1. Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific County
Container Gardening
Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific County
Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension Office.
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2. Why Grow Plants in a Container?
Suitable garden space?
Easier weeding?
Concern over soil borne diseases?
Protect plants from pests?
Need your garden to be mobile?
More interesting?
Less labor intensive?
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3. What Plants Grow Best in Containers?
Woody plants
Perennials
Annuals
Ferns
Bulbs
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4. And Vegetables… Suited for containers: OK, but need space for vines…
Lettuce
Radishes
Tomatoes
Parsley
Peppers
Eggplant
Green onions Why? (think compact…)
OK, but need space for vines…
Pole beans
Cucumbers
Peas
Probably not:
Corn
Zucchini
Pumpkin
Rhubarb Why? (think about space for growth; up, down, and out)
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5. What to Plant?
Most plants that grow well in our yard gardens will do well in containers.
Are very few plants that can’t grow in suitable size container.
Remember: Coastal gardening is:
Lots of wet months, with dry summer months
Not so much on Heat Units
Note: Days don't determine maturity; Degrees do…
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6. Starts or Seeds? Buy seeds: Buy transplants:
For unique varieties that may not be available
To save money!
Buy transplants:
If growing season not long-enough for seed starts
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7. Flower/ Plant Choices
Native plants - plants that occur naturally in your region.
Examples: yarrow, lupine, deer fern, salal, ocean spray
Non-native plants - called "exotic plants".
Example: English holly is not native to WA (it is native to England).
Occasionally they can become a problem, spreads aggressively & damages habitat. Called “invasive.”
Examples: Yellow Flag Iris, Japanese Knotweed, European Dune Grass, English Ivy
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8. Why Use Native Plants / Flowers
Attract native animals that benefit them (i.e., pollinating and seed-dispersing insects and birds).
Repel or survive native organisms that harm them (i.e., plant viruses and munching insects).
Attract wider variety of native animals than exotic plants.
Adapted to growing in your region's soils and climate.
Generally require less maintenance (such as watering) than do non-natives.
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9. Good Native Plants
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10. Invasive Plants
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11. Containers Almost anything!
Size: as long as it is deep enough to accommodate root system.
Vary according to plants and available space.
6 to 10 inch pots = lettuce, radish, green onion, parsley & herbs.
1 to 2 gallon = chard and dwarf tomatoes.
5 gallon = most vegetable crops such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.
Construction:
Needs drainage hole(s). If the container is bigger than your head it needs more than one drainage hole.
No material that will leach toxic chemicals.
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12. Container Planting Suggestions
Container plants.
Plant all the same plants.
If plants are different, ensure they have same cultural needs.
Choose plants of different heights for contrast.
Freestanding containers, place tallest in center.
Window boxes, place tallest in back.
Put plants close together for a full, lush look.
Stagger plants vs. rows for more natural look.
Leave soil level about 1” below container rim for watering.
After planting, fertilize and water thoroughly.
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13. Containers…
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14. Containers…
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15. Containers…
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16. Container Materials Advantages Disadvantages Unglazed clay
Inexpensive, abundant.
Porous, dries quickly and heavy. Can’t withstand freezing temps.
Glazed clay
Attractive, nonporous.
Cost and heavy. Can’t withstand freezing temps.
Plastic
Inexpensive, nonporous and lightweight.
Damaged by UV and temperature.
Wood
Protect plants from extreme temperatures.
Porous, dries quickly.
Avoid wood treated with toxic chemicals.
Concrete
Durable. Good for trees and shrubs.
Porous, dries quickly and heavy.
Metal
Nonporous.
Heavy. Heats rapidly and can burn roots.
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17. Container Drainage Planting containers must have drainage holes.
Containers placed on flat surfaces may need to be elevated.
WSU does not recommend placing material at the bottom of containers for drainage.
Nearly every book or web site on container gardening recommends placing coarse material at the bottom of containers for drainage.
Water does not move easily from layers of finer textured materials to layers of more coarse textured.
WSU does not recommend placing coarse material at the bottom of containers
Word to the Wise: “If the container is bigger than your head it needs more than one drainage hole!”
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18. Growing Medium Must: Soil from the garden? Not recommended!
Provide water, nutrients, and physical support.
Drain well.
Soil from the garden? Not recommended!
May have poor drainage or moisture retention.
May contain disease- causing organisms.
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19. Soil mixes: Buy or DIY? DIY: equal parts of Or just buy… Potting soil
1x sphagnum peat moss or compost
+ 1x pasteurized soil*
+ 1x Vermiculite or Perlite
= 3x mix
+ <1x composted (cow) manure
Or just buy… Potting soil
Pros: tends to hold water better than soil-less mixes.
* Pasteurized soil = soil sterilized (usually through heat) to destroy harmful organisms.
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20. Soil-less Mixes
May be composed of sawdust, wood chips, peat moss, perlite, or vermiculite.
Pros:
Free of disease and weed seeds
Hold moisture and nutrients
Drain well
Lightweight
Commercial synthetic soil mixes:
Jiffy Mix®
Pro-mix®
Bacto®
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21. + + DIY: Soil-less Mixes 1 bushel of Perlite or Vermiculite
1 bushel of peat moss, plus
10 tablespoons of garden lime (calcium carbonate)
5 tablespoons of (superphosphate)
1 cup of garden fertilizer (such as or ) 10 + + 5
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22. What about Fertilizer? Container plants Three key nutrients:
Disconnected from natural cycles that provide nutrients.
