PART 12 Getting started
Where do I start?
Containers
For beginner gardeners, getting to grips with the fundamentals can seem daunting. But in this exclusive series, Alan Titchmarsh is sharing his wisdom to help you master the skills that really matter.
This month, Alan looks at how to grow plants in containers, offering lots of practical tips and advice. You’ll discover the benefits and challenges of container gardening, and the keys to success.
You’ll learn about:
✔ Different types of containers and how to use them
✔ What to plant in pots and how to do it
✔ Looking after plants in containers
Containers are ideal for beginners, allowing you to plant on a manageable scale, experiment with colours and create instant results
PHOTO: SARAH CUTTLE/ROSE McMONIGALL, DIPLEY MILL, HARTLEY WINTNEY, HAMPSHIRE
“Container gardening offers the chance to grow plants where there’s no space for huge displays or where growing conditions would otherwise be inhospitable”
Containers
Nowhere do gardeners wield more power than when we grow plants in containers. The basic ingredients of plant growth are food, water, light and air, and in containers we – rather than Mother Nature – are responsible for supplying at least the first three of these things. As long as we do that, container gardening offers us tremendous versatility – a chance to grow plants where there’s no earth for them to root into, no space for huge displays or where the growing conditions would otherwise be inhospitable to their wellbeing. Another major benefit of containers is that they can be moved around at will, giving you the ability to change your outlook as often as you wish. In short, container gardening is the best way of refreshing a garden without the need for any huge upheavals, provided you remember that the secret of success is generosity with food and water.