It’s hard to believe after our wet winter but the emphasis for this year’s and future gardens will be on saving our most precious resource, water. We are obligated to use it wisely and I will pass on any information and tips pertaining to the issue that I discover. Do you realize fish counts are finally going up, while water levels are becoming too low to sustain them? One excellent way of gardening to control and maximize water usage is that of containers.

These mini-gardens are extremely versatile, since you control the type and condition of soil. Vegetable gardens are not only easy to maintain in this form, pest control is much easier since you can isolate infected flora. Cherry tomatoes and strawberries make wonderful hanging plants. They are also easier to harvest and more accessible, especially when used as deck and patio flora. Tropicals will flourish outdoors and can be protected during colder weather by simply bringing them indoors. (A strong square of board with four sturdy wheels attached can be placed under heavy botanicals for easy transport.) Containers can be made to work for you. They can be positioned as screens to hide eyesores, serve as windbreaks, make shade, or brighten a corner. Containers can provide a place to rest your eyes while doing the dishes. Be creative in your choice of containers and not just with their placement. I have hip-waders with flowers and greenery spilling down the leg toward a toe bouquet!

The secret for success is planning. Decide where you want or need these receptacles and then study the sun conditions so you can plant accordingly.

Fill the bottom couple of inches of your container with small rocks, gravel or similar drainage material. Continue using a mixture of one third each of peat or vermiculite, humus, and topsoil. (There are also plenty of pre-mixes available at nurseries, home and garden stores.) Fill so that after watering the soil comes about three inches from the top, otherwise watering will be a slow and tedious process.

Drainage is all-important! Water logged containers end up with root rot. There has to be a hole in the bottom to allow excess water to escape. Feet of some sort under your container will allow water to drain out easily.

Here are some points to remember in order to accentuate water use. Porous containers such as terra cotta, untreated wood, or moss, dry out very quickly. In the summer containers in full sun dry out rapidly and need daily watering; consider moving them into, or creating shade for them. Make sure you have receptacles placed underneath plants to capture water that passes through. Pour this collected water into a reservoir for future waterings. Fertilize these containers with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) or my favorite, compost soup. I make mine by throwing my weeds in a bucket ‘til its 1//3 to 1/2 full, topping with water and covering with anything handy. I let this sit a week or so, and then I strain the resulting liquid into my watering can and sprayer. The sodden mess at the bottom of the bucket is simply thrown into the compost pile.

Feel free to experiment with these garden receptacles. Remember, you are creating the soil conditions so almost anything goes! There is always another growing season, so if your choice of plants doesn’t work out as well as you would have liked, try and try again. Lush displays like those in the gardening magazines are created by planting much closer together than you would in a garden. Consider doing this with your kitchen herbs. They are drought tolerant, making low maintenance, fragrant container plants for hot decks, by pools and saunas, as well as patios or doorsteps.

Tip: Remember, when planning hanging plants, a watered 12-inch (.3 meters) pot weighs about 30 pounds (13.6 kg,), a 16-inch one (.4 meters) up to 60 (27 kg.).

Superstition: Eat cauliflower for protection before doing anything that might be dangerous.

via : www.saanichnews.com