Showing posts with label Containers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Containers. Show all posts

Growing Apples in Containers

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Due to the limited space in the garden, many people want to know how to grow apple trees in containers so that they can be put in any location indoors or outdoors. Before you do the real planting, you should make a small research on the apple trees suitable for the pot cultivation. You should consult some experienced gardeners instead of believing what the label says in the gardening store.

The most important factors are the height and the span for the adult tree. You should choose the best size to suit for your home or garden. If possible, it is recommended to plant two trees simultaneously to increase the quality and quantity of the product in autumn. They should have the same blooming dates which will facilitate the pollination from each other. Apart from that, the surrounding temperature is another factor for tree selection. The chill hours for each apple tree is different, and you should the time is adequate for your apple trees to grow under a certain temperature. For example, the Fuji apples need 400-600 hours of chill time while the Anna apples need about 200 chill hours to grow. If you are living in a warm area where the chill hours could be less, you should choose the suitable trees for that climate.

Regarding the planting time, the spring and autumn seasons would be recommended for most apple varieties. The size of the container should be big enough to accommodate the root expansions in the future. You can do some trimming on the roots before putting your tree into the pot to avoid the entangling. When filling the soil into the pot, you need to provide a stake to help the tree grow uprightly. During the first few days, you need to water your apple tree thoroughly. Due to the fact that the container will dry more quickly than the gardening soil, you should water your trees more frequently than the plants in the field. You should keep the soil moist once the tree is staring to grow. When the winter is approaching, you should decrease the watering times to make the soil just lightly moist. This can help the plants prepare for the dormancy in cold days.

During the growth of your potted apple trees, you may need to do some pruning work occasionally. All dead or sick branches should be removed asap to conserve nutrients for the health ones. Whichever method you choose to do the trimming, please ensure that each branch will receive adequate sunlight during the day.

Regarding the fertilizers, you can buy some commercial ones specially designed for apple trees from the garden stores. Some organic fertilizers will be a good choice. When you decrease the amount water in cold days, remember to do the same thing on fertilizers as well. Fertilizing in winter days should be avoided because the early growth in cold winter times will be harmful to your trees.

For more articles on gardening tips, please visit http://gardeningknow.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6890256

Gardening Tips - Growing Your Vegetables in Containers

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Vegetable gardening in containers provides gardeners who have limited space the chance to benefit from fresh vegetables. All you need is a sunny patio to grow your favorite veggies. When it comes to the most suitable types of vegetables for container gardening, your choice depends on the zone of your location. You can easily purchase seeds online or from your garden center and nursery in your area.

Aside from determining the best types of vegetables to grow, it is also essential to know the basics about planting vegetables in containers.

Containers. Any type of pot or container will do for your little garden but it is important that the container is lightweight because you have to move it around. You can add wheels to your container or just place them on a cart with wheels to make the moving easier especially if an unanticipated spring frost is predicted or if a severe weather is coming.

Soil. You can purchase bagged soil at your local nursery. Make sure to go for a lightweight soil mixture that can sustain mature plants and provide nutrients to your vegetables.

Sunlight. Your vegetables require full sunlight (6 or more hours everyday). There are some vegetable varieties such as radishes, lettuce and chard that require less sunlight but it is recommended to put the containers in direct sunlight.

Drainage. The containers must have holes in order to let excess water to drain. You can find a lot of lovely resin or plastic planters at your local garden center or nursery that don't have holes in them. Using a drill, just add 3 or 4 holes at the bottom of the planters. Before putting the soil mixture, it is recommended to add a level of pebbles at the base to help with the drainage.

Fertilizer. Expect the fertilizer to be drained quickly every time you water your containers. If you use lighter mixes, you need to fertilize more frequently. It is recommended to employ a thinned liquid fertilizer or liquid seaweed or liquid fish emulsion. However, it is important to note that your plants require different types of nutrients so check the descriptions on the fertilizer to ensure that they have a balanced and complete solution including trace elements.

Watering. A lot of vegetables require a lot of moisture throughout the whole growing season. In addition, if the container plants are placed in exposed areas, they tend to lose moisture rapidly so make sure to water them more often.

Vegetable varieties. When choosing the types of vegetables for the vegetable garden in your patio, it is important to consider what your family loves to eat. In addition, choose those that can grow suitably in a restricted space. There are a lot of gardeners who benefit from growing tomatoes because of the fact that home-produced tomatoes taste a lot better than those bought at the supermarket. You can try the following vegetables for your container gardening:

• Carrots
• Eggplants
• Cucumbers
• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Melons
• Tomatoes
• Herbs
• Green beans
• Green onions
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Garlic
• Squash

Even if you live in a small apartment, you can still engage in gardening and enjoy fresh vegetables anytime. By using your balcony or your sunny deck, growing different varieties of vegetables will be as easy as A, B, C.

Gardening is great for relaxation and spending time with the family. To find out more and learn how to grow a vegetable garden visit http://FooPages.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Pillay