I’ve learned a lot of great things from you all. Just in the last few days, I’ve learned:
- There are peach colored sweet alyssum
- How to grow potatoes in a large plastic tub
- Camellia sinesis can be grown in a container and its leaves can be harvested to brew green tea
Well, this contest is for those of you with at least one great container gardening tip rattling around in your brain. It’s simple to participate. Either email me your tip, or leave it here in the comments. If you could also help promote this contest on your blog, website, Facebook page, etc, I would be extra appreciative.
You have until Thursday March 19th at midnight California time to submit your tip. I encourage you to send along any tip, bit of advice, or random thought that would be useful to a container gardener! One tip per person. I will select my favorite tip as the winner, which will entitle you to select six seed packets from Botanical Interests and have them shipped to you, free of charge. If you haven’t heard of Botanical Interests before, check out my previous post: 6 Reasons to Love Botanical Interests Seeds.
In the meantime, I’ll be periodically publishing your tips along with a link back to your blog, if you wish.
You must be 18 to participate and have a valid American address, as seeds can’t easily be shipped out of the country and other countries have strict rules about how contests must be run.
I look forward to reading (and learning from) your tips!
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I just read your post on why you love Botanical Interest Seeds and went to their website. It is a fantastic website but it’s too bad they only accept U.S. orders…
Sadly I am just beginning my journey into balcony gardening (can’t wait to have my own little heirloom carrots!!) so no tips yet! But I do love your blog and will keep searching for heirloom/organic seeds somewhere in Canada-Land 
Lisa — The reason why it’s difficult to ship seeds to Canada is because you all have difficult to comply with import rules for seeds.
I don’t know if this is considered a tip or not. I recycled an old BBQ with the side tray. It was all annuals and perennials (a couple of sedums) but now for easy maintenance (because of surgery) I changed it to all sedums. I’ve actually changed many of my deck plants to sedums for the same reason. I have pics on an old post.
http://gardeningbytrialanderror.blogspot.com/2009/02/bbq-recycled-twice.html
RainGardener — Sounds like a tip to me!
Thanks Fern, I put a link on my blog to your contest.
Use a paper coffee filter to cover drainage holes in pots. Water drains out. Soil stays in.
Use large pots so you don’t have to water as often.
I’ve got one! When you buy plants from the nursery, instead of throwing out the plastic containers that came with the plant, recycle them and use them as drainage materials at the bottom of a big container. This way the container is less heavy and you don’t need to use as much dirt to fill up the container.
Louise
There is an ancient tradition of burying clay pots with the mouths exposed next to crops so that when the pots are filled with water, it will seep into the ground near the plants’ roots. I use any small pot that will fit in a container to do this same thing. The little clay pots succulents come in are perfect!
make sure that when planting a container garden that you have easy access to a water source, or a watering can. Too often container gardens risk the drying out factor….Too little water. A good blend of compost, peat, and top soil make for a good mixture. You can add water retaining crystals into the base of your pot…helps to keep the plants from drying out.
Setting up a simple drip irrigation system to your potted garden is a good idea as well…simple, easy to install drip irrigation systems can be purchased at most garden centers.