Ask anyone with a green thumb — container gardening is all the rage these days. This April 14 is National Gardening Day and we’re raising our trowels in salute — taking a closer look at this growing trend. Grab your gardening gloves and let’s dig in.
Container gardening & Offerpad: two peas in a pod
Turns out container gardening has a lot in common with Offerpad — it’s all about freedom. Container gardening is the practice of growing plants exclusively in containers as opposed to planting them in the ground. What makes this unconventional approach so popular is the freedom and versatility it provides — plants are portable and easy to move, giving gardeners more control over their domain in the process. Want to move your plants to a sunnier area? Change it up. Whether we’re indoor plants or backyard gardens, that kind of independence just makes life better!
Just like Offerpad, container gardening is designed to be low-maintenance. Our modern approach to buying and selling homes helps eliminate the hassles associated with traditional real estate — container gardening has a similar effect in terms of gardening. You don’t need to be an expert in gardening to get started — container gardening is a simple process, perfect for anyone just starting out. You’ll also spend less time fending off weeds while cultivating your crops, giving you more time to enjoy your garden.
Finally — just like Offerpad — container gardening gives you the ability to be creative and think outside the box. Maybe you don’t see yourself living in just ‘any’ home; perhaps you always saw yourself living in a ranch-style home with a pool — we’ve got your back there. Maybe you don’t see your plants growing in just ‘any’ container; perhaps you envision a vibrant bouquet of lavender growing out of a rustic wheelbarrow — container gardening has you covered. Just because you’re sowing down roots doesn’t mean you’re tethered to a singular way of life — let your imagination be bold!
Getting started with container gardening
Step 1: Choose your plants
The type of plant you grow will generally determine the type of container you’ll need — deciding what you want to grow is a good place to start. Check out the next section of this post for some great options for your containers — the sources within each section provide in-depth info on the containers/conditions you’ll need for cultivating your crops.
After you’ve narrowed down your choices, visit your closest gardening center and purchase the necessary seeds. The staff can tell you exactly how much you need for your garden and provide the necessary soil.
Step 2: Choose your containers
While this is a chance for you to be creative, make sure you’re giving your plants the best chance to reach their potential with the right container. Here are a few considerations when narrowing down your choices:
- Square, circular and rectangular containers generally require less watering
- Wooden planter boxes are great for growing vegetables, resisting heat while retaining moisture
- Lighter colored containers work better to reflect light, helping to retain moisture better
- Solid container colors help your more vibrant crops pop more — busy patterns can distract
- Plastic containers make a great budget option
For more info on choosing a container, visit Grow It Organically.
Step 3: Get planting
Ready to get your hands dirty? Time to start digging in.
What plants work best for container gardening?
According to Country Living, here are some of the best options for container gardening…
- Coral Bells
- Begonias
- Angelonia
- Coleus
- Euphorbia
- Ornamental Pepper
- Nemesia
- Hydrangea
- Roses
- Pansies and Violas
Looking to incorporate some of your crops in the kitchen? Almanac provides a list of some of the best vegetables to grow with container gardening…
- Bean Snaps
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Lettuce
- Onions
- Peppers
- Radishes
Or, for those looking to enjoy the fruits of their labor, Morning Chores has a list of the best fruits for container gardening…
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Figs
- Tomatoes
- Currants
- Fruit trees
Succulent container gardening
Of course, succulents are a popular plant throughout all times of the year. Here to weigh in on cultivating your own succulents is one of Offerpad’s resident gardeners, Mike H from Customer Success team.
“People say succulents are among the easiest plants to grow because they require the least amount of watering, but what they fail to mention is that succulents probably take the most planning to make sure your container or assembly is ready to support a plant that is used to drought conditions.
The first step to a happy succulent is making sure it is planted in a well-draining pot with well-draining soil so you can fully saturate the soil to mimic a monsoon, then let it completely dry out to mimic a drought and repeat when the soil is bone dry or starts to shrink away from the inside of the pot. That is your sign that your succulent is thirsty and when in doubt, wait another day to water.
Soils high in perlite allow better drainage than your typical potting mix so is on the lookout for specialty succulent or cactus soil. Pro Tip: Miracle Grow sells an orange bag of specialty succulent and cactus soil that will fill a few pots and if your pot is lacking in drainage, get a ceramic bit for your drill and put a few more holes in the bottom.”
Happy harvesting from your friends at Offerpad!
Just like Offerpad, container gardening adds a new spin on a traditional practice — delighting people in the process. If you’ve always dreamed of owning your own home with a beautiful backyard and garden, Offerpad can help turn it into a reality. Contact us to learn more about our modern approach to buying and selling homes today and start making the most of National Gardening Day every year. Happy harvesting, green thumbs!