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Lush looking containers
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No-fail techniques for planting a mixed container
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By Beckie Fox; Photography by Bonnie Summerfeldt
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After teaching a number of workshops over the years on planting containers, I've noticed that even experienced gardeners may hesitate when faced with an empty pot, various plants with different-sized root balls and a bag of potting soil. "Where to begin?" they ask. Here's a step-by-step approach to planting a mixed container.
Preplanning
There's nothing worse than getting elbow-deep in soil and realizing you don't have enough plants or potting mix to finish, so be generous with both. Leftover bags of soil can always be resealed and used another time. With surplus plants, find space in the garden or save them in other pots for replacements.
Decide where the finished container will go. If you won't be able to easily move it after it's filled, position it in its final location right away. Water plants a few hours before beginning; an evenly moist root ball is less likely to break apart and is easier to remove from its pot. The container mix should be uniformly moist, too, making it less dusty and easier to work with.
Filling the pot
Place a piece of plastic window screening over the drainage holes to allow excess water to run freely. As a guide, take the plant with the largest root ball and add enough soil to the pot to raise the top of the root ball to a few centimetres below the rim. As you fill the container with soil, gently press down to remove air pockets, but not so hard that you'll impede the flow of water and air around plant roots.
Positioning and planting
Arrange the plants, while still in their pots or cell packs, on top of the soil. Check the spacing and positioning, keeping in mind the angles the container will be viewed from. Once you're pleased with the composition, set plants aside.
Starting with the focal point (usually the largest or tallest plant), place the stem or stems between your index and middle fingers, with your palm covering the soil surface. Turn the plant upside down, gently cradling the top of the root ball in your hand. Rap the rim of its pot on the edge of a table or whack the bottom with a trowel handle. Either action should loosen the specimen so it slips out intact. For cell packs, simply push and pinch from the bottom - the plant should pop out easily. Never remove a plant by pulling on its stem.
Click here to read more tips on container gardening.
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