Hello container gardeners,

To me container gardening is one of the most fascinating types of gardening. While admittedly, we all know there are just some things that are going to only be at their best in the ground, most things can do well or even better in containers.

I grow most of my veggies in raised containers these days, and more and more are getting them up to waist height. Whether wooden boxes on legs, Barrels cut in half on blocks, or Laundry tubs on legs. I love those huge black or galvanized stock tanks they sometimes have amazing sales on at Tractor Supply...;I currently am using two of these in the oval 150 gallon black heavy PVC. I do put almost a foot layer of lava rock in the bottom before I fill them with my potting blend, as they are a little over 3 feet high. No stooping over, and 1 is big enough for 6 large bush tomato. for instance. A few lettuces around the base...

I also create planter boxes and hypertufa pots for all plants, succulents, miniature trees (Bonsai), and miniature gardens. Some of my creations are simple and elegant and others can be downright peculiar! HaHaHaHaHa! You'll see!

Anyway Lynn, this was your idea!!!

I plan on starting small and have a lot of stuff to show and tell here. Please know if any one is inspired and wants to say;...."start a miniature garden in a container for the first time!"...I hope you'll send pic's. I think it would be fun to share ideas and progress'!

I'm just sticking to container gardens for all things containers around me, ( I know there is a miniature garden forum) as I am trying not to bounce around in too many forums. ( I might start getting confused and forgetful!)

I have built several large raised wooden planter boxs that measure 3.5 ft' wide, 7 ft. long x 8" deep. Its on legs 30 inches high. I also have built these same type containers in the back but 12 inches deep, that I use for veggies (another story!) I use this one (these first pictures) for an interesting container garden. I will bounce back and show past pictures on occasion, but these pic's just for starters, are from today. I'm just cleaning these containers up for the Fall. That little Syngonium in the middle is one of the coolest plants I have. It never gets any taller then 3" and is an incredible miniature plant.

Thank you!

David

This picture shows the edge of the box container.

All the paths and rocks are painted concrete. This makes for fool-proof watering and eliminates washaways and weeds.
I water this whole thing with my regular hose and watering wand on 'shower' setting; that I water all plants and with little extra care...

These diminutive little Syngoniums have never pushed North of 3 inches so far and They are at the top of my favorites list. They are adorable and create the effect of tiny Elephant ears or Caladiums.

Another pic' from today.

Creative dreams!

Good night!

David

Oops, forgot the pic'

Hey, I feel like there's a story in that photo with the car pulling vacation trailer into front of the 'Dog' diner...
Thanks for sharing!

David, this is so much fun looking at these photos. I am so impressed with that coleus 'tree'. Wow.

Good Morning!

Just playing around with some old stuff I've had a while Bev. That little car and trailer are tiny. The car is on1.4 inches and the trailer is only 1 inch.

That one is actually the offspring of the larger one you've already seen. Here is where they sit together. The little one is 2 years old. I'm training the ones in the 2nd picture to look like a grove of trees. The pot is one of those plastic salsa bowls from BigLots. I'll move it and the other little one into a hypertufa planter next year after the develop a little more.

That tableau with car and trailer reminds me of the 40's ,before the super highway system and huge motel complexes.
Love it.

How long does it take to get stems to look like that? And how often do you need to water them?

It was a really peaceful day for me around here which I loved. I was walking around my little half acre yard and thinking,..."What a mess David!" (Too many interests and to busy to keep it all up I suppose. Ha!)

In other words, some things look like crap and I really need to be busier soon. On the upside, we gardeners can always find some beauty somewhere in our seasonal shifts along the way.

These pics' of around the door I do like though. This old hanging basket has 12 different plants in it and is 24" across. A few months back I lined it with old shade cloth left over from past projects and it has worked really well. The palm fiber ones were to costly and don't last anyway. It was zip tied to the top.

Many of the flowering additions (white and lavender Vinca and a thunbergia) have just been cut back, so no flowers. Foliage is good for now though. I hope to be able to send pic's of it with flowers soon. The Coleus in the large container below is rolled into the garage every freeze and cut back in Spring. Its 4 years old and takes full Southern exposure even in my full hot Central Florida Southern exposure front. Its a favorite and keeper!








Keep up the good works and never let the weeds get you down!

How often do you water the coleus you put in the garage? Do you have it under lights? Or just let it go semi-dormant?
I would so love to try that?

We only have to keep plants we move into sheltered areas for a day or two at a time here Lynn. Our freezes are usually brief and just plain annoying!
As long as you can keep coleus above 40F. all is well and they will make it. Some of my favorites in the ground; I usually just clip the tops off (remove all bottom leaves) and plunge all together in a 5 gallon bucket with no more then 3 inches of water in, otherwise roots will form too high. I hope this helps!
**************
I did send this picture off tonight to my Florida friends too since its from today; yet I wanted to share it with my container gardening friends to who may not see it in our Florida forum.

This little area is off to the side of some of my earlier pic's and is in the same long raised planter box container;...just around the corner.

Pleasant dreams and Good Night!

David

Well that will certainly cause pleasant dreams. Thank you so much for sharing David of DeLands.

Good Morning!

I swear I can already feel Fall in the air this morning. The air was almost brisk in my nostrils!

Anyway, I thought I'd share some pics of another area of that large decorative planter box with all things small.

In this picture there a several containers in or on containers. The box planter itself in which is..., the old car tire rim planter, next to the 6" deep decorative concrete block planter, a bonsai in a painted 'Dollar Tree' plastic ramekin planter. The little bead pots by the head of the Chinese warrior on the ledge, and on the table by Marilyn, are planted with tree Lichen and tiny Tillandsia Ionantha. Have you found the car rim?

It's behind the hypertufa wall.
How fun it is, there is so much to see, and find.
Thank you David.

OMG love the whole panorama.

Thank you Jo Ann. Already have new plans for some additions. I had to air layer the little torulosa Junipers from my big ones out front. I've been trying cuttings for a couple of years with little success. Air layering works!

I know I haven't been sharing much of the current works in progress from here lately, so I thought to myself, ...."Most of these new gardening friends haven't seen some of your pictures past David!.......Go a head and send some older ones at least to keep the ball rolling!"...........HaHaHaHaHa!

You are correct. David is,,,,,,,,what is the word we would use,,,,,,,,,,"Eccentric!"




I like making these flower bowls in Spring. They make great Easter and Mothers Day gifts, and are usually more interesting than lowe's and the other mass produced ones other such store produce. I buy inexpensive 'Dollar Tree' type pots and brush them with a little paint to give them more character and look a tad less cheap.





I wore the boots at the bottom of the pond for 2 years before I drybrushed white paint over them to make them look like concrete and planted Zinnias in them. The Zinnias did great through the seasons and then the boots were tossed of course.

You have not been taken for granted of for all your kind comments Lynn. I Appreciate them all very much. I'm saying this because I was backtracking and paid attention to some of my lacks of paying attention...

Thank you!

Lemon-bearing Coleus trees...
Jacuzzi-like Pile Pond...
Thanks David!

Thank you Bev, I totally missed the lemon on the coleus tree. I was to busy looking at the wonderful trunks and branches. I so love those coleus trees, and was quite tickled when I went back and saw the tiny lemons.

Is the pool made from a stock watering tank. Just love it, and the boots sitting at the side of it.