Gardening for Beginners: Container Gardening

Whether you have a small or large garden, or simply a patio or balcony, container gardening offers you flexibile growing opportunities. Growing plants in containers is an easy way to create instant and changeable displays right outside your back door – especially useful if you’re short on space.

Gardening for beginners – 10 tips

Many plants can be grown in containers, from hardy bedding plants to bulbs, herbaceous plants, fruit and vegetables and even shrubs and trees. However it’s worth knowing how give your plants the best conditions possible, as container-grown plants need a little extra care than those growing in the ground.

Read our tips on container gardening, below.

It’s important to site your containers where the plants growing in them will thrive. Plants that require a lot of sun should receive at least six hours of sunlight a day, so should be placed in a south- or west-facing location. Shade-loving plants should be grown in pots placed in shade. Ideally, choose a sheltered spot for your containers, to stop cold, drying winds harming your plants – containers places below walls and fences and hedges are good locations. If placing pots on a wall or balcony, ensure they are fixed securely.

Containers come in many shapes, sizes, colors and materials. Opt for conventional plastic, terracotta or wooden pots and troughs, or be creative by recycling buckets, bathroom furniture or tins. The only rules are that your container should be large enough to provide your plants with the room they need to grow, and that they have adequate drainage.

When filling your container choose sieved home-made compost or multipurpose from the garden centre, as