move your organic plants around in your yard or garden, organic container gardening is the right way to go. Your container can be ground-level or raised on pedestals, placed on your windowsill or hung on your porch and deck.

Types of Organic Gardening Containers

Garden containers are available in many sizes, shapes and materials. For lightweight containers plastic and fiberglass are your best choices. These are best used indoors or in warmer climates since they can become brittle in the cold weather and crack. Clay or terra-cotta containers are more fragile but come in very attractive designs.

If you prefer to make your own containers for your organic flowers they can be constructed from wood or cement. Wood is often used for organic container gardening because of its natural look and ability to prevent fast swings in soil temperatures that can damage the root system of your plants. You can also make cement or concrete containers. Mixing vermiculite or perlite into the concrete will lighten the weight somewhat. Wood containers are best when made from pressure-treated wood. Protect the wood with a coating or two of non-toxic paint and be sure to line the container with plastic if you are growing edible items such as fruits, vegetables or herbs.

Metal containers are a poor choice because metal conducts heat and may allow the soil temperature to rise quickly and damage your plant roots.

Preparing Your Organic Gardening Container For Use

If your container does not already have holes in the bottom for drainage, you will need to add some. Once the holes are made, I usually line the bottom of my container with a single piece of newspaper to slow the drainage down a bit and stop the soil from seeping out the holes. Add soil to the organic container at the level you want the soil and root ball of the plant to rest. Each type of plant can vary some but the general rule of thumb is to place soil up to, and just over, the ball or root system to the bottom of the plant stem. Though there is some controversy about putting soil too high up where it can create rot at the stem level. I like to keep my soil just up to the base of the stem and about one inch below the top of the container to allow for easy watering without soil spillage.

Watering Your Organic Plants

Keeping your organic flowers and plants moist is easier now due to the new super-absorbent polymers that can be mixed in the soil. They are available in most plant nurseries. Your soil will stay moist but it will not become soggy. The polymers are made from synthetic substances but they are believed to contain no toxins. For most plants it is best not to let the soil dry out. According to the All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening by Rodale it is best to fertilize your organic container plants by "watering with diluted fish emulsion, seaweed extract, or compost tea."

Organic container gardening is suitable for most plants including

Organic vegetables, organic flowers, organic herbs, organic shrubs, and small organic trees. I buy dwarf plants for ease of care and mobility. It is fun to be able to move your plants around during the different seasons. Moving my plants around allows me to mix and match the colors throughout the year.