What do you plant in containers?

[plantlover]

Unfortunately, my landlord doesn't want me to plant stuff in the ground any more (there's still stuff there, but I guess they've excepted that,) so I'm forced to grow almost everything in containers.

I'm wondering what other people grow in containers. Maybe I can get some ideas. Do you plant multiple things in a container to give it the illusion of being a flower bed?

 

[bob]

> What do you plant in containers?

Plants...







Sorry... Couldn't help myself!

OK, serious answer. The only thing I plant in a containers is tomatoes.

 

[oremudpie]

OH my I plant flowers meaning varieties that trail in my window boxes, also tumbling tomatos , I have cherry tomatos in big pots, an azalea, mini-roses,and this spring I'm putting thyme, rosemary and italian parsely in pots on our front porch..Husband loves the bling factor in the 4 big window boxes that face the street, meaning bright colors..
I will try about anything in containers..I do have a small yard..
melanie

 

[plantlover]

That's good!

Growing tomatoes in containers in Texas ain't an easy thing to do.....Dale taught me that tomatoes won't set the fruit if the night time temps don't go below 70....And that happens, well, all the time around here from about the end of March or early April....I'm going to have to look for some really heat tolerant hybrids.

I was thinking about creating some container gardens.....It might take my mind off the fact that I can't plant things in every inch of bare ground.

 

[plantlover]

What are tumbling tomatoes? I've never heard of them! They sound interesting. Are they cherry tomatoes or full size fruits?

 

[Wombat]

Susan, in my experience you can grow just about anything that you put in the ground in containers, depending on the size and depth of the container of course. The most important thing is to have a really good mix in the container and good drainage. I use them all the time for herbs, veggies and flowers of all types. One thing to remember is to foliar fertilise them at least every 2 weeks as a lot of nutrients are washed out during watering and heavy rain.

 

[DizzyDaff]

more containers

in my experience you can grow just about anything that you put in the ground in containers, depending on the size and depth of the container of course.

Ditto! I really like the BIG containers - usually fill the very bottom with those packing peanuts to keep it within handling range.

 

[Dor]

I have EE's, aloes, MG bush, brugs, cannas, cactus, succulents, lilies, crepe myrtles, roses, large Bird of paradise, and climbing lilies in containers. I have grow tomatoes, and bell peppers and this year will be growing herbs and dwarf okra if I can find it and maybe some bush beans.

Susan I have some tomatoes called tommy tom's and tumbling toms that I can grow in pots.

 

[Gardengoddess]

Ditto! I really like the BIG containers - usually fill the very bottom with those packing peanuts to keep it within handling range.

Wow what a great idea. I don't think I ever would have thought of that. About how much do you fill with those peanuts? 1/4, 1/3?? Less, More??

Dora/Garden Goddess

 

[sfishergirl]

Container gardens are one of my fav things. I have notebooks full of ideas. I have a window box on the front porch by the door that is one of my favs every year I use the same basic recipe but change things abit. The recipe is (2009) back row center white calla lily either side of it balck fang rex begonia. front row center white flowering calibrochia and either side of it sweet potatoe vine blackie. (2008) back row center spike either side of it red tango rex begonia front row german ivy green and varigated alternated across the front. (2007) back row center Spike wither side of it a monster coleus. front row center varigated vinca vine with neddlepoint ivy on either side. I am just getting over the stomach bug but will start posting and idea or two a day

 

[RonsGarden]

I love having a moveable garden in containers with plants such as;
Callas,
Cannas,
Coleus,
Begonias (tuberous as well as fiberous types),
Impatiens, Banatas (sweet potatos),
Tuberose (single and double types)
....

 

[plantlover]

Susan, in my experience you can grow just about anything that you put in the ground in containers, depending on the size and depth of the container of course. The most important thing is to have a really good mix in the container and good drainage. I use them all the time for herbs, veggies and flowers of all types. One thing to remember is to foliar fertilise them at least every 2 weeks as a lot of nutrients are washed out during watering and heavy rain.

Rain, what's that? We haven't had any significant or measurable rain in.....two years, I'd say. I've been having a helluva time with tomatoes in containers. I'm beginning to think I need to look specifically for hybridized varieties that are more heat tolerant.

The other issue is the extreme heat here, and obviously, containers dry out a lot faster than stuff in the ground. There are a lot more obstacles to gardening in this kind of climate than there were in Iowa. There is was pretty simple: winter = lots of snow and cold, spring is a continuation of winter, summer is humid and frequently hot, and fall is what happens when spring slips away.....but sometimes there's what we call "Indian Summer."

Here, we've got wicked winds, drought, extremes of heat, an occasional unanticipated real cold snap and then more of the same.

 

[plantlover]

I love having a moveable garden in containers with plants such as;
Callas,
Cannas,
Coleus,
Begonias (tuberous as well as fiberous types),
Impatiens, Banatas (sweet potatos),
Tuberose (single and double types)
....

What kind of Cannas do you use? They spread so fast here, I figure I'd have to use some dwarf varieties. I am so partial to Tropicana, although Pink Sunburst is another fave. I've also discovered Picasso and some of the other dwarf varieties -- and I think they are so cool!

The combination of coleus and sweet potato looks wonderful.

