Building your own container garden is a great way to boost your creativity and relieve stress. After a long week at work, going home to see your well-maintained container garden gives you a soothing and relaxing feeling. It also gives you a sense of achievement every time you see your plants looking healthy and blooming.
However, just like any other hobby, container gardening in a small space requires you to invest money in the materials and products needed to grow your plants. If you want to have a successful container gardening journey, you can start working with the basic materials and gradually buy more advanced tools to make your job easier. With passion and dedication, your hard work is truly worth it once you see the finished product of your container garden.
Container garden materials include simple containers up to advanced power tools; each of these tools is essential in making your garden healthier and more appealing. Here are the materials needed to build a container garden from scratch:
Container
When it comes to container gardening, one of the most important things you need to have is, of course, a container. Unlike traditional gardening, container gardening allows you to use different types of pots instead of growing plants on the ground. However, you should make sure to use the correct type of container for your plants. There are several types of containers you can use, and each of them has its own pros and cons.
One of the most common types of containers is the terracotta, also known as ceramic pots. Terracottas are famous for their reddish-brown color and rough texture; this type of pot is basically made out of clay. Clay-based materials are commonly used for pots, which work well with most plants. In addition to this, a terracotta pot has a broad price range, which is perfect if you are on a tight budget. But since they are made of clay, terracotta pots are brittle; a single drop could easily break it into pieces.
Besides terracotta, there are several other types of containers you can use for gardening. The list includes wood, metal, plastic, fiberglass, concrete, and fabric. Choosing the right container for your plant is the first thing you need to do if you are looking forward to building your container garden. With all the factors to consider, it is important to be knowledgeable in the types of plants you want to grow to easily decide which container you are going to use.
Soil
Container gardening is not complete without soil. Soil is an important material used in gardening, which is composed of five ingredients: minerals, organic matter, living organisms, gas, and water. Just like your container, there are different types of soil you can choose from, and each of them serves its own purpose.
As a newbie gardener, it is a common mistake to use any kind of soil for your container garden. While it could be tempting to grab a handful of soil from an outdoor garden and into your container, bear in mind that it could bring negative effects to your plants. Always remember that container gardening is different from traditional gardening, and the methods used should also be adjusted
When choosing the right soil for your container garden, using a specialized potting mix is the best option. As mentioned earlier, the soil heavily depends on the plants you want to grow, and from there, take time to research the appropriate soil mixture. By doing this, you can make sure your plant is having the right amount of soil it needs to grow.
Hand Trowel
Next on the list is the hand trowel. A hand trowel is often considered the most important tool when it comes to gardening. You can do various things with a hand trowel, including mixing soil, digging holes, transplanting seedlings, and so on. It can also be used to scoop out soil from the bag and arrange it in the container. If you are starting your own container garden, investing in a hand trowel is a great move.
Watering Can
From the name itself, a watering can is a tool you can use to water your plants. While watering your plants could be done in many different ways, using a watering can is one of the simplest. It is designed to hold enough water to sprinkle throughout your container garden, and it is a lot easier to control compared to using a hose. It is advisable to use a watering can instead of a hose because of its spreading feature. The water coming out of a watering can spreads and waters the entire soil, which is important when growing plants.
Labels
Lastly, once you already have your container garden built, it is now time to add the labels. Plant labels could be as simple as cut-out pieces of paper; some labels are made explicitly for container gardens and could be purchased online. Having labels for your plants is a great way to familiarize yourself with your garden. If you are new to container gardening, it is normal to be confused about the different plants used in your garden. That is why it is essential to add labels to make it easier for you to identify and get used to the plants. Switching to container gardening is a perfect way to help save the environment. And if you want to make this an all-out effort, learn the must-haves for starting a zero waste lifestyle now.