Container gardening is fun way to grow plants

By Larry A. Sagers
If you haven't yet tried container gardening, get on board. Rather than fighting your horrible soil, try some of the new and exciting ways to grow plants in pots.

For some advice, I visited Brad Coleman, who has been the Red Butte Garden greenhouse coordinator for the past four years.

Coleman has been working for several months to create the beautiful containers that will adorn Red Butte during the summer as well as the planters that will be featured in Red Butte's upcoming plant sale.

The process is relatively simple. Coleman describes his planting plan for placing plants as follows: "Put an upright plant in the middle, put the bunching plants around it, and put the cascading ones around the outside edge."

Design the containers for their growing environment. First, check whether the container is to spend its time in sun or shade. While some plants tolerate either, most have a definite preference for one or the other.

For upright plants, Coleman recommends something to make a statement.

"I like to put in a grass of some sort. I like the pennisetum, either the green or the rubrum, or I also like cannas. They have big, broad leaves that are very showy," he said.

Story continues below
The fillers can be many different kinds of plants. You don't want them to overpower your upright plants, but you want them to cover the soil and add color throughout the season. Petunias, zinnias, marigolds and many others fit the bill.

Coleman recommends looking at some of the different types of coleus. Many are now much more tolerant of sunny locations, and they are colorful from the day you put them in the soil, meaning you don't have have to wait for them to start blooming.

His recommendations for cascading plants also include colorful specimens. "I always like to throw in bacopa, some of the trailing verbenas, and I like the trailing or wave petunias. Also, don't forget the sweet potato vine for some showy color," he said.

Because he wants what he refers to as "instant gratification," he puts many plants in each pot. "I like to put eight to 12 4-inch plants in each 16-inch pot. I want the instant bang for the buck. I want people to enjoy their plants when they first get them.

"In addition to the plants, we give them 'wows' on textures and colors. People don't want a pot of all the same colors and textures, but they want plants that accentuate each other," he said.

While plants are important, Coleman has learned through his experience that it also takes good maintenance. He starts with his soil recipe.

"I like to mix about one-fourth coconut fiber or coir with three—fourth Premier Promix soil (a commercial growing mix) with mychorizae added. I then add into that one tablespoon of the water-holding polymer crystals per 16-inch container.

"I then add Osmocote, a slow-release fertilizer. I put two tablespoons of 14-14-14 per container and mix it in. Every two months I then add more Osmocote to keep the plants growing well," he said.

Water is another important part of growing plants in containers and keeping them looking good. "We water every day. As the season goes on, the pots get so root-bound, and that sucks the water heavily from the soil."

Deadheading is also an important part of container maintenance. Deadheading — or taking off the old flowers — is critical. If plants are not deadheaded, they stop blooming. Plants bloom to produce seeds, and once they set seeds, they stop flowering. Removing the old flowers keeps them blooming because they keep trying to produce seeds.

If you would like to learn more about Coleman's plant choices and methods, attend Red Butte's plant sale and let the staff help you create one of your own. They will have a potting station with a huge selection of great flowering plants.

Coleman points out that the sale will be in a different location this year. It will be held at Cottam's Grove.

"Not a lot of people go there, and it is a spectacular, incredible place," Coleman said.

"Our plant sale helps support the gardens and their mission. It is a great time to get great perennials, or water-wise plants. There is a huge selection this year of heirloom tomatoes and many other vegetables. There will be something for everyone," he said.