Container planting can make you feel like you did something

Are you like me? Can you kill an air plant? Or cacti? Do your houseplants visibly shift away from you as you approach?

I realized I equate “container” planting with death. That doesn’t have to be!

Did it start for you with a gift from a friend? Talking with one of your local plant ”gurus”? My love of container gardening recently started with a few bell pepper plants from my mom already blooming/fruiting. My mom who has a green thumb. Growing stuff is easy peasy for her.

Me -- not so much. One thing that missed the train when I was headed for my earthly entrance.

I may have the equivalent of a green freckle when it comes to growing houseplants, especially. Edible and medicinal plants I’m pretty good at keeping alive, though. The key there may be that those green babies are outside, in the ground. They get occasional dew and rain and can soak up water from below when I may not be as (ahem) attentive as I should be. If I can do it, so can you.

The biggest thing is making sure your plant is in a happy-sized pot. It’s the equivalent to being shoved into the spinning teacup ride at the fair with eight kids and three have impaired stomach control. Just don’t. And don’t do that to your plants. Anymore. 

I have been guilty of buying or receiving an oh-so-cute little teeny-tiny plant in a gorgeous teeny-tiny little pot, all to keep it in that teeny-tiny pot even when it’s passed through adolescence and moved into adulthood. And beyond. Don’t do that either. 

Plants love to stretch and giving them room to spread those important, lovely roots is imperative to happiness. Then there is making sure you know your variety of plant/veggie so that you give it the food, water and sunlight that it needs. I’m not actually telling you this -- you already know this stuff. I’m putting this down to get all accountable for my (in)actions. Thank you for reading and hopefully cheering me on.

I’m so glad to report that I’ve kept these bell pepper plants alive for several months, have separated and transplanted two of them to roomy pots and they’re still producing! I bring my mom to my back deck every time she comes over, yearning for and excitedly accepting her praise at changing my plant-neglectful ways. Please keep in mind that I’m in my 40s and still look to my mom for advice on this and all the things as she lovingly imparts what she can. This encouragement and gentle guidance has nourished a slowly-growing urge to keep using container pots not just for seasonal ornamentals but also for some of the medicinal and other herbs to keep close to the kitchen for use. Thanks, Mama.

Yes. 

Deep breath.

Like I said, if I can do it, you can too!!!