Flower Shops to Help Start Your Container Garden

Flower Shops to Help Start Your Container Garden   by Andrew Stratton

Flower shops or garden centers are a good place to find the flowers you want for your garden. Whether you have plenty of room or only have an apartment balcony for your plants, container gardens are a good way to enjoy what nature has to offer. You can find a wide variety of plants at your garden center, whether you want annuals or perennials, seeds or seedlings. If you're planning to use containers, the place to start is actually with the soil, not the plants. Experienced gardeners often suggest you choose soil marked "professional," because even though it costs a bit more, it's worth it for the extra nutrients and quality. The soil in your container needs to hold some water but not so much that it damages the plant's roots, and should also pass the proper amount of nutrients through. When you buy professionally blended soil, you're getting the pH balance and nutrients necessary to give your container garden a good start.

When choosing plants for your container garden, see what the flower shops have to offer. Take location into consideration, because how much light your container will or will not get has an impact on the flowers inside. Some flowers, like impatiens, respond to shade, will many prefer direct sunlight. And in addition to being careful about how much sun your plants get, consider whether or not they can live in harmony with one another. For example, licorice plant, verbena, and salvia tend to do well together, and they all love full sunlight. But plants like mint need their own containers because they spread out and take over, which means if you planted them in open soil they'd spread as far as you let them. Taking the time to research the plants you want to grow is wise because it helps you avoid disappointment and lost plants due to improper light or overcrowding.

Lastly, you need to consider how best to care for your container garden. Flower shops provide a variety of nutrients and fertilizers, and many are custom-made for potted plants. There are liquid options as well as solid stakes that slowly break down as the plants are watered, and both have benefits. Of course, how often you water your flowers makes a difference, too. If you choose varieties that flourish in direct sunlight, they may need watering twice a day during the hottest parts of summer. Conversely, shade-loving flowers won't need water more than once a day and sometimes you can even skip days. This is where research comes into play again because you need to know what the flowers you chose need specifically. If you use soil with polymers in it that retain moisture, you won't have to worry as much about frequent watering. Whatever flowers you choose, take full advantage of the supplies your flower shops carry. With the right care your container garden will blossom and flourish all summer long.

About the Author:

Visit flower shops in Grand Rapids, MI and Flowerland to start gathering supplies for your summer garden. See what the shop here has to offer: http://myflowerland.com.