Container Gardening Complete

Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 8 5/24/17 10:51 AM
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 9 5/24/17 10:51 AM

Text Black Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete#175 Dtp: 229 Page: 8^

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Introduction

Container gardening is far from a new invention.

Humans have been growing plants in vessels since

soon after the Neolithic Revolution thousands

of years ago. While the methods and materials

we use have certainly changed over the years,

our intent has not. We continue to grow plants

in containers to provide food and beauty for

ourselves and those we love.

At the beginning, humans who grew plants

in pots may have done so to overcome adverse

soil conditions, more carefully tend a highly

treasured medicinal plant, or focus irrigation

needs on a smaller area in places where water

was scarce. Today’s gardeners, however, have a far

more diverse list of reasons for growing plants in

containers. Yes, many of us still use containers to

avoid having to garden in soil with poor drainage,

contaminants, or lousy fertility, and we still use

them to grow coveted plants. But we also grow

plants in containers to save time and space,

reduce weeding and other chores, beautify our

living spaces, and show off our creativity and

sense of personal style.

Container gardening allows us to grow our

own fresh food, even in a very limited space, and

it affords a level of flexibility not found when

growing these plants in the ground. With container

gardening, we can feed our families without ever

having to turn the sod, spread wheelbarrows

of mulch, or fire up even a single piece of gas-

powered equipment. Heck, you don’t even have to

own a shovel to grow plants in containers.

We’re also gardening in pots for purposes

beyond ourselves. We’re designing plantings to

attract and support butterflies, bees, and other

There are many reasons to grow plants in containers,

including avoiding soil conditions that are less than

ideal, saving space, reducing gardening chores,

growing food, or perhaps just because you want to

grow something beautiful.

Container gardens can be designed to provide habitat

and food for pollinators, such as this great spangled

fritillary butterfly.

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