Gardening: potted beauty

They can soften and beautify patios and outdoor living areas. Photo / Supplied

Containers and pots can grow a wide variety of plants, from flowers and shrubs to veges
Potted plants are very decorative, especially if grown in attractive containers.

They can soften and beautify patios and outdoor living areas or give structure, enhance entranceways or create a focal point in the garden and provide food for the family.

With the size of sections and gardens getting smaller more people are looking for alternatives for growing plants. Almost anything can be easily grown in a container.

Flowering plants, shrubs, roses, palms, grasses, ferns, succulents, bulbs, trees, citrus, dwarf fruit trees, berry fruit, herbs and of course veges.

Most veges such as lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, dwarf beans will grow faster and have a shorter time to harvest than those grown in the garden and a nice looking container full of herbs close to the kitchen is not only practical but looks great.

Containers come in all shapes, sizes, colours, glazes and finishes so choose a style you like and of course a size that is suitable for the plants being grown. One of my favourites are the really nice looking outdoor lightweight pots and troughs which look heavy but are actually a fibreglass mix so are light and easy to move around.

For veges, try one of our VegePods, available in three sizes and they have a cover to keep the bugs off. These can be put on a stand with wheels so you can move them to just the right spot for maximum sun.

Always use a premium potting mix which contains long term fertilisers and wetting agents for the best results (don't ever be tempted to use garden soil).

Fragrant plants such as gardenia, lavender and daphne are easy to grow and are lovely to have close by to enjoy (very welcoming at the front door). Standards topiary plants are always eye-catching, like roses, mexican orange blossom or portuguese laurels.

Show your creative flair. A selection of three different plants in a container looks very effective. Choose a tall plant for the centre. A standard rose or fruit tree like citrus work well. Plant three low growing plants around it, then finish off the final layer with the likes of alyssum or lobelia which will trail over the sides.

Plants grown in containers dry out quickly so they will need to be watered daily in summer.

Saturaid is invaluable for container gardening as it reduces watering and helps moisture penetrate through to the root zone.

Feeding with a good soluble liquid fertiliser like Ican Fast Food during the plants growing period will really get them growing strongly and performing at their best.

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