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May 28, 2008 5:42 pm US/Central
Container Gardening 101
(LOWES)
Container gardening is a perfect way to add more color and plants around the exterior of your home.
Concrete planters look very nice and formal in your outdoor garden. They can be placed anywhere from the front porch to the bottom of the deck steps.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CONTAINER
Any container is suitable for container gardening as long as it provides proper drainage. To allow for plant growth, it should be large enough to hold the minimum amount of soil required for a mature plant.
Clay pots are the most porous and help prevent soil from getting too saturated.
Wood containers, such as window boxes, can be a moisture problem if not sealed properly. To solve, his put other containers inside the wooden ones.
Most people think of plastic containers like those you find in a nursery; however you can buy decorative ones.
GARDENING TOOLS
If you're a novice gardener, choosing gardening tools can seem like a daunting task. You don't need a ton to cultivate a blooming garden. Here are your five must have tools for any level of gardener.
1. A trowel is basically a tiny shovel. They have a pointed tip to slice through the soil that is often dense and compacted. This hand tool will help simplify transplanting plants and planting bulbs and seeds.
2. A spade is similar to the shovel but has a long rectangular blade and medium length handle with a handgrip. It has sharpened edges that cut through soil so you can dig larger holes or edge a border.
3. A cultivator, also known as a hoe or hand tiller, will cultivate the soil, clean debris from between plants and eliminate weeds. You should look for one with lightweight handles and ones that are lightweight.
4. Bypass pruners are a necessity for every gardener. They cut like scissors and are used to shape shrubbery, cut fresh flowers, trim back perennials, remove dead branches and more.
5. Gloves may seem not seem like a tool, but you'll want to have appropriate ones in your tool chest for your task. Use leather or rubber-coated gloves to protect your hands while pruning roses or transplanting. Simple cloth gloves are best for raking or cultivating.
PLANTING TIPS Flowers such as Periwinkles, Zinnias, Petunias, Pansies and Marigolds are ideal for container gardening.
Be sure you are growing the right species for your region. Your local Lowe's store carries varieties that are appropriate for your climate and soil. And all Lowe's products have plant tags on them with complete care instructions, so you can make sure you treat them properly.
The biggest appeal of growing annuals is color. Planted in borders, beds or containers, annuals offer an almost endless variety of bloom colors and foliage. The combinations are practically limitless.
If you want masses of color, plant annuals close together. Check the plant tag for spacing recommendations. To keep your plants looking their best, deadhead spent blossoms. Taller plants can be pinched back to promote more blooms. A layer of mulch can keep down weeds and conserve soil moisture.
If you are combining plant varieties in one container, make sure they require the same amount of moisture. Also, make sure to provide proper light for each plant variety.
You can either use a premixed soil mixture or create your own.
Use Sta-Green® Phosphorus-Free Weed products to protect your lawn. While phosphorus is a major nutrient already present in your soil that makes turf healthy, excess amounts can contribute to water quality issues.
USING FERTILLIZER: In some cases, plants display symptoms of a nutrient deficiency, such as yellowing leaves. The amount of fertilizer that a plant needs varies based on many factors, like the age of the plant, soil type, pH level and much more. If you are unsure, there are some general recommendations.
For small trees (one with a trunk diameter less than 1 inch at 4 feet above the ground) and all shrubs, use ½-1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per plant. (Note: The ½ cup rate is more for newly planted trees, and the 1 cup is more for established trees that are still less than 1-in diameter.)
For larger trees, measure the tree's trunk diameter at 4 feet above the ground, then apply 1 pound of 10-10-10 for each inch in diameter.
Trees and shrubs should be fertilized once a year, either in spring or fall. If applying in the spring, fertilize one month before the leaves appear for deciduous plants and one month before new growth occurs on evergreens. As a general rule, you can make your spring fertilizer application around the date of the last frost of the cool season, and fall applications can be made one month after the first frost.
Spread the fertilizer evenly over each plant's entire root zone. (Remember, for older trees with extensive root systems, the entire root zone can be up to three times the area past where the branches extend.) There's no need trying to get the fertilizer into the ground or below the mulch because that first watering will quickly move the fertilizer into the soil.
Remember: Do NOT dump all the fertilizer in one spot; spread it evenly. If fertilizer is left in one pile, the roots beneath that spot will be damaged from too much of it. Also, Do NOT allow fertilizer to stay on foliage. If some fertilizer gets stuck on the plant, rake it off or use a hose to wash it off. Fertilizer is intended to be taken up by the roots. If it's left on the leaves, this can result in fertilizer burn, causing yellow or brown spots on an otherwise healthy leaf.
For best results, use Sta-Green® fertilizing products for your healthiest foliage.
WEED AND INSECT MANAGEMENT
Mulch newly planted areas, vegetable gardens and annual flower beds to smother forming weeds.
Except for actually planting new plants or cultivating the ground for a new vegetable garden or flower bed, avoid breaking the surface of the soil. That includes avoiding pulling, digging and tilling to remove weeds.
Yanking out even the tiniest weed makes two mistakes: First, it brings up weed seed that's been accumulating at the deeper levels of your soil, where they've been too deep to germinate. Second, it creates a disturbed bit of ground that new weed seed blowing in can find suitable for setting anchor.
Use Sta-Green® Crab-Ex Weed products to protect your lawn from unwanted crabgrass and weeds.
There are two types of effective Fire Ant treatments: Bait and Drench.
Bait is either applied directly over the mound or over a larger area, such as the entire lawn. As the ants forage for food, they take the bait granules back to the mound to share with the others.
A drench is used by mixing a pesticide with water, then applying a large amount of the solution directly onto the mound. As the drench solution comes in contact with the ant, it kills the insect.
Both application methods work well to control fire ant populations.
Use Over'N'Out® Fire Ant killers to protect your lawn from unwanted pests this spring.
For more project ideas, visit your local Lowe's or
Lowes.com.
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