Class builds confidence for container gardening

When you put a plant in a container, it immediately becomes distinguished. It changes your perspective of using plants. For example, when a low-growing juniper hugs the ground, it is just another ground cover. Elevate it in a box, do a little grooming and it becomes a work of art.

Learn the basics of container gardening and explore a variety of unconventional containers to add style to your garden. Join our experts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. To reserve your seat, call 822-7786.

Container gardening is the easiest way to enter the world of gardening. Note these advantages:

n There is less work, because the pots are closer to the house.

n There are fewer backaches, because the pots usually sit on something and you don't always have to bend to reach them.

n There is more opportunity to show off your "farm."

n You can garden in areas with little or no space.

n As the weather cools, you can move the pots indoors to extend the season.

n It is an excellent way to introduce children to gardening.

Virtually anything that will hold soil is a candidate for container growing. Let your imagination run wild -- boots, milk cans, hanging baskets and bags of soil.

Consider the mature size of plants you want to grow. They need enough room for the roots to develop. But you can squeeze plants close together for a fuller look.

Unlike plants in the ground, those in containers are exposed to hot winds and sun, so you must water more than once a day.

You must provide drainage to flush away salts and get rid of excessive water or the plants will die.

Use prepared planting mixes.

Plant transplants so the rootball is even with the soil line to avoid collar rot.

Double potting conserves water. Set the smaller pot inside a larger container and put organic matter between the pots to insulate the plant.

Drip irrigation is the ultimate in container watering. Hide tubing along the edges of walls or decks, or along the eaves of your home. To increase the humidity and cool the area around the plants, place misting nozzles above the plants.

Never let the rootball dry out. If it does, the rootball shrinks and water runs around the ball and out. Set the container in water to resoak the ball.

Vining plants such as cucumbers will need a trellis to support them. Do not tie stems too tightly to the stake.

CHRYSANTHEMUM SALE

Pretend it is November, the nights are getting longer and signs of winter are setting in. This signals mums to burst into brilliant colors lasting until frost. Want this scene in your yard? Plan to purchase award-winning mums from the Las Vegas Chrysanthemum Society on Saturday at Plant World Nursery, 5301 W. Charleston Blvd., from 8 a.m. until they are sold out. To get the best for your yard, come early. For more information, call 459-4633.

The plant sale is early this year to give your mums a better chance to heal in before the heat sets in.

Mums only do as well as the soil they are growing in, so amend your soil. Add to your soil phosphorous, soil sulfur and a slow-release fertilizer, following the directions on the packages and thoroughly mixing them into the soil before adding the plants. When planting mums, water them in with a root stimulant and half-strength of a 20-20-20 fertilizer.

Plan your planting area with these items in mind:

n Mums need darkness to set buds. When they're left on a patio, it delays budding.

n They need a half-day of sunshine, preferably morning sun.

n Protect them from wind, because they lose moisture fast.

If growing the mums in pots, remember that the sun heats up the soil and can cook the root system. Place your pot inside a larger pot and put mulch between them, as described elsewhere in this column.

Growing the flowers in pots has several advantages:

n You can keep them out of the wind.

n You can turn them so they grow straight.

n You can protect them from severe heat.

n You can place them in strategic places to show off.

As mums grow, pinch out the growing points to keep the plants compact to hold up flowers next fall.

Aphids are always a problem. Wash them off with a hard stream of water or use insecticidal soap.

Linn Mills writes a garden column each Sunday. You can reach him at linn.mills@springspreserve.org or 822-7754.