Thursday, January 7, 2016

Container Gardening Portland Or Style

By Donna Murray


Not everyone has space for a real garden or enough time to plant, weed, and water an extensive area of growing plants. However, that doesn't mean that they have to do without flowers - or vegetables, for that matter. A kitchen counter or a sunny window can hold a few pots, and patios and balconies can be filled with planters. Container gardening Portland Or way can be fun for all ages and make a home more beautiful all year round.

Actually, even those with large yards and flower beds like growing things in pots, baskets, planters, window boxes, and barrels. Anything that holds dirt can be home for one or more plants. Garden centers have gorgeous ceramic pots or traditional terra cotta ones, but even tires and empty coffee cans can be used in a pinch. All sorts of things, from straw hats to mini wheelbarrows, will add whimsical touches to house and garden.

Sometimes plants unsuited to local soils do better in pots. Gardeners also keep sensitive flowers or ferns portable, so they can be shifted to sun or shade and even taken indoors if frost threatens. Bright annuals in containers are perfect for moving around the garden to add color when a bed of perennials passes its prime.

Another use for different containers is to vary the height of plantings. Pots on a table, along the top of a wall, in a graduated holder, or on descending steps make unique statements. Baskets can hang on walls or on fences, and any porch looks more inviting with hanging baskets of trailing greenery and blooms. Boston ferns grow until their fronds touch the ground; hang them high and they can be six feet tall.

Of course, pots let you bring natural beauty inside. Sunny windows are great for plants that need a lot of sun and can take the heat. Foyers might have enough height for a ficus tree, but if not there are miniature citrus trees and rose bushes. Sliding doors that offer access to a balcony have a static side that makes a great place for bright geraniums or dramatic hibiscus.

If window sills are too narrow, any shelf or out-of-the way spot can be good if you install grow lights. Not only will this brighten a dark space, but it will highlight plant color and texture. A small fern or palm will cast an interesting shadow on the wall. Indoor plants clean the air of toxins, add both oxygen and moisture, and make your home a healthier place.

Research actually validates the health benefits of plants in the home and in the workplace. Employers in Portland OR find that there are fewer days missed because of illness, and productivity goes up as well. There are many plants that like fluorescent light, and others that grow in almost no light at all. Many of the latter are most efficient at cleaning the air.

Tomatoes and blueberries grow well in pots, strawberries in window boxes or pyramids, herbs in kitchens, and wheat grass in flats. There are even survival gardens designed for the loving room. Check out how you can use plants as decorative touches, health aids, fresh food, and pure pleasure.




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