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The great thing about container gardening is that it makes your plants mobile. But where they roam is up to you, and if you choose poorly, it could have devastating consequences for your plants. The best location for a container garden is a spot that gets the right amount of sunshine, has good protection from harmful outside influences, and is conveniently located for care and maintenance.
Proper sunlight is the primary determining factor for locating your container garden. You must insure that your plants are getting the light they need–no more, no less. Consider the possibility that you might need to split up your container garden. Locate sun-loving plants in one area and shade-loving plants somewhere else. If you don’t want to split your garden, pick a sunny spot and figure out a way to provide shade for the plants that require less sun.
This is easier than it sounds. Create a shade system for those plants that require shade. You can use a frame with a tarp positioned over your shade-loving plants. Depending on their needs, position the shade system to block the light for the right times of day. This solution lets you keep all the plants together, which could make your job of caring for them easier.
Next, there are those nasty outside influences to protect against. For example, pollution from vehicles on the street can be very damaging to living plants. So locate your container garden away from the road. This will also lessen the chance of damage by dust, rocks and debris that vehicles naturally stir up as they zoom past.
When it comes to container gardens, closer to the house, the better. The more convenient it is to you, the more likely you will give it the care it needs. If you leave it marooned on the back corner of your landscape, you might be less willing to trek out and take care of things.
If you put the container garden on a lawn yard, please remember to use a push reel mower to maintain the lawn around that area regularly. It will make your container garden look better. If you don’t like to push a reel mower, then a self-propelled lawn mower may be useful for you.
There’s another reason to keep your container garden closer to home. Little furry garden pests like rabbits, gophers and other animals tend to keep their distance from human scent. As they approach your home, the smell of humans gets stronger. They might be less willing to get close enough to damage your plants.
Yet another reason for keeping your garden close at hand is in the event you want to move your plants inside. You may want to protect them from bad weather or other external threats. The plants will be a lot easier to bring in if they’re right outside the door.
The flexibility of container gardening is unmatched. Sometimes it’s possible that an insect infestation will develop around your garden. But since your plants are in containers, just move them to the next best location. The insects may not be able to find your garden at all if you keep moving it around from year to year. This will reduce your need for daily care and chemicals.
One last tip: if you’re growing bigger plants in your container garden, choose your first location wisely. As these plants reach maturity, they may become difficult or impossible to move. It’s much better to put them in the right place the first time. Careful planning to maximize proper sun, protection and convenience should guarantee a positive container gardening experience.