Gardening gets small, portable with containers

By Eric Czarnik
C & G Staff Writer

Good things can come in small packages, and some gardeners say green things can grow in them, too.

Experts say more gardeners are choosing to skip the backbreaking labor of backyard gardening by placing their flowers and plants in containers. These containers can come in many forms, such as flowerpots, window boxes and planters.

Jim Welch, owner of Jim’s Flowers in Royal Oak, said container gardening has exploded in the last 10 years. He said it allows people to grow greenery indoors or on rooftops, and it can elevate foliage for a more appealing look.

“More and more people are using pots … because they’re easier to handle,” he said. “You can move them if they’re in the wrong light.”


Greg Oman, owner of Ace Hardware in Macomb Township, affirmed that he too has seen a recent boom in interest for container gardening.

He said it started last year when a product called the Topsy Turvy promised to grow tomatoes upside-down in a hanging container. When customers demanded the product, other manufacturers introduced their own items and expanded the market, he said.

Oman said simplicity is the appeal behind container gardening, and indoor startup kits make the hobby affordable without having to buy expensive tools.

“A lot of people have been intrigued by gardening for a long time,” he said. “But these containers have created a no-lose, very easy way to try it out. And they can be attractive, and you can keep them away from bugs and animals, as well.”

Even yard gardeners can use containers to start a garden early. They can grow a sapling indoors when it’s still cool out and then transplant it when it gets warmer, he said.

Oman said container gardening can work with a variety of containers, and colorful annuals such as pansies tend to be the most common type of flowers that are used. Among the herbs, thyme, dill and oregano are good choices.

“We’re seeing a lot more in spices and people who want to do their own spice gardens,” he explained.

Welch advised homeowners to consider a few caveats before reaching for the flowerpots. For starters, plants in containers must be watered more frequently.

“The ground temperature is much cooler than the air temperature,” he explained said. “The roots (in containers) are going to be the exact temperature it is outside … so they drink more water when they’re elevated or out of the ground.”

Container plants also need a special, aerated soil in order to thrive, he said.

“They have to use a light potting soil when they get into container gardening, and it’s expensive,” he said. “Without it, you’re just going to fail.”

And while he said many types of flowers and vegetables can fit in containers, some plants with larger root structures — like certain species of tomato plants — are exceptions. “Special tomatoes are used for container gardening,” Welch said.

For more information about Jim’s Flowers in Royal Oak, call (248) 336-8549. Ace Hardware in Macomb Township can be reached at (586) 786-9040.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at eczarnik@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1058.