The magic mathematics of a good-looking pot, starts with a thriller, a filler and a spiller. Potted magic This ratio of plants is the beginning of potted success. Our contrasting colour combination here will brighten up any spot in need of a makeover.
You will need:
A pot with drainage holes
Pebbles for drainage (you can even use smaller broken up pieces of an old clay pot).
Fresh potting soil
Compost
Slow- release fertiliser
Bonemeal
Decorative bark or wood mulch
ThrillerSpillerFiller
Plants to use:
A thriller – we chose Agapanthus ‘Bucanneer’ for this task for its ability to grow tall impressive stems of purple flowers that last up to 8 months of the year
A filler – with its stunning dark foliage, Loropetalum ‘Plum Gorgeous’ covers colour needs even when there are no flowers in the pot.
Two spillers – amazing yellow lime afro-like foliage, makes Carex‘Everillo’ an ideal spiller to contrast with the other two.
Steps
First prepare the soil with half potting soil and half compost and add in 2 handfuls of fertiliser. Add in some bonemeal to provide extra calcium for the plants. Give this a good mix.
Add your drainage pebbles to the bottom of the pot.
Fill the pot halfway with your soil mix.
Carefully remove the plants from their bags without disturbing the roots. Gently tease any compacted roots with the tips of your fingers to encourage the roots to grow laterally once planted.
In goes the agapanthus. It’s important to make sure that the top of the plant sits about 2cm below the pot rim so there is no water spillage when watering. Next the loropetalum and finally the carex.
Add some more soil under a plant, if you want to play with the height.
To finish off, fill the pot with the remaining soil mix, firming down with your trowel handle so that the plants are snug and secure.
Add a layer of decorative bark or wood mulch and give your newly potted garden a good drink of water. Continue to water at least twice a week to get the plants well settled.
Follow the Thanks Plants campaign on www.thanksplantssa.co.za and enter the competition in the August, September and October issues of The Gardener and Die Tuinier.
Watering is one of the most frequent care tasks in indoor gardening. Unfortunately, it is also the area where most new houseplant owners go wrong. From overwatering to lack of drainage, there are many common mistakes that can lead to the demise of your plants. Avoid these 5 mistakes to keep your houseplants happy and healthy year-round.
#1: Watering Too Often
Overwatering is one of the greatest houseplant killers. Most plants (and especially houseplants) don’t like to sit in overly moist, soggy soil. This leads to a condition known as root rot, causing the roots to become soft and mushy. Once severe root rot sets in, it is incredibly difficult to save the plant, so this is one of the most vital mistakes to avoid.
Never water when the top layer of soil is still moist. Rather test it with your finger and add water when it begins to dry out, with the amount depending on the specific houseplants you have.
#2: Waiting Till The Plant Is Wilting To Water
On the other end of the watering spectrum, we have underwatering. For those who tend to forget about their houseplants, it’s quite common to wait until the plant is showing signs of struggle before watering again. Wilting and curling leaves are often used as an indicator of when to water. Unfortunately, if the plant has started wilting, it is likely facing water stress and should have been watered several days prior.
Again, testing the soil is the easiest way to avoid this mistake. Make it a habit to check the soil of your houseplants every couple of days to prevent over or underwatering.
#3: Watering Inside A Pot Cover
Pot covers are wonderful decorative additions to indoor gardens. Not only do they elevate your overall design by hiding unsightly plastic pots, but they can also be swapped and changed frequently – perfect for those indecisive designers that always feel the itch to change it up.
However, if you’re using pot covers for your houseplants, it’s vital to never water them inside this cover. Water quickly collects at the bottom and waterlogs the soil. The stagnant water also attracts bacteria that can harm your plants.
Always remove the plant from the pot cover before watering. Only return it to its original home once all the excess water has drained from the drainage holes. Alternatively, water inside the pot cover and pour the excess out after about 10 minutes.
#4: Watering On A Strict Schedule
The conditions around our houseplants change daily. From light levels to temperature and even humidity, there are several factors that can change how quickly the soil dries out week to week.
Watering on a strict schedule – say once per week as an example – ignores these factors, opening your plants up to stress from over or underwatering. Watering times are only a guideline and shouldn’t be followed strictly if you want to consistently water at the right time.
Always keep an eye on the soil and the performance of your plants to determine the best time to water. If you tend to forget, set a reminder to check the soil every few days and only water as needed.
