How to Grow Anything: Container Gardening Tips & Techniques [repost]

Most of us don’t have the time, space, or energy to design and cultivate a large outdoor garden. So what should we do if we’re craving some homegrown fruits, vegetables, or herbs, or looking to add a colorful splash of flowers to a back deck or front porch? The answer is simple: container gardening.

Growing your own plants in containers is the perfect way to liven up a living space without much of the hassle associated with traditional gardening. With container gardens, you can
control and manage plants and flowers with ease,
add bursts of color and interest almost anywhere you like,
easily extend the planting season beyond your usual growing season, and
create warm and friendly environments that match specific occasions and events.

Perhaps the best part is that you can still plant anything in a container that you would in an in-ground garden: perennials, annuals, grasses, vegetables, fruits, and even trees. All it takes is an understanding of the essentials of container gardening, as well as access to some of the same design tips, tricks, and techniques that trained gardeners and landscape artists use to create unforgettable natural displays.

And all of this you can find in the six lessons of How to Grow Anything: Container Gardening Tips and Techniques. Delivered by award-winning horticulturalist and master gardening educator Melinda Myers, this series gives you the essentials of container gardening and the expert know-how to grow practically anything you want in as small a space as you have available. In every lesson, you’ll be immersed in real situations that reveal ideas and solutions that will work for your container garden throughout the year.

Everything You Need for Great Container Gardens

Enjoyable, economical, inspiring, and a pleasure to watch, Container Gardening Tips and Techniques is perfect for gardeners at all levels of experience. Seasoned pros will find creative ideas for designing and planting container arrangements, and novices will get everything they need to know about this form of gardening.

Throughout these six lessons, you’ll learn the fundamentals of successful container gardening, including
the advantages of different containers (such as concrete, plastic, and glass) and how to make each of them work to your advantage;
the specific soil, light, and water requirements for some of the most common plants and flowers planted in containers; and
solutions to common problems and pitfalls related to container gardening, including the potting mix, pests, and shaded areas.

In each instance, you’ll learn how to create your own unique container gardens to fit a range of settings and space constraints, including patios, balconies, decks, and large lots. You’ll also see how container gardens can be used to create natural privacy barriers, liven up empty corners of interior spaces, and complement the theme of a party or special occasion.

Design Tips and Tricks from an Expert

Container Gardening Tips and Techniques comes packed with advice and tricks you’ll learn alongside a friendly expert. Here is just some of the insider information you’ll get with these lessons.
One easy way to design a container garden is the “thriller, spiller, and filler” technique. The “thriller” is your vertical accent, which creates a focal point in the garden. The “spiller” is a plant that cascades over the pot and anchors it to the container. And the “filler” ties both together to create a more professional look and feel.
To find out when it’s time to water your container garden, your finger is the best tool. Push it into the soil several inches; if the soil has the slightly moist consistency of a damp sponge, it’s time to water (cacti and drought-tolerant plants, of course, are allowed to go a bit drier).
What happens to your container gardens when winter comes? If you live in a mild climate, you can leave your containers out all winter long (just make sure to water thoroughly when the soil is dry). For those in colder areas, you can leave containers outdoors as long as they’re weather proof and can tolerate the freezing/thawing of the soil, and your plants are at least one to two climate zones hardier than the area you’re growing them in.

Whether taking you to homes to show you container gardening in action, guiding you through a popular garden center, or explaining the secrets of container gardens from our gardening studio, Ms. Myers elevates this course high above do-it-yourself gardening. With more than 300 kinds of plants shown or referred to, you’ll have an encyclopedic visual reference for countless ways to experience container gardening.

What’s more: Every minute of these engaging lessons, you’re in the hands of a master gardening educator. With more than 30 years of experience as a college professor, popular television and radio host, and prolific writer, Ms. Myers knows how to make container gardening fascinating and fun. You’ll quickly discover why she’s earned a wealth of recognition for her knowledge and teaching abilities, including the Garden Communicator of the Year Award from the American Nursery & Landscape Association and the American Horticultural Society’s B. Y. Morrison Communication Award.

Spring, summer, fall, winter—with How to Grow Anything: Container Gardening Tips and Techniques you’ll have the skills, tips, and tricks you need to add a vibrant natural touch to any season.