Container Gardening For Dummies. 2 edition

347 Pages·2010·9.49 MB·English

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Gardening/Container
The easy way to get a green thumb Making Everything Easier!™ 2nd Edition
in container gardening!
2nd Edition
Want to spruce up your indoor or outdoor space with annuals, C Container
perennials, vegetables, and succulents? This updated edition Open the book and find:
o
of Container Gardening For Dummies gives you clear, concise
(cid:127) Things you need to know before
step-by-step instructions for cultivating delightful gardens in n
planting
etov earny tohldin wg afrtoemrin ag rceadnw. Iot oadls ow iinncdlouwde bs ocxo ltoor ap hhaontogsin tgo binasspkieret (cid:127) A quick primer on climate ta Ga rdening
your designs. (cid:127) What to look for in a soil mix i
n
(cid:127) How to work with perennials and
(cid:127) Getting the dirt on container gardening — discover the advan- e
annuals
tages of growing plants in containers and learn how to maximize r
your garden conditions to help plants thrive (cid:127) Information you need to help you
G
choose plants
(cid:127) Picking a pot to plant in — take a look around your living space
a
and determine the best location and type of container for your
(cid:127) Why and when containers need
garden water and fertilizer r
d
(cid:127) Enjoying a summer fling — get the lowdown on the best single-
(cid:127) Guidance on replanting,
season flowers, vegetables, and bulbs for container growing e
repotting, and pruning
n
(cid:127) Putting down roots — find out which perennials, trees, shrubs,
(cid:127) Tips for preventing insect pests
fruits, and berries give year-round impact i
and diseases
n
(cid:127) Designing and decorating —take advantage of ideas and inspiration
(cid:127) Ways to liven up your space with g
for creating eye-catching container gardening displays
trees, shrubs, and vines
Learn to:
(cid:127) Choose, plant, and care for flowers, fruits,
Go to Dummies.com® trees, and shrubs
for videos, step-by-step examples,
how-to articles, or to shop! (cid:127) Grow vegetables and herbs just steps
away from your kitchen
(cid:127) Cultivate charming gardens in any
climate
(cid:127) Prevent insects and diseases from
invading containers the eco-friendly way
$19.99 US / $23.99 CN / £14.99 UK
Bill Markenis the author of the first edition of Container Gardening For ISBN 978-0-470-57705-9
Dummies. Suzanne DeJohn is an editor with the National Gardening Bill Marken
Association, the leading garden-based educational nonprofit organiza- Marken Suzanne DeJohn
tion in the United States. NGA’s programs and initiatives highlight the DeJohn
The Editors of the National
opportunities for plant-based education in schools, communities, and National
Gardening
Gardening Association
backyards across the country. Association
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Get More and Do More at Dummies.com
®
2nd Edition
Start with FREE Cheat Sheets
2nd Edition
Cheat Sheets include
(cid:127) Checklists
(cid:127) Charts
(cid:127)Common Instructions
(cid:127)And Other Good Stuff!
To access the Cheat Sheet created specifically for this book, go to
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Container Gardening
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
2
ND EDITION
by Bill Marken, Suzanne DeJohn, and
The Editors of the
National Gardening Association
Container Gardening For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2009942824
ISBN: 978-0-470-57705-9
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Authors
Suzanne DeJohn loves plants, botany, and nature. She’s worn a variety of hats
in her 13 years at the National Gardening Association (NGA), including working
in the education, editorial, and IT departments. She coordinated NGA’s online
question-and-answer service and has answered thousands of gardening ques-
tions, giving her insight into just what information people are looking for. She’s
also written more than 200 columns on environmentally friendly food and
fl ower gardening for NGA’s Regional Reports, a biweekly online publication
and eNewsletter. Convinced that gardeners are curious and love to learn, she
created the Exploring the Garden series of in-depth, online courses that teach
the principles of botany in the context of the garden.
Suzanne’s varied background also includes a BS in geology from Tufts;
university courses in botany, soils, and plant pathology; a stint as a research
technician in plant pathology; and several years as a self-employed artist and
graphic designer. She’s worked on a landscape crew, an organic farm, and spent
several years as a cook at a natural foods store. The common themes running
through these seemingly disparate vocations are plants, beauty, nature, and
healthy food. In addition to her writing and other work at NGA, she and her
husband recently opened a small, pet-friendly B&B in Cambridge, Vermont.
Bill Marken is an editor and writer who lives in the San Francisco Bay area.
He served as editor in chief of Sunset, the Magazine of Western Living, for 15
years. In his career with Sunset, he also worked as a writer for the magazine’s
garden section, pitched in on several editions of the best-selling Western
Garden Book, and generally nurtured his interest in subjects related to
gardening, landscaping, travel, and other aspects of the good life in the
western United States. He is also the founding editor of Rebecca’s Garden
magazine and has served on the board of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, the
major watchdog of the threatened lake.
The National Gardening Association (NGA) is committed to sustaining
and renewing the fundamental links between people, plants, and the earth.
Founded in 1972 as “Gardens for All” to spearhead the community garden
movement, today’s NGA promotes environmental responsibility, advances
multidisciplinary learning and scientifi c literacy, and creates partnerships
that restore and enhance communities.
NGA is best known for its garden-based curricula, educational journals,
international initiatives, and several youth garden grant programs. Together,
these reach more than 300,000 children nationwide each year. NGA’s Web
sites, one for home gardeners and another for those who garden with kids,
build community and offer a wealth of custom content.
To fi nd out more about the National Gardening Association, write
to 1100 Dorset St., South Burlington, VT 05403, or visit its Web site at
www.garden.org or www.kidsgardening.org.

