What is the Difference Between A Container Garden and Planting in the Ground?

Should you use containers to grow plants or sow them directly into the ground? That question is one of the most common questions we hear, and inside this newsletter, we give you our answers. 

With in-ground gardening, you start with the soil that is already there. It might be perfect soil, or maybe it’s too sandy or contains too much clay. The bottom line is that you can amend it to create an ideal growing environment. With a container garden, you are starting fresh, and that is mostly a good thing, especially if you are working with plants that need a specific type of soil. What this means is that you can choose particular soil products that set up the container to be successful right out of the gate. 

An in-ground garden is usually full of native micro-organisms. Native critters are wonderful because they have a positive relationship with the local ecology. They fit into the temperature zones, they deal with the low-water environment, and most have a healthy balance within their communities. What this means is that the support system the micro-organisms provide is healthy throughout the season when those micro-organisms are native. That does not mean you should not amend the soil with a micro-organism-rich soil type or even us a tea that has beneficial biota in it. 

 

For container gardens, it is easy to start on the right foot if you choose soil that has beneficial biota in it. Biota means organisms or life. An excellent example of a soil product that has beneficial biota in it is FoxFarm’s Happy Frog Potting Soil, which is full of healthy bits for your plants, including soil microbes. Good soil health helps your plants by providing a stable environment that encourages healthy roots, soil nutrient uptake, and absorbent materials that hold water when your plants need it without allowing the soil to be soggy. 

 

Black and Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil is another option. Like the Happy Frog blend by FoxFarms, this product is rich in soil science, and it, too, has beneficial microbes. Green Thumb Nursery carries a wide array of soils that contain beneficial bacteria. We also have products that are easy to use and amend garden soil or the soil in containers. One such brand is Malibu Compost’s Bu’s Teas. Each tea offers soil-science design that is chock-full of beneficial organisms.  You make up the tea by adding water and stirring and then applying the solution to the ground around your plants. Be sure to talk with our garden experts about products that fit your growing projects. 

In-ground gardens can have a mixture of soil types. Some may have too much sad and be dry. Others may have too much clay and be boggy. Still, some may have too much compost and be too rich for plants. The goal is always to build the soil to meet the needs of the plants which will grow there. An excellent example of this is the beautiful hydrangea. If you want pink blossoms, you raise the soil acidity above 5.5, and if you want blue blooms, then you lower the soil acidity to 5.5 or lower. A little trick to affect the bloom color of hydrangea is to fill 1/2 of the planting hole with the soil that has a pH of 5.5 or lower and the other half with soil that has a pH above 5.5. What generally happens is that the plant produces pink and blue flowers and sometimes purple flowers too. 

 

Containers tend to dry out faster than will garden soil because of the difference in soil layers in the ground. Because a container is above ground, many things occur to cause the soil to lose moisture. One reason for that is exposure. The sides of the container receive exposure from the sun ad wind.  In the case of the sun, it means an increase in evaporation. Also, a container only holds so much water. Every second of the day, gravity is working to push water down to the bottom of the container.

 

For both garden soil and container gardens, you can amend the soil with products that help the soil to hold more water. An excellent example of this is FoxFarm’s Salamander soil, which has organic wetting agents, such as coconut fiber, to help maintain water in the soil. What this does is to help plants have access to water during the hottest parts of the day. It also allows the plants to use the water in the container to recover on hot days. Plants shed water by the process of transpiration, and they need to replace that water when the temperatures cool down. 

The answer comes down to what you are planting, how often you can water and care for the soil and plants, and the type of soil that is around your yard. For native plants, the local soil is probably great. For non-native plants, you should focus on creating a soil environment that suits the plants. It is almost easier to consider a container garden as an artificial environment. 

 

Learn more about successful gardening and container gardening by stopping by one of our five Southern California locations. Our garden experts are happy to answer your questions, discuss products, and offer recommendations about plant selection. If you are hunting for a specific plant or product, give us a call first. We will check our in-stock inventory and let you know if that product or plant is available. Our nursery inventory changes daily. You can also visit us online or send us an email. 

 

 

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