CONTAINERS FOR ALL SEASONS

Having talked last week on extending the life of hanging baskets and containers by using some permanent planting and, coupled with the fact that I won a tray of brightly colour primulas in a raffle, made me look further into the practicalities of long term planting. As previously said it is important to choose really slow-growing plants. If I was starting with a new container my choice would be dwarf conifers and perhaps some ivy. The conifers give height and structure to arrangements (but it is important to make sure that they never dry out) and the ivy can be encouraged to trail down. Having chosen a container that will survive anything that the winter can throw at it fill it with soil based compost as this should retain essential nutrients more successfully. When planting add some slow release fertilizer to the mix and top up every spring. An easy way to get nutrients to the roots is to make holes in the compost with a pencil and trickle the fertilizer down. Even in cold weather the containers are likely to need watering from time to time. This is just as important in the winter as in the spring and summer as once out of the ground plants are totally dependant on us for water. The pots will be safer raised on special pot feet or bricks to prevent waterlogging. Don’t feed after late summer as this will encourage new, soft growth which is easily damaged or even killed by frost. Earlier this year I planted four fruit trees in large containers and these have been used as the basis for semi-permanent displays. Various bulbs have been put in, mainly after they have finished flowering indoors, so there is already a mixture of crocus, hyacinth, miniature daffodils and muscari. Apart from one container situated in a really sheltered corner of my courtyard all the summer bedding has been discarded and they are now waiting to be the home for some winter colour. As the primulas are so colourful I won’t mix them with any other flowering plants but will probably tuck in a few more small bulbs to add some interest next spring.

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