Dedication
Suzanne dedicates this book to her husband, Dale Lane. “Your energy,
encouragement, and enthusiasm make everything I do easier and better.
Thank you.”
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank author Bill Marken for providing so much sound,
in-depth information in the fi rst edition of Container Gardening For Dummies.
I’m grateful to Charlie Nardozzi for helping out with the writing and editing,
especially when deadlines were looming. A round of applause goes to Wiley
project editor Vicki Adang and copy editor Christy Pingleton for asking the
right questions, helping refi ne text, and livening up sections that sorely
needed it. My appreciation also goes to technical editor Marie Iannotti for
keeping me on my toes. Thank you, Stacy Kennedy, for getting the project
going. And fi nally, thank you to the National Gardening Association for giving
me the opportunity and time to work on this project.
—Suzanne DeJohn
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com.
For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974,
outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Composition Services
Development
Project Coordinator: Sheree Montgomery
Project Editor: Victoria M. Adang
Layout and Graphics: Joyce Haughey
(Previous Edition: Tim Gallan)
Special Art: Ron Hildebrand
Acquisitions Editor: Stacy Kennedy
Proofreader: Evelyn C. Gibson
Copy Editors: Caitlin Copple,
Christine Pingleton Indexer: Cheryl Duksta
(Previous Edition: Linda Stark)
Assistant Editor: Erin Calligan Mooney
Editorial Program Coordinator: Joe Niesen
Technical Editor: Marie Iannotti
Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker
Editorial Assistant: Jennette ElNaggar
Art Coordinator: Alicia B. South
Cover Photos: iStock
Cartoons: Rich Tennant
(www.the5thwave.com)
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies
Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies
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Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User
Composition Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Contents at a Glance
Introduction ................................................................ 1
Part I: Getting Started with Container Gardening ........... 5
Chapter 1: Why Grow Plants in Containers? ..................................................................7
Chapter 2: Considering Climate .....................................................................................17
Chapter 3: Choosing a Pot to Plant In ...........................................................................27
Chapter 4: Getting the Dirt on Soil Mixes .....................................................................41
Chapter 5: Putting It All Together: Planting Your Container Garden ........................51
Part II: Enjoying a Summer Fling
with Single-Season Containers .................................... 69
Chapter 6: A Short but Sweet Relationship with Annuals ..........................................71
Chapter 7: Adding Pizzazz with Colorful Annual Flowers ..........................................77
Chapter 8: Plant, Pick, Eat: Vegetables and Herbs ......................................................91
Chapter 9: Bulbs to Brighten Your Space ...................................................................105
Part III: In It for the Long Haul:
Permanent Plantings ................................................ 117
Chapter 10: Pondering Permanent Plantings .............................................................119
Chapter 11: Picking and Potting Perennials ...............................................................127
Chapter 12: Sprucing Up Your Space with Trees, Shrubs, and Vines .....................141
Chapter 13: Nurturing Fruits and Berries ...................................................................159
Chapter 14: Indoor Container Gardening....................................................................173
Part IV: Keeping Your Plants Healthy ....................... 187
Chapter 15: Quenching Your Plants’ Thirst ...............................................................189
Chapter 16: Food for Thought: Fertilizing Your Plants .............................................201
Chapter 17: Repotting Plants and Caring for the Containers They Call Home ......209
Chapter 18: When Bad Things Happen: Pests and Diseases ....................................221
Part V: Designing and Decorating ............................. 245
Chapter 19: Creating Eye-Catching Container Gardens ............................................247
Chapter 20: Cultivating Specialty Plants in Containers ............................................267
Part VI: The Part of Tens .......................................... 281
Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Make Gardening More Accessible....................................283
Chapter 22: Ten-Plus Categories of Plants for Special Situations ............................287
Appendix: Additional Resources ................................ 293
Index ...................................................................... 299