Among the popular gardening trends of the past few years is a renewed interest in gardening plants in areas besides the garden. Although this may seem like an oxymoron, planting plants in containers is a historic pastime. It is hard to imagine the first container gardens, but certainly the Egyptians, Babylonians and others planted extensive container gardens.

Romans used terra cotta vessels like our present-day clay pots to grow outstanding container displays, and in royal gardens of Europe, elaborate container plantings graced the palace grounds. Today's interest is spurred by many new horticultural developments including the following:

While virtually any container is adaptable to plants, the advent of lightweight, attractive and durable pots makes it easier to grow plants in containers. Any garden center carries myriad styles, sizes and colors of pots. They are usually frost-proof, they are less likely to break while being handled, and, best of all, moving them does not mean several visits to the chiropractor.

The second important improvement for growing plants is artificial soils. These soil-less mixes or peat-based soils are lightweight, and they have excellent water and air drainage. They are also free of harmful pests including insects, diseases and weeds, so they are good growing mediums for producing superb plants.

The final development are the wonderful new plants to add to existing plants to make showy, long-blooming containers for any growing area.

While you might buy a container or two for you own garden, Tony Latimer, a garden manager at Thanksgiving Gardens at Thanksgiving Point, grows several hundred containers to decorate the gardens each season. His greenhouse expertise and his outdoor gardening experience combine to give him the knowledge to create and grow outstanding color displays to decorate pathways and other garden areas.

His first advice is to address the horticultural aspects of growing. He uses a variety of sizes and shapes of pots, but they all have four common characteristics. First, they are lightweight, because he and his crew have to move them to various locations in the gardens. If they have large cast iron or concrete planters, they grow the plants in other containers and then slip them inside the heavy, unwieldy containers.

Second, all of the containers have holes so they drain well. Plant roots need oxygen, and the quickest way to kill container plants is for them to sit in water. Adequate drainage is essential for all container plantings.

Third, he uses artificial or soil-less mixes. Latimer buys large quantities of a commercial mix that is basically one-third peat moss, one-third vermiculite and one-third perlite. The mix is free of pathogens and drains freely so there are no problems with root rot or overwatering.

The final criterion is to avoid dark, black pots unless they are going into another container. Black pots may get too hot, so unless you are trying to grow steamed plant roots, select a lighter-colored container.

Latimer also cautions against growing plants in containers that are too small. "We try to have all of our containers hold several gallons of media so they do not dry out too quickly. We prefer containers that are at least 16 inches in diameter so they do not dry out in the heat," he said.

He offered additional advice for gardeners who want to try the water-holding polymers that are included in some kinds of growing media. "We are using them in most of our hanging baskets because they do not have as much soil and the plants get very large. They seem to make the planters more durable and they do not dry out as quickly," he said.

Because the plants are large and he doesn't want them to bloom profusely, he includes slow-release Osmocote in their pots. (Note: Osmocote is a slow-release fertilizer available at most local nurseries.) "We also fertilize them every time we water, and that gives us good growth and keeps the plants blooming," he said.

Some of the greatest improvements for container plantings are the many new plants. Many new plants and an abundance of exciting new cultivars are some of the best performers in containers. Many are specially selected to trail over the side of the pot with masses of blooms in a myriad of colors.

Latimer advises that you decide where you want to grow the container and select the plants accordingly. Some plants work well in shaded, protected areas, and others work best in full sun.

Some of his favorite container plants for shade are the coleus, including many of the sun coleus, many kinds of begonias and the "Firefly" impatiens. For full sun, he has many other favorites. "I like the 'Babylon' verbena and the 'Symphony' African daisies or osteospurmum. These new varieties of African daisy are much larger and much showier than the older types."

Other of his favorites included in this year's offering at the gardens are "Twilight Blue Sparks" verbena, Superbena, "Pink Shades" verbena, Safari "Pink" Nemesia and the Diascia hybrids. For some trailing plants, try the ornamental sweet potatoes or Ipomea. The lime-green variety is "Marguerite" and the dark-purple, black-colored variety is "Blackie."

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This list of exciting plants adds more types each season. Start with some taller flowers for the center of your containers and fill in with some medium plats around those. Finally, add some trailing varieties to cascade over the edges of the containers and you will end up with some of the most attractive plantings ever to grace your garden.

Latimer's final advice is "You have to keep care of them for the entire summer. Many people plant them or purchase them in the spring and they look good, but then they become overgrown and straggly. Cut them back," he said.


Listen to Larry Sagers on the KSL Radio "Greenhouse Show" Saturday mornings beginning at 8 a.m.


Larry A. Sagers is the regional horticulturist, Utah State University Extension, at Thanksgiving Point.

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