The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

15 Basic Ways To Landscape Your Homepage

These containers are as important to the decoration of your rooms as to the plants they hold. Types range from the familiar terra-cotta flower pots through countless sizes, shapes and colors of pottery, wooden, metal and plastic holders.

Choose containers which do not detract from the plants and which harmonize with your room furnishings. All containers must have adequate drainage which you can insure by placing bits of broken pottery, gravel, cinders or pebbles in the bottom. Saucers used under pots should be waterproof.

A prepared planter mix, which is formulated for indoor gardens, generally makes the best soil medium for plants. This can be purchased at most nurseries. If you prefer to mix your soil a good general purpose combination consists of 3/4 loam and 1/4 organic matter. Thoroughly mix together and handle over from time to time until all the organic matter is completely disintegrated. A little sand may be added if the texture seems too heavy. Small amounts of charcoal will help to keep the soil sweet.

Planter soil mixtures should be thoroughly saturated and excess moisture squeezed out before starting to plant. Leave sufficient moisture in the soil so it will be easy to work. After planting, add a little water to firm the soil around new plant roots.

Choose containers for all potted plants that are large enough to allow the roots to be planted without crowding. Cleanse old pots thoroughly and wash and dry new ones before using them. Place drainage material in the bottom and set the plant's main stem directly in the center of the container. Fill it with soil, (inning gently and carefully, tamping about the roots. The soil level, after settling, should be about a half inch below the rim to facilitate watering.

Established plants need to be repotted in the next larger size container at intervals determined by their rate of growth. Repotting is required when the earth ball of the plant has a number of fine roots on the outside of it, and these roots are being crowded against sides of the container. Plants not ready to be repotted should occasionally have a little fresh topsoil added to the pot.

When planting a container which will hold a number of specimens, line the plants up in the planter before planting; then shift them about until you get the desired effect. Plant the larger specimens first and the smaller ones last.