#5: Lack Of Drainage Holes
Finally, the last mistake is using a pot with bad drainage or no drainage holes. When recycling containers, we may feel tempted to use ones without drainage holes to avoid the hassle of creating drainage holes ourselves. Often we find decorative pots that we desperately want to plant in for aesthetic value, ignoring their lack of drainage holes. Unfortunately, no matter how careful you are, this will eventually end up killing your houseplants. To resolve this issue, drill drainage holes into your chosen pot or simply use it as a pot cover, resting a plastic pot inside.
You can grow almost anything in containers. With the right size pot and the right conditions, most plants that are typically reserved for garden beds or backyards will thrive (some even more than if they were grown in the garden). There are even varieties of plants bred specifically for growth in containers.
But, while you have almost unlimited choices in what you can grow, your garden conditions will still limit which plants will grow well. These are a few things to consider in picking your ideal container plants.
Climate
Local temperatures dictate which plants you can grow and how well they will grow. To assess the climate in your region, you need to understand the climate type. In South Africa, we have a wide variety of climate types, from lush subtropical to arid desert and almost everything in between. If your containers are going to be placed outside without protection, you need to ensure the plants chosen are suitable for your climate first.
Light
Where indoor gardeners use terms like ‘bright light’ or ‘low light’, outdoor plants are distinguished by the terms full-sun, partial sun, and shade. Full-sun plants need over six hours of sunlight per day (some need more), partial sun between three and six, and shade plants under three hours. Other descriptors you may see are morning or afternoon sun, which speak for themselves. You will need to limit your choices to a certain range of plants whose light requirements match your outdoor conditions.
Other Considerations
Other conditions like humidity and wind can influence a plant’s growth but can also be managed to meet the plant’s needs. Humidity can be altered with the same practices used indoors – grouping plants or placing them on a tray. Wind, which damages weaker plants, can be blocked with screens or shields.
The two conditions you are unable to control are climate and light, so start there. When you purchase a plant from the nursery, it should indicate the plant’s conditions on the label, but you can also ask someone for help to find the perfect plant for your conditions.
Companion Planting
When choosing plants that will share a pot, consider plants with similar conditions that are known to grow well together. When combining plants in the same pot, they are sharing light, space, and most importantly – soil. Any maintenance you do will apply to all plants simultaneously.
Before grouping plants together, ensure their desired conditions are matched, so one plant does not survive at the expense of the other. For example, when planting a herb container, thyme and rosemary will grow well together as they have similar needs, but sage will die because it has different water requirements. Similarly, mint tends to dominate any pot and is best planted alone.
Time
After considering the plants, don’t forget to consider yourself. You, as the gardener, will be committing time to care for whatever plants you choose and some are more demanding than others. Like any good relationship, you should understand the level of commitment required before jumping in. Plants in containers need to be watered more often, checked for pests regularly, and need more plant-specific care than those left to their own devices outdoors. Decide how much time you want to spend on plant care and which difficult plants you are willing to deal with before you buy.
While making your choices, don’t forget that they are not set in stone. Container gardens, unlike established backyards, are made to be tweaked, changed, and played with until you settle on what feels right. In fact, you don’t have to settle on anything at all. Container gardens embody variety, change, and experimentation. Embrace those factors, learn along the way, and you will master choosing the right plants and container gardening in no time.
If traditional flower beds and large gardens don’t match the amount of time and space you have, don’t rule out gardening all together. Container gardens blend the traditional and the modern, solving a number of typical garden problems:
If garden space is at a premium
When your outdoor garden consists of a 2x2m patch of grass that is almost never sunny, or when you have no outdoor garden at all, planting in pots is the best way to add any lacking nature around you. Container plants and propagators can be placed anywhere -indoors or outdoors, windowsills, patios and balconies, even on your rooftop – as long as there is adequate sunlight.
If you don’t have the right garden for your favourite plants
Container gardens allow for more versatility; not only because you can match specific soil requirements to each plant, but also because you can easily move them around. If you want to grow a plant that requires partial sunlight but only have a baking hot balcony, you can move the containers indoors and outdoors whenever you need to, allowing you to plant whatever you want. This is also great for renters who won’t have to leave their plant children behind when moving!
