Groupe Jardinage 18 th February 2016 Container Planting
Container Planting Why use containers? What are containers? What to grow in containers? Suppliers Cultivation Pests & diseases Inspiration
Why use Containers? No garden Courtyard Terrace
Why use Containers? Add interest
Why use Containers? Create focal point Rodgersia
Why use Containers? Range of plants Helleborus Niger Permanent planting flowers Dec- April, add other seasonal pots to extend season
Different types of containers Stone - often beautiful but expensive and heavy Terracotta - heavy, porous, ensure frost resistance Glazed pots - range of colours and quality Metal - light, hot, ensure drainage Concrete - heavy and surprisingly expensive Fibre glass - lightweight, mine have deteriorated quickly Plastic - light, hot, increasing range of styles and colours available. N.B. Detracts from planting if use too many different materials, styles and colour.
Different types Wood Tony Ridley s garden, Swansea
Different types Miscellaneous
What to grow in containers? Great Dixter, UK - September
What to grow? Campredon, France
What to grow? Framework of permanent evergreen plants, differing foliage shape, colour, texture. Introduce pots of spring bulbs, summer annuals and autumn/winter flowering plants. Cheaper, creates protective micro climate.
What to grow? Mixed plantings in large pot vertical accent for height, fillers and trailing plants Felines-Minervois Gaura Lindheimeri Dipladenia Salvia
What to grow? Mixed Plantings Verbena Dahlia Sarah Raven s garden, UK Marigold
What to grow? Single plant dramatic impact
What to grow? Grasses Hakonechloa macra Aureola
What to grow? Grasses
What to grow? Succulents & cacti
What to grow? Succulents & cacti Advantage of using small pots can protect tender varieties, such as aeonium in winter
What to grow? Geraniums/pelargoniums Sarah Raven s garden, UK
What to grow? Herbs & vegetables
What to grow? Be generous
What to grow? Success & failure Toremia, pennisetum Impatiens unhappy in small pot in full sunlight. Erigeron does well
What to grow? Colour Warm colours make large areas seem smaller. Blues the opposite. Whites pick up low light. Gladiolus murielae
Suppliers LOCAL(ish) Peyriac Petit Pepinière de Caunes Imogen Checketts and Kate Dumbleton. Facebook.com/jardinchampetre Pepinière Filippi - Meze PLANTS placedesjardins.com graines-baumaux.fr Citrus fruits - agrumes.baches.com BULBS graines-baumaux.fr bulbargence.com specialises in bulbs of Mediterranean origin. peternyssen.com SEEDS graines-baumaux.fr seedaholic.com higgedlygarden.com sarahraven.com
Cultivation Growing medium mixture of soil potting compost?moisture retaining crystals Drainage Good drainage essential to avoid waterlogging Plant roots need access to oxygen Exception aquatic plants Depending on hardiness plants will survive cold better if roots are not frozen, which destroys cell structure. Winter protection Insulate pots (e.g. bubble wrap) protect plant with horticultural fleece
Feeding Plants require nutrients in varying quantities - macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients include N - nitrogen - promotes root and leaf growth P - phosphorus (phosphates) - assists root growth K - potassium (potash) - promotes flowering and fruit set Feed enough to keep plants happy but not too much so that outgrow their pots. Use high nitrogen feed for foliar plants, including citrus plants. A high potash feed for flowering plants and a high potash feed for mixed collection, topping up with a higher nitrogen feed if leaves are losing their colour. Tomato feed is suitable for most flowering containers. Dilute as directed, better to give less than overfeed as there is a danger of burning the roots. Use fortnightly and apply when soil is damp.
Feeding New compost should contain sufficient fertiliser to last approximately six months. Slow release fertilisers are temperature sensitive, only giving out nutrients when temperatures are warm and plants are in active growth. Typically last around six months. To prolong season cut back flowering annuals such as petunias towards end of summer and feed well. Plants such as hydrangeas, orchids and citrus benefit from specific feeds.
Potting on Topdress by removing top 5 to 10 cms of compost Repot into containers about 1/3 larger Root prune by cutting off larger roots to encourage growth of smaller fibrous roots, which more readily take up water and nutrients Watering preferably evening as less moisture lost through evaporation use of saucers automatic systems
Pests & diseases Snails and slugs Copper bands Pellets. Formulations now available which do not affect birds. Chafer beetle and vine weevil larvae Remove soil and wash roots Nematodes, also known as round worms or eel worms, 25,000 species. Those developed for pest control are microscopic species posing no risk to plants or vertebrates. Work by releasing fatal bacteria into the invertebrate s body, they then feed and multiply on the decomposing body. They come in a pack which is mixed with water. Use fresh and work best in cool, moist conditions
Inspiration
Inspiration Powis Castle Plectranthus, Heliotrope, Ballota Pseudodictamnus Fuschia Gartenmeister Lobelia, Rhodichiton
Inspiration Caunes Minervois. Grasses, red pelargoniums and trailing ipomoea cultivar.
Inspiration Private garden, Birmingham
Inspiration Tall pots bring plants nearer eye level, but unstable in high wind.
Inspiration Dahlia, Olonzac
Inspiration Brousse le chateau
Inspiration