How to Customize Your Container Garden Arrangement

February 16, 2021 keisha.moore

Choosing a Theme

First, ask yourself, “What type of garden do I want?”

An Edible Garden might consist of vegetables, herbs, fruit, edible flowers. In this case, you might plant all the green beans your heart desires, possibly with plans to prepare and store for the fall and winter as well, or maybe you want fresh salad ingredients all spring and summer. Fresh and dried herbs are great for seasoning food, addition to salads, cocktails/mocktails, and garnish. Edible flowers might include pansies/violas, nasturtium, and marigolds, or possibly dried yarrow or lavender for teas to promote calm and healing, respectively.

An Ornamental Garden consists of varied greenery and flowers planted for a desired aesthetic effect. Let’s say you want to be surrounded by warm reds, oranges and yellows, so you select plants that would provide blooms and fruit of these colors, or maybe you prefer to view lush green stems and fronds.

You may decide to plant a Flower/Herb Garden, for cutting/bouquets, pollinator attraction, pest control, or a combination. Examples might include oregano and basil to deter insect pests, dill to attract swallow tail butterflies and deter pests that may munch on your peppers, or zinnia and sunflower varieties to cut for bouquets and to attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

A Combination Garden would combine any of the above, and is recommended if including fruits and vegetables.

Another consideration is selection of plants for their calming aromatic properties. In previous summers, I kept lavender and rosemary in planters on my porch for this very reason.

Creating a Garden Plan

Now that you have decided what type of garden space(s) you want to create, it’s time to start the planning. You must find out how much space you are working with, when and where to start sowing, and what resources do you already have in your own home. Here are some guidelines.

Calculate the dimensions of the area(s) you plan to dedicate to your garden. If you have very limited space or a solid vision of your desired layout, after measuring the area(s), I recommend selecting the planters/pots that you plan to use before moving to plant selection. For example, if you know that you want a large/medium round planter “here” or rectangular planters lining the perimeter of the deck or patio, “just so,” and you will narrow down plant choices to make this vision a reality, make your tentative planter selections now. If space is plentiful or you would rather have your plant selections determine which planters and layout you select, save this part for later. Either way, whenever you are ready, click here for a guide.

Determine what your hardiness zone is and the estimated first and last frost dates, so that you select plants that do well in your climate, and so that you can create a tentative planting schedule. You can discover your plant zone by visiting the USDA website. (*Read first before visiting: First enter your zip code in the search bar, and enable the search. Then click on the highlighted area on the map, before using the arrow in the upper right area of the small pop-window to locate your zone). Ready? To find your USDA planting zone, click here. To determine your estimated first and last frost date, click here.

Take inventory of potential pests (other than insects/bugs) near your garden area. Will your garden be vulnerable to rabbits, ground hogs, chipmunks, squirrels, birds, deer? In some cases, the answer to this question will be determined by which plants you choose. Knowing this in advance will help you prepare your space and plants for when it is time to direct sow your seeds or transplant seedlings outdoors.

Make a list of the plants you would like to include in your garden. While you can shop in-person at various nurseries or superstores, many online seed/plant stores allow you to determine whether plants of interest are compatible with your hardiness zones, list the height and spread of plants, recommended timing for indoor/outdoor sowing and transplanting, and allow you to peruse consumer reviews. All of these details can assist you in honing in on your plant selection, so that you have a variety of plants that can thrive in your outdoor space and region. *Pointer: Unless you are partial to a particular species or variety, select disease and heat/cold resistant (dependent upon which growing season you are planning for) when possible, when selecting seeds/seedlings.

Do your homework. Now that you know what you want to plant, let’s figure out which of those potential pests will be likely foes. Chipmunks are really cute to observe in nature, until they’re pinching off your sole strawberry or digging up all of your newly planted seeds. Then, suddenly you’re Mr. McGregor going after Peter Rabbit or guarding your garden like a sentry at the gate! If you’re not sure which critters might consider your garden selections a buffet, there are plenty of online resources that tell you what common pests exist for just about every plant. There are a variety of ways to combat pests, including companion planting (plant something that attracts an advantageous predator or deters specific pests), covers (floating row covers, sacks, netted or fine mesh pouches to cover fruit/vegetables), homemade or store-bought sprays, raised planters, fencing. Once you know what layout and spacing you want, review our “Prepared With the Full Arsenal” series posts to learn more about affordable products and methods I have used in the past.

Companion Planting

Companion planting, can provide a natural measure for pest control and often provides an additional resource (e.g., another edible garden item, pollinator attraction, plant support, shade, moisture retention, soil enrichment, flavor enhancement). Once you have decided which companion plants you wish to include, you’re ready to shop.

Seed and Plant Selection

There are typically numerous sales for winter and spring garden planning. Read the details regarding mature plant size. It an also be helpful to select options that are recommended for containers. There are numerous reputable online nurseries and garden supply stores. I often use Burpee or Johnny’s Seeds and have purchased seedlings at times from my local nurseries. If you choose to purchase seedlings rather than grow your own from seed, be mindful of the timing. If you purchase seedlings too soon, be prepared to keep them indoors and possibly transplant to larger pots before weather permits transplant outdoors, unless you have a proven greenhouse setup.