Container gardening or pot gardening/farming is the practice of growing plants, including edible plants, exclusively in

containers A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and transportation, including shipping. Things kept inside of a container are protected on several sides by being inside of its structure. The term ...

instead of planting them in the ground. A container in

gardening Gardening is the process of growing plants for their vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs, and appearances within a designated space. Gardens fulfill a wide assortment of purposes, notably the production of Aesthetics, aesthetically pleasing area ...

is a small, enclosed and usually portable object used for displaying live flowers or plants. It may take the form of a

pot Pot may refer to: Containers * Flowerpot, a container in which plants are cultivated * Pottery, ceramic containers made from clay * Cooking pot, a type of cookware * Pot, a beer glass Places * Ken Jones Aerodrome, IATA airport code POT * ...

box A box (plural: boxes) is a container with rigid sides used for the storage or transportation of its contents. Most boxes have flat, parallel, rectangular sides (typically rectangular prisms). Boxes can be very small (like a matchbox) or v ...

, tub, basket, tin, barrel or

hanging basket A hanging basket is a suspended container used for growing plants. The purpose of hanging baskets in ornamental horticulture is to display plants suspended in the air to add to the aesthetics of the environment. Hanging baskets can vary by the c ...

Methods

Pots, traditionally made of terracotta but now more commonly plastic, and

window box A window box (sometimes called a window flower box or window box planter) is a type of flower container for live flowers or plants in the form of a box attached on or just below the sill of a window. It may also be used for growing herbs or ot ...

es are the most commonly seen. Small pots are called

flowerpot A flowerpot, planter, planterette or plant pot is a container in which flowers and other plants are cultivated and displayed. Historically, and still to a significant extent today, they are made from plain terracotta with no ceramic glaze, wit ...

s. In some cases, this method of growing is used for ornamental purposes. This method is also useful in areas where the soil or climate is unsuitable for the plant or crop in question. Using a container is also generally necessary for

houseplant A houseplant, also known as a pot plant, potted plant, or indoor plant, is an ornamental plant cultivated indoors. for aesthetic or practical purposes. These plants are commonly found in House, homes, Office, offices, and various indoor spaces, w ...

s. Limited growing space, or growing space that is paved over, can also make this option appealing to the

gardener A gardener is someone who practices gardening, either professionally or as a hobby. Description A gardener is any person involved in gardening, arguably the oldest occupation, from the hobbyist in a residential garden, the home-owner suppleme ...

. Additionally, this method is popular for

urban horticulture Urban horticulture is the science and study of the growing plants in an urban environment. It focuses on the functional use of horticulture so as to maintain and improve the surrounding urban area. Urban horticulture has seen an increase in atten ...

on balconies of apartments and condominiums where gardeners lack the access to the ground for a traditional garden.

Species

Many types of plants are suitable for the container, including decorative flowers,

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

cacti A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...

, vegetables, and small trees and shrubs. Herbs and small edible plants such as

chili peppers Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to add pungency ( ...

and

arugula Rocket, eruca, or arugula (''Eruca sativa'') is an edible annual plant in the family Brassicaceae used as a leaf vegetable for its fresh, tart, bitter, and peppery flavor. Its other common names include salad rocket and garden rocketFlora of NW ...

can be grown inside the house, if there is adequate light and ventilation, and on outdoor terraces, larger vegetables may be planted.

Types of containers

A wide variety of containers can be used in container gardens, each offering unique benefits and aesthetic qualities. Among the most popular types from a 2024 survey are: ;

Hanging basket A hanging basket is a suspended container used for growing plants. The purpose of hanging baskets in ornamental horticulture is to display plants suspended in the air to add to the aesthetics of the environment. Hanging baskets can vary by the c ...

s: Suitable for trailing plants, hanging baskets can be suspended from ceilings, walls, or specially designed stands, adding vertical interest and maximizing space in small gardens. ;

Window box A window box (sometimes called a window flower box or window box planter) is a type of flower container for live flowers or plants in the form of a box attached on or just below the sill of a window. It may also be used for growing herbs or ot ...

es:These containers fit on windowsills, and are suitable for flowers, herbs, and small vegetables. ;Wall planters: Mounted on walls, these planters can be used for

vertical gardening A green wall is a vertical built structure intentionally covered by vegetation. Green walls include a vertically applied growth medium such as soil, substitute substrate, or hydroculture felt; as well as an integrated hydration and fertigation ...

. They come in various designs, including pockets and shelves, making them suitable for a range of plant types. Other common container options include traditional pots, which vary in material from

terracotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ...

to plastic, and sub-irrigated planters. Containers can also be repurposed items such as barrels and tins, allowing for creative and personalized garden designs.

Planting

Containers range from simple plastic pots, to teacups, to complex automatically watered irrigation systems. This flexibility in design is another reason container gardening is popular with growers. They can be found on porches, front steps, and—in urban locations—on rooftops. Sub-irrigated planters (SIP) are a type of container that may be used in container gardens.

Re-potting

Re-potting is the action of placing an already potted plant into a larger or smaller pot. A pot that fits a plant's root system better is normally used. Plants are usually re-potted according to the size of their root system. Most plants need to be re-potted every few years because they become "pot-" or "root-bound". A plants' roots can sense its surroundings, including the size of the pot it is in, and increasing the pot size allows plant size to increase proportionally.

Gallery

File:Condominium balcony container gardening at night.jpg, Balcony gardening at night File:Tomato plants growing July 2013 in garbage cans.JPG, Tomato plants growing in a pot farm alongside a small house in fifteen garbage cans filled with soil File:Senecio Angulatus7.jpg, ''

Senecio angulatus ''Senecio angulatus'', also known as creeping groundsel and Cape ivy, is a succulent flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that is native to South Africa. Cape ivy is a scrambling herb that can become an aggressive weed once established, mak ...

'' growing in

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolinite, ). Most pure clay minerals are white or light-coloured, but natural clays show a variety of colours from impuriti ...

and plastic pots on a

veranda A veranda (also spelled verandah in Australian and New Zealand English) is a roofed, open-air hallway or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front an ...

References

External links

University of Illinois Container Gardening Guide
{{Authority control Types of garden Horticultural techniques Garden features Urban agriculture