How Do I Get Started Gardening with Pots and Containers?

Not everyone has a big garden. In fact, for a lot of us, we only have balconies or even windowsills. As a result, gardening with containers and pots may be the best way to get greenery into our lives and our homes. Here are some top tips on how to get the best out of a small (or no) outdoor space (although be careful that you do not end up filling your home with all of the plants!).
Pots and Containers:Make sure that if you have a container, that it has a way to drain water. This will prevent the plant from being waterlogged and is how soil would work outside. If you have a container that you have repurposed, drilling or punching holes in the bottom is the best thing to do. You can also put gravel and broken pots to help with draining, but make sure that that water has a way out! This might mean having a plate under your container, but your plant will be better for it!Do not forget to give adequate room for roots. The last thing you want to do is stunt your plant’s growth as it cannot root itself, or force you to repot your plant. Any edible plants tend to need longer roots to ground them, so do not skimp out on size there!The best plants to growWhen it comes to growing in pots and outdoors, you can generally grow most other plants that would grow in a garden (although of course, if they are more compact, it will be better for the plant to be contained). However, if you do not have any outside space, try to get varieties that thrive indoors. If you put them near a window that gets direct sunlight, you could even get a small greenhouse effect that allows you to grow plants that grow better in warmer weather. Do your research!Care in the spring and summerSpring and summer are optimal times for plants to grow and thrive. Make sure that you give your plants the best chance possible and put them in the place that has the most sunlight, although some vegetables can grow in the shade if you do not have a lot of access to direct sunlightMake sure to water your plants regularly. You do not want your soil to be too dry and crumbling as that could kill the plant. In warm environments and with the wind, container plants will dry out, so water them, making sure that any extra water is draining. But do not overwater and get the leaves wet. This can lead to plant diseases which is something you do not want to happen to your plants!You can increase the chance that your plants will grow well by fertilising them. You can add some fertiliser once every week or so to help grow bigger flowers (or fruit if it is a fruit plant!)If you are growing tomatoes, do not forget to use a stick to keep them upright and you prune the vines to make sure that it does not fall over on its own weight. By sticking to these tips, you can get quite a few ripe and juicy tomatoes when it is time to harvest.Above all of these things though, you want to enjoy doing this, keeping a thing alive, and then being blessed with either flowers or fruit! It can enrich your life as much as you enrich the plant itself.