 

[plantlover]

Container gardens are one of my fav things. I have notebooks full of ideas. I have a window box on the front porch by the door that is one of my favs every year I use the same basic recipe but change things abit. The recipe is (2009) back row center white calla lily either side of it balck fang rex begonia. front row center white flowering calibrochia and either side of it sweet potatoe vine blackie. (2008) back row center spike either side of it red tango rex begonia front row german ivy green and varigated alternated across the front. (2007) back row center Spike wither side of it a monster coleus. front row center varigated vinca vine with neddlepoint ivy on either side. I am just getting over the stomach bug but will start posting and idea or two a day

OMGosh! You are amazing!!!!!!!!!!! Is Callibrocha the same as Million Bells Petunia?

I'd LOVE to see pictures of some of your containers. Sorry you're not feeling well......You've got some terrific ideas. I imagine that I might be able to ckeep things going through the winter. (Zone 8)

 

[RonsGarden]

What kind of Cannas do you use? They spread so fast here, I figure I'd have to use some dwarf varieties. I am so partial to Tropicana, although Pink Sunburst is another fave. I've also discovered Picasso and some of the other dwarf varieties -- and I think they are so cool!

The combination of coleus and sweet potato looks wonderful.

'Tropicanna' is my favorite with the apricot colored blooms!! I have a very large patio container one side of the front door. Everyone loves it and I get comments about it whenever anyone walks by. They usually stop and pause for a few moments. A few knock on the door to ask what the name of it is!
I have a dwarf yellow called 'Electra' that grows to 26" high in another pot in the back garden! I find cannas grow a lot nicer in containers rather then in the garden. probably because I can fertilize them every other week!
Coleus are unbelieveable when grown in containers (Wizard Mix, or Brilliant Mix from seed) I do prefer the small leaf types though, and save cuttings of them from year to year!
Callas do wonderfully in containers since I can water them daily and feed them every other week! The one I have has spotted foliage and white spaths!

 

[Mari-Jo]

I don't have alot of containers, but what I have is: Pansy's , Herbs, Mini Roses, Geraniums, Impatients, .......at my back door, I have a large pot I fill with colour annulas, changes every year, but my favorite is the Mandevilla...

I'm going to try the dwarf Canna's this year.......never thought of putting the "dwarf" in a pot before. Across our fence line at the back, we plant about 15 Red Canna's..........

 

[lynpenny]

I have some pansy in a half whiskey barrel, a mini rose, some mums, some succulents, asparagus fern right now in some containers. I have some empty containers that I'm going to plant later.

 

[plantlover]

'Tropicanna' is my favorite with the apricot colored blooms!! I have a very large patio container one side of the front door. Everyone loves it and I get comments about it whenever anyone walks by. They usually stop and pause for a few moments. A few knock on the door to ask what the name of it is!
I have a dwarf yellow called 'Electra' that grows to 26" high in another pot in the back garden! I find cannas grow a lot nicer in containers rather then in the garden. probably because I can fertilize them every other week!
Coleus are unbelieveable when grown in containers (Wizard Mix, or Brilliant Mix from seed) I do prefer the small leaf types though, and save cuttings of them from year to year!
Callas do wonderfully in containers since I can water them daily and feed them every other week! The one I have has spotted foliage and white spaths!

Ron, don't you just love the foliage, too? I love Pink Sunburst....check that one out! Picasso and Lucifer are also lovely dwarf cannas!!!!!!!

 

[Wombat]

Rain, what's that? We haven't had any significant or measurable rain in.....two years, I'd say. I've been having a helluva time with tomatoes in containers. I'm beginning to think I need to look specifically for hybridized varieties that are more heat tolerant.

The other issue is the extreme heat here, and obviously, containers dry out a lot faster than stuff in the ground. There are a lot more obstacles to gardening in this kind of climate than there were in Iowa. There is was pretty simple: winter = lots of snow and cold, spring is a continuation of winter, summer is humid and frequently hot, and fall is what happens when spring slips away.....but sometimes there's what we call "Indian Summer."

Here, we've got wicked winds, drought, extremes of heat, an occasional unanticipated real cold snap and then more of the same.

About the rain, up until a few months ago we'd had our worst drought in over 100 years, that's why the mix and a good mulch is so important. I also have to grow fruit and veggies specific to my local area as my climate has extremes also. If heat is a problem just use shade cloth to shelter the plants from the heat of the sun, I've done that for years and it works well for me. I've also found that a lot of heirloom veggies are a lot more tolerant of heat and cold, mainly because they had to be, back then ''good'' seed was passed around by hand. My local seed saver network was very helpful in this regard, maybe you have something similar where you are?

 

[swindy]

Plantlover as everybody said, you can put anything in a container. Along with heavy fertilizing you have to water everyday and sometimes twice a day. When I use hanging baskets lined with moss or coconut matting I line the inside sides of the basket with plastic wrap or plastic bags to help slow down the drying out of the soil. The only downside of container gardening is if you live in a freezing zone most of your perennials won't survive the winter in the containers unless you can store them inside or dig them into the ground.
In large containers I have used inverted smaller plastic pots take up space. I have read that you can use just about anything like old milk containers soda bottles and cans to fill the bottom of large containers.