EZ Gardening For Beginners

Container gardens on patios and balconies are a great way of displaying lush greens and great colors. Container gardens also add fragrance and style to your patio. To achieve a great container garden there are a few important tips that can make for a gorgeous container garden on your patio or balcony.

First of all, you should know that there are not many things that you can screw up with a container garden. You can actually be more adventurous than with a regular garden for several reasons. The area to cover and amount of flowers needed is much less than in a big front or backyard garden and therefore a lot cheaper to change when something should go wrong. Therefore you can try one thing and if it does not work, then you just change it to something else.

Containers in a container garden can also be used to enhance the look. There are many materials that containers are made from. Clay, Plastic, Stone and ceramics are all options for planters that you can use on your balcony. You can also build a wooden stand or decorate the outside of the planter to achieve just the look you are looking for. But make sure to keep in mind that containers need to have adequate drainage through holes in the bottom of the container. Also, planting containers need to be fairly large in size to offer most plants a nice growing space.

An important tip for container gardening is to make sure that the plants you choose are right for the light available on your balcony or patio. If your balcony is more in the shade than the sun, choose plants that are shade tolerant such as hosta, ivy and begonia.

When planting, a few bigger pots look nicer than many small ones. Preferably arrange plants in odd numbers that makes for a harmonic arrangement. When planting a few big plants per big pot you can always fill the bottom with smaller filler plants to complete the “potscaping.”

Container gardening is a very easy way of growing flowers, herbs and vegetables. While tilling, weeding and planting plants in a big backyard patch can consume many hours and even days, container gardening is much faster.

All you need is essentially a good size container, a bag of good potting soil and the plant that you want to grow. There is no tilling, no weeding and no digging holes to plant the plants. Just add some soil about half way up the container, set your plant in and then fill around the plant with more soil. Container gardening is fast and easy and can even be achieved by busy people.

If you think you are too busy to have a garden and a healthy crop of vegetables, think again. There are many vegetables that do not need much attention. After planting, besides the quick watering, there are only a few other smaller things that need to be done to a container garden.

As we just found out, planting a container garden can be done in a very short amount of time. After you planted your chosen vegetables or herbs, the plant needs to be watered on regular bases, as well as fertilized. If you want to make your regular fertilizing efficient and fast to safe you time, just buy one of the liquid or powder fertilizers that can be added to the watering can and therefore combine the two steps into one.

Considering that you most likely will not have to weed a container garden, you save a lot of time. If you used proper gardening or potting soil bought at your local garden center you will have controlled soil in your container that should not grow any weeds.

During the growing season you might have to get some supports to help your plants support the vegetables. This task is also fairly fast done. At the time you buy your containers, soil and plants, just go ahead and buy some plant stakes that you later than just insert into the soil close to the plant and then attach the plant with some string or gardening wire to the stake. This should not take you more than a few minutes per plant and your crop is secured.

When getting ready for your container garden, make a list where you write down the essentials that you will need during the growing season. If you are able to get everything that is necessary to grow your plants right away before you start you will be able to safe a lot of time. You will have any and all accessories on hand and get your maintenance tasks done within minutes. This way having a container garden and getting a great crop at the end of the growing season is even possible for busy people. Whether you run from appointment to appointment or you work long hours, a container garden will need a few minutes of care at the end of the day from you, a few minutes that are surely possible in even the busiest schedule.

Some of these tasks can even be done by other family members if necessary. If you prepare the watering can the night before, your kids or other household members will be able to water your plants on the days that you might not be home because you are on business trip or similar. Even your neighbor might be able to help out on those days that you are out of town since it is so fast and easy to take care of a container garden. So go ahead and start one now, you will love the result and be proud of yourself when you harvest the first vegetables that you planted.

Do you suffer from boring, dull surroundings? Do you wish you had a colorful, unique garden to call your own? You don’t need a lot of money or time to transform your garden from ho-hum to incredible. Here are a few tips for adding decorative elements that will punch up your garden in a fast and easy way.

A Colorful Container Garden Can Transform Your Surroundings

If you are looking for a fast and easy way to add color and interest to your garden, a colorful container garden is an easy way to punch up your surroundings. Purchase container or pots in variety of sizes. You can purchase coordinating pots, or you can decorate and paint your pots on your own. Choose a spot in your garden that looks drab and could stand from a facelift, and arrange your colorful containers in this area. Arrange the composition of your colorful container garden in way that is eye pleasing and easy to maintain.

Look Up! It’s a Hanging Container Garden

Hanging container plants add charm and interest to your garden. This is a great solution if you don’t have a lot of room for placing planters, pots or containers. Find a space where the hanging container will receive plenty of sun and where it will be easy to water. There are many colorful plants that do well in hanging containers. Accentuate your hanging plant with wind chimes and other decorative elements, such as bird feeders and houses. These add charm to even the smallest gardens.

Add a Lawn Sculpture to Act as a Focal Point in Your Garden

If your lawn is more blah than wow, perhaps what you really need is a focal point. Choose a space in your garden or lawn that you think could stand from more attention. Perhaps there is an elevated spot garden or lawn that appears empty or like it is missing something. This is an ideal spot to draw attention. A garden sculpture is a great way to liven up a spot that could otherwise use some attention. You can build a cement or stone foundation, purchase a pedestal and have a sculpture installed. Once you have chosen the right sculpture, you will find that this is a great spot to plant flowers. Simply creating a place for a focal point will give you greater possibilities when it comes to planting. You can accentuate the area with flower that complements your fountain.

Create Your Own Garden Water Music

Many gardeners avow that a garden is simply not complete without the sound of nature, or more specifically, the sound of water. Water provides a soothing and pleasing ambience to any garden. It is a fun and easy way to liven up any garden. There are many sources for pleasing garden water music. You can have a pond installed, or install one yourself. You can also purchase a working fountain, or create your own fountain using decorative pots, or adding a water pump to a decorative barrel. Make sure that your water fountain is re-circulating water properly in order to avoid stagnant water and insect populations. Place a garden bench by your fountain, and enjoy the sound of nature.

A Garden Arbor Adds a Romantic Touch to Any Garden

A garden arbor is a great way to add a bit of nostalgia and romance to any garden environment. This is a fast and economical way to add ambience and create a starting point for exploring your garden. You can choose to make your own garden arbor, or you can purchase a pre-made arbor. There are several materials to choose from, including wood, metal and plastic.