Homeowners with a yen for growing plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables don’t have to break new ground – literally. They can follow time-tested advice and make matters simple by gardening above ground in boxes and containers.
Box gardening within raised beds over grass or soil offers the advantage of letting you create the ideal new soil environment within an above-ground wooden, metal or plastic frame that you can make yourself or assemble from a kit. They also drain more efficiently than in-ground gardens and require less kneeling and bending, depending on their height. What’s more, you can extend your growing season by planting earlier because the soil warms up sooner than if it were below ground.
Gardening in containers, meanwhile, offers portability and flexibility.
“If you’re living in a place with minimal space, container gardens are a great alternative to traditional in-ground gardening. They’re perfect for patios, balconies, porches, windows, doorsteps or even for adding pops of color in existing garden beds,” says Amy Enfield, PhD, consumer horticulturist with Marysville, Ohio-based Scotts Miracle-Gro. “They add a lot of character and beauty to any space, and are an easy way to enhance your home’s curb appeal.”
Containers make it easy to bring the plants inside during wintertime and back out again when the weather warms. You can also easily change the look since it’s really simple to just replant in a different container.
Our New Jersey climate lends itself to raised bed and container gardening since we experience four seasons.
In the early spring, start with cold-tolerant flowers, like pansies, and other design elements like birch poles, moss, and grapevine. Then transition into tropical plants for the summer, ornamental grasses and perennials in the fall, and, for the holidays, mixes of fresh-cut evergreens, redtwig dogwood, lights, and ornaments.
The good news is that you can grow nearly any flowers, succulents, herbs, shrubs, vegetables or fruits in containers or planter boxes.
“The container should be at least 14 inches wide and have deep enough soil volume for root development,” says Tim Duffin with Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Ill. He adds that you should carefully consider the spacing requirements of each plant and follow the instructions on the plant’s tag or container.
Today, containers are available in a variety of traditional and innovative options:
The latest trends in raised bed gardening include:
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ACountryBoy
June 21, 2018 at 7:11 ambeautiful
Anita Smith
September 25, 2018 at 5:33 pmI love container gardening and raised garden beds. You can get very creative.
Teresa T
September 26, 2018 at 10:24 amWe love them too! Containers are wonderful for seasonal accents!