As a company who strives to cut down on waste, by finding new ways to reuse old containers and save you money while doing so, we thought a discussion on container gardening would be highly beneficial! This is a great hobby that brings your household fresh herbs, gets you outside and breathes new life into old containers that still have plenty of use left in them.
Container gardening can be extremely rewarding, and it can be source of healthy food, too. Container gardening has become more and more popular as a way to use smaller spaces like balconies and small back gardens. Containers are extremely easy to plant, and they offer you the ability to grow a wide variety of plants that can brighten up your day and add value to your dinner table.
Here are some ideas on how to start a container garden for your home or garden.
Finding the Right Containers
There are a wide variety of containers that make great homes for your new plants, herbs, and vegetables. Basically, any container that is fairly weatherproof can be converted into a container for your container garden.
There are numerous used container companies that offer a huge variety of used, second-hand containers that make great containers for your container garden. The containers you select depend on your space available.
Take a look at the area where you want to create a container garden, and decide on the number of containers and the size of the containers you need. You must also consider the types of plants you want to grow when choosing the right type of container.
Growing Herbs in Containers
Herbs are a great plant to grow in containers, particularly near your kitchen area. Herbs add a great fragrance to your home and kitchen, and they are also a healthy addition to any dish or salad. Herbs have been prized for thousands of years for their medicinal qualities and health benefits.
You can purchase herbs in the form of seeds or seedlings from your local nursery, and, generally, herbs are fairly simple to grow. All you really need is a good sized container with good drainage, and you need to pick a spot that has a lot of sunlight. Herbs grow best in regions like the Mediterranean, so growing your herbs in a sunny spot will help them to thrive. You also need to choose the right type of soil for your herbs. Speak to your local nursery about soil that offers good drainage and nutrition for your herbs.
Since the soil you choose generally drains quickly, you need to be ready to water your herbs fairly frequently. Since the drainage can deplete the soil of nutrients, you should probably consider investing in some fertilizer for your herb garden. Fertilizer that promotes healthy leaf growth rather than flower growth is best for herbs since you are interested in harvesting these delicious leaves for your kitchen from time to time.
You also need to do a little homework on the herbs you would like to grow. Different types of herbs require different conditions, and a little bit of research will save you lots of problems in the long term. Grow similar herbs in the same containers to make fertilizing and watering simple.
Used Pallets
There are a number of different containers that are suitable for growing herbs. If you have a small area, then you can choose to create an herb wall using second-hand pallets. Attach the pallet to the wall and use the slats to arrange your containers of herbs. Place herbs with similar needs together.
Using a pallet for your herb wall can also be a great way to conserve water. When you water the herbs at the top of the pallet, the water trickles down into the lower levels of herbs. You can grow a huge variety of herbs like this placing the herbs which require less water at the top and the herbs that require more water further down in the pallet.
Used Drums
Used drums also make great containers for herbs. You are able to find used drums at low prices, plus by reusing this bulk container, you are keeping materials out of the landfill. You need to ensure the type of drum you choose will not break down due to watering your herbs, so a plastic container may be best. Cutting holes into the side of the drum will give you space for planting numerous herbs around the drum.
Once again, it is best to plant the herbs which require less water at the top of the drum and the herbs requiring more water further down since water will drain easily. It is also essential to ensure you choose the right soil and to make sure your drum has good drainage at the bottom.