If pesky pests are a problem
The isolation of container plants and less surface area means some problems typical larger gardens face are either infrequent or much easier to control. Pests and diseases are less likely to find your plants or spread to others, making eradication effortless. Similarly, problems with weeds or space invaders are almost non-existent.
If you want to help the environment and save water
While the droughts may be subsiding in South Africa, you can still help the environment and reduce the threat of drought in the future by opting for a water-wise container garden. Water requirements can be optimised for each plant rather than watering an entire piece of ground. By collecting water that would go unused (like running cold water when waiting for hot water) to water your pot plants, you can drastically limit your water usage. Alternatively, you can invest in self-watering planters that will do the job for you!
If you are a gardening newbie
Container gardens allow you to start small, experiment, and scale up whenever you want to. For those without experience with plants, pot plants are easier to monitor and modify watering or sunlight accordingly. Container gardens are a great way to introduce children to gardening or help physically challenged gardeners because they are more manageable and accessible.
Thinking of hanging baskets, it only conjures up images of lush planted colour, suspended from filigree brackets, faded red terracotta tiles as mountains form the backdrop. Yes, Europe! We have all seen these pictures and some of us have been privileged to visit these countries. Rows upon rows of hanging baskets greet us, pelargoniums and petunias trailing over the verges of the pots.
With our living spaces becoming smaller and our gardens decreasing in size, we constantly look for clever ways to incorporate plants into our lives. Hanging baskets have the ability to make a dead space come to life, adding an extra dimension to our gardens and even indoors.
Some of us have failed miserably trying to replicate these beautiful creations and have thought that we are dreadful gardeners. Gardening is a very practical thing, that’s why I love it. We just have to be clever in what we plant and have realistic expectations. It’s all in the planning.
The biggest mistake we make is wanting a hanging basket, planting it up and then hanging it in the wrong spot because we did not think it through. Plants don’t change, some love shade, other full sun. The rules still apply. You cannot expect a sun loving plant to grow in the shade and vice versa.
Rule number one, find the area you want to hang your basket. Look around and take note of the suns position. Is it in full sun or dappled shade? Is there a wall that will catch the hot afternoon rays? These factors will all dictate the type of plants you use in your basket.
Rule number two, soil, soil, soil! It is the living stomach of the plant. Good soil is like a food warehouse, where the roots get their nutrients and grow. If you have poor soil, you will have poor plants.
With a magnitude of styles available, you can find the perfect hanging basket for your décor style.
Get going:
Locate the area where your basket will be hanging.
Choose your basket, make sure that it is sturdy and the chains or rope are able to handle the weight of the plants.
Most hanging baskets, if not woven, have drainage holes. If not, drill some holes, you don’t want your flowers to have wet feet.
Potting Mix:
Mix a third deconstructed palm peat with your potting soil. Add a hand full of organic fertiliserand a sprinkling of bone meal.
If you are planting up seedlings that need more moisture, add 5g EXLGelpowder to your mixture, this will retain water for longer.
Place your hanging basket on a plastic pot, nestling it on the opening. This way you can plant up your hanging basket with ease as it will not fall to the side.
Fill the bottom of your basket with the potting medium you have mixed.
Place the bigger plants in the centre of the basket and if you have trailing or smaller plants, place them on the sides. If the roots are a bit pot bound, gently tease them loose before placing them in the hanging basket.
Fill the rest of the basket with your soil mixture and gently firm down.
Give a good watering and add a liquid fertiliser once a month to your watering. Water your hanging basket regularly when dry.
The last and most important. When hanging your basket, don’t hang it so high that you cannot enjoy what you have planted. Suspend between 1.2m to 1.6m, at your eye level. This also allows for easy watering and maintenance.
If you have planted annuals, deadhead regularly to encourage blooms. Also prune if one plant is outgrowing another, as to keep balance in your hanging basket.
Colourful combinations:
For the herb lover:
Basil in the centre
Nasturtiums and thyme on the edges
For the salad lover:
Lettuce in the centre
Parsley and violas on the edges
For the succulent lover:
It is important to substitute your palm peat with silica sand. Succulents prefer drier soil. Do not add the EXLGel. Do feed with liquid fertiliser once a month.
Our Team is ready to answer any questions or concerns that you may have. Feel free to get in touch!
Office Hours: 8:00am – 16:00pm
If we are not available then email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. hello@tanyavisser.com
