Potted Plants on the Job

Container gardening is becoming more and more popular every year. And did you know that some plants actually perform better when planted that way? It's true! Plus, here are five more great reasons to give plants in pots a shot:

The Right Soil. You can amend the potting mix to suit the needs of any potted plant—which is not always possible to do in your outdoor garden.

Protection. Plants in containers are safe from most of the soil-borne pests and diseases that thrive in open ground.

Boundaries. Some plants can take over an entire garden in a single season when planted in the ground. Pots or planter boxes will help to restrict their growth safely.

Weather. Containers enable you to grow plants that could never survive in your in-ground garden. When the weather turns too hot or too cold, all you need to do is whisk both plant and pot indoors.

Visual Appeal. No matter how well you tend to your garden, you will be faced with empty spots now and then. When your garden starts to look sparse, just liven up your scene with potted annuals or bulbs!

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That is NOT your litter box!

All across the country these days, more and more folks are doing their gardening in containers. And judging from the letters in my mailbag, the vast majority of them share a common problem: cats that mistake the big pots for their own personal bathrooms. Well, here are four ways to say, “Take your potty break elsewhere!”:

Plant low-growing groundcovers around the base of your potted trees and shrubs. You’ll spiff up the container scheme and keep Fluffy out at the same time.

Saturate cotton balls in lemon-oil furniture polish, and tuck them into the pots. Cats won’t like the smell one bit! One ball will work for a small container; for larger ones, use two or three.

Cover the soil surface with aluminum foil, and spread a thin layer of mulch on top. When Fluffy leaps into the pot to do her duty, the rustling sound and strange feel will make her hop right out again.

Lay prickly branches—like ones you’ve pruned from roses, bramble fruits, or sharp-needled evergreens—on the soil. It’s like posting a “Kitties Keep Out!” sign.