Maximizing Small Garden Spaces Original photographs and presentation by Susan Bell
Maximizing Small Garden Spaces SMALL SPACES Townhouse Courtyard Deck Balcony Hell strip CONTAINERS How to plant and maintain VERTICAL PLANTING Using vines, verticals, espalier, artwork
Maximizing townhouse garden Spring Bulbs
Summer flowers Why annuals? I want a different look every year and it is more fun
Driveway hell strip Perennial herbs and sun lovers like the heat and dryness created by paved surfaces
No planting beds? Utilize any sunny spot with containers
Fall planning decides my spring color scheme
Fall lettuce for the shady deck
Harmonize beds and pots Hot color palette
Intention: Relaxation on a 7 W x 15 L Deck (in open shade) View from inside
Use saucers, plant trolleys or trivets so deck dries Be careful not to drip on your neighbors!
Seasonal outdoor decorating with fall gourds, pumpkins and Easter bunnies
Indoor plants outside for summer (they love it) Setcreasea pallida, Purple Heart Chlorophytum comosum, Spider Plant
Veggies and herbs grown in partial shade on deck Ready to harvest Red Sails Lettuce, Bright Lights Swiss Chard, Golden Oregano and Pansies
Before Back underdeck area planted with dwarf Cityline Vienna Hydrangea macrophylla for low windows
Shady back yard near creek Hosta need deer spray
Fine Gardening magazine Entrance alcove with containers and accessories
Trellis for vertical interest Clematis vines
Espalier and artwork also solution for tight spaces Proverbialhomemaker.com
Principle of proportion: using the right scale Sliding glass doors lead to courtyard, so this space viewed from living room
B a l c o n i e s Tomato Challenge
Part two Container choices Terra cotta dry out too easily, breakage Moss lined hayracks - dry out too easily, liner has to be replaced Ceramic beautiful colors, however heavy, have to go inside in winter Metal - heavy and usually low volume Concrete no one is going to take it off your porch Whiskey barrel - hard to move even before it is loaded with soil Fiberstone or fiberglass * Plastic * Foam * Self Watering *
Think out of the box
Movable feast Place containers wherever you need a burst of color
Watering and Drainage --1-3 drainage holes --no stones --newspaper to cover --saucers empty often --trivet keep deck dry --trolleys --3 watering wand --water breaker --rain doesn t count --don t wet foliage
Recycling gives local compost
Soilless mixture with moisture control and timed release fertilizer
Fertilizers: critical for containers, amend beds with compost prior to planting
Read the plant labels when purchasing Name Description Sun, Partial Sun or Shade? Does it like it wet or dry? How big does it get? How far apart do I plant? When does it bloom? Need fertilizer? Etc.
Examine the root structure and color, plant at same level as in pot. Don t compact soil, leave 1 inch space for watering
Element of change grow or die examine remove diseased growth deadhead thin/cut back spray/pick bugs
Add flowers to draw pollinators
Beneficial insect types: pollinator predator parasite
Feeding birds and providing nesting (even on a deck!) Kevin Shea
Eureka! Hayrack a pre-made nest
G r o w It E a t It Rosalind Creasy, Taylor s Guide to Garden Design
Plant supports yield from single cherry to
Growing sweet potatoes in containers No digging! 5 gallon container with 1 slip yielded 5 pounds by Robin Ritterhoff
Require: Cross pollinator (two varieties) Patience as they fruit on 2 year old wood Blueberries Thornless Blackberries Double duty
Maximize your space and design for what you love Edibles * Cut flowers * Natives * Wildlife * Fragrance * Relaxation * etc. For more information see Container vegetable gardening including size pots required by type of vegetable, etc. Go to www.ohioline.osu.edu/kyg-fact/1000/1647.html