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Winter Container Gardening
from: Lawn and Garden MagicMost peoples’ biggest complaint about the cold winter months, besides the frigid temperatures, is that the overall appearance is drab and depressing. Despite the colorful holiday displays, November through February are truly uninspiring in terms of natural color and plant life. Believe it or not, it is possible to display a lovely winter garden. Winter container gardening is a beautiful accent to the front of a home or an adornment on a patio or deck. All you need is to know some of the basics to take advantage of this unique growing season.
In most container gardening any type of container you wish to use is perfect. Winter container gardening containers need to be handled a little differently. You need to choose a pot that is frost proof. Terra cotta and ceramic aren’t usually good choices as both are prone to crumble in extremely cold conditions. Wood, metal, and resin pots work beautifully for this type of gardening. Like with any container, make sure it has a drainage hole in the bottom.
Once you have your temperature appropriate container ready to go it’s time to add the soil. Choose a soil mix that contains sphagnum moss and peat. Due to the dry conditions of winter, extra moisture is a must in winter container gardening. Many experts also recommend adding water retaining polymer granules to the soil mix. Fill the soil to the top of the container and get ready to plant.
Here comes the truly inspiring part. Planting winter friendly plants isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Use an ornamental cabbage as the focal point of the display. The next step is to place smaller plants around the cabbage. Variegated sage looks beautiful as does acorus grass and ornamental chard. Your local nursery will probably carry these plants starting in the fall months. Pansies are a lovely addition and do quite well in winter container gardening. They are known for their ability to bounce back after a hard freeze and add much needed color to the display. Ivy is a good plant to use for its graceful effect. It softens the look of the container by trailing elegantly over the sides.
Winter container gardening is well worth the time and effort that goes into it. It adds a splash of color in an otherwise drab environment and serves as a reminder to all that see it, that spring will eventually be here. The ornamental cabbage and chard can even be a part of your holiday table decorations. Winter gardening adds much needed warmth and appeal to the cold winter months.
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