Need more fertilizer because frequent watering leaches away fertilizer minerals.
Three key nutrients:
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Secondary nutrients
Calcium, Sulfur, Magnesium
Micronutrients
Boron, Chlorine, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Molybdenum
Solid fertilizer is pelletized and added at time of planting and time-released
Liquid fertilizer is prepared by adding water-soluble fertilizers are added to water and used when plants begin to grow actively
There are many good commercial liquid fertilizers
Miracle Gro etc.
Always follow the application directions on the label.
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23. Fertilizers Fertilizer = solid or liquid forms
Specialty blends (e.g., tomato food) more expensive, not necessarily better!
Common blend for vegetables:
OSU recommends sulfur for western (wetter) region ( )
Solid fertilizer is pelletized and added at time of planting and time-released
Liquid fertilizer is prepared by adding water-soluble fertilizers are added to water and used when plants begin to grow actively
There are many good commercial liquid fertilizers
Miracle Gro etc.
Always follow the application directions on the label.
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24. Organic or Processed? Processed Organic
Refined from natural ingredients for more concentration and/or to be more “available” to plants.
Organic
Little or no processing; release nutrients through natural processes (decomposition and mineral breakdown).
Tradeoffs: Cost, Convenience, Impact
Organic: typically, lower concentration of nutrients, with longer-lasting effects.
Processed: convenient, but acknowledge higher environmental/energy costs to manufacture.
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25. DIY: Homemade Nutrient Solution
You can make a nutrient solution by dissolving 2 cups of a complete fertilizer such as , , or in 1 gallon of warm tap water.
This mixture = highly concentrated and must be diluted before it can be used to fertilize the plants.
To make the final water/fertilizing solution, mix 2 tablespoons of the concentrated solution in 1 gallon water. + + = 2 2
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26. When and How to Apply Water/Nutrients…
Once the plants emerge, begin using nutrient solution.
Use the nutrient solution for each (daily) watering.
Recommend:
Once a week, leach unused fertilizer out of the soil mix by over-watering with tap water. Add enough water to the container to cause free drainage from the bottom.
Occasionally water with a nutrient solution containing minor elements such as iron, zinc, boron and manganese
Follow the label directions carefully.
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27. Watering Proper watering is essential for successful container garden
Check daily to judge need for water
Don’t wait until you see wilt!
If the vegetable produces a lot of foliage, check twice a day!
Avoid wetting the foliage of plants (Wet leaves = opportunity for diseases)
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28. Water Retention
Water-holding gels incorporated in the soil mix before planting
Slowly release water into the soil as it dries
Mulches can also be placed on top of the soil mix to reduce water loss
Examples: compost, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, shredded bark, and moss
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29. Self Watering Containers
Many commercial varieties available.
Can be made.
Garden containers are
self-watering
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30. Sunlight Amount varies depending of varieties grown.
For veggies, need 5 – 6 hours of direct sunlight.
Plants for sunny locations:
Nasturtiums
Marigolds
Plants for shady locations:
Impatiens
Begonias
Geraniums
Alyssum
Vinca
Fuchsia
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31. Sunlight Southern exposure Western exposure (afternoon sun)
Most
Western exposure (afternoon sun)
Eastern exposure (morning sun)
Northern exposure
Least
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32. Wind Top-heavy pots can blow over. Can (quickly) dry out pots.
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33. Common Problems in Container Gardening
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34. Common Problems in Container Gardening
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35. WSU Resources…
Home Gardener’s Guide to Soils and Fertilizers
Container Gardening – WSU Spokane County Ext. county.wsu.edu/spokane/eastside/Fact%20Sheets/C020%20Container%2 0Gardening%2005.pdf
Container Gardening – WSU King County Ext. iner%20Gardening.pdf
Plants for Containers – Snohomish County Ext content/uploads/sites/11/78FlowersforContainersRockeries.pdf
Container Vegetable Garden – WSU King County Ext. iner%20Vegetable%20Gardens.pdf
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36. More Resources …
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37. Container Garden in Discovery Garden
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38. Challenges Minimal expense Anti-theft containers Full sun Wind
Minimal watering
Minimal maintenance
Plants that work together
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39. Self-Watering Containers
 “Wicks” water from reservoir
Plant Material
Watering tube
Drainage
“Wick”
Reservoir
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40. Reservoir & Wicks “Wick” = 6” PVC Reservoir = Utility tub
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41. Assembled Frame = PVC Finished = Landscape fabric
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42. Container Planting Checklist
Decide on size and make-up of container
Decide on potting mixture
Decide which plants to place in containers
Fertilize the plants
Water the plants
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43. Let’s Get Outside!
Arrange woody plants, perennials, and annuals in two self-watering containers.
Plants are in pots.
You get to decide what plants to place in each of the containers.
Let’s go garden! 
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44. Questions?
Thanks to Rachel, Hugh, Elena, Rita, and me for donating plants for the containers!
Don’t forget to fill out evaluation survey!
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