No space to garden? Try containers

  October is a good time for planting flowers, vegetables and herbs in Yuma.

  For those of you who don't have room for a garden in your yard, container gardening is the answer. You can choose the size and color of the pots you wish to use that will best fit the needs of your patio.

  When thinking of purchasing pots, glazed pots are better than unglazed ones because they will retain moisture longer. However, the larger the glazed pot, the heavier it becomes. An answer to this problem is to purchase Styrofoam pots which look like ceramic pots but are much lighter in weight.

  Be sure to check for a drainage hole in the pots you purchase. All plants need adequate drainage if they are to grow well. Do not use a pot with no drainage hole.

  Once you have purchased your pots, purchase potting soil. There are a variety of soils to choose from. I like ones with fertilizer already in the soil.

  A good potting soil will have a mixture of peat moss, perlite, fertilizer, and soil. The peat moss and perlite will keep the soil light so that the plants' roots can easily grow downward. The fertilizer in the soil mix will allow you to not worry about fertilizing the plants during their growing season.

  Next on your list to purchase are flowers, herbs or vegetables. Visiting your local nursery or home center will give you a large variety of plants to choose from. Pick your favorite colors of flowering plants and your favorite herbs and vegetables.

  Yuma is in Zone 9, so check the labels of the plants to make sure they will survive in Zone 9 weather. Petunias, marigolds, alyssum, stock and snapdragons are favorite flowers to grow in containers. Basil, oregano, rosemary and chives are good herbs to plant.

  Tomatoes of all varieties are the favorite vegetable to grow. Nothing beats the taste of a home-grown tomato!

  If your container is large enough, you can even plant a shrub or dwarf tree. If you are interested in growing cacti, use a cactus soil mix instead of potting soil.

  When it comes time to plant, cover the drainage hole in the bottom of each pot with gravel, a broken piece of terra cotta pot or a piece of wood. By doing this you are slowing the drainage of water from the pot and allowing the plants to absorb plenty of water. After covering the drainage hole, fill the pot almost to the top with potting soil.

  Next, lift your plants from their pots and check their root systems. If the roots are tangled around the soil in the pot, gently untangle the roots before placing them in your container.

  Your plants need to be high enough in the pot so they can be seen easily, so fill your pots with sufficient soil. Dig holes in the soil for each plant, place your plants in the holes, and lightly tamp the soil around them.

  Arrange your plants as you wish, remembering they will grow and become much larger over time. Don't place too many plants in one pot.

  When you are done planting, water your plants. Feel the soil for dampness to help you decide when to water the plants again. Overwatering will kill plants as easily as underwatering, so be careful.

  In Yuma's cool fall and winter months, your containers of plants can stand full sunlight with no problems. As it becomes hotter during the spring and summer, most container gardens will have to be moved to a shady area so they don't dry out so rapidly.

  I hope you have success with your container gardening and have pots full of beautiful plants to enjoy this year. Perhaps you can enter some of them in the Yuma Garden Club's Flower Show at the Yuma County Fair.

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Georgia Bolton is a member of Yuma Garden Club.