Inspiration & Advice
Go Potty: A Simple Guide to Container Gardening
Tired of staring at a dull deck or empty windowsill? Short on growing space? Living in a rental but want to put your green fingers to work?
Say hello to container gardening, the art of growing things in pots and planters instead of straight out of the ground.
Spring and growing season is a great time to try your hand at it, so what are you waiting for? Jack’s here to tell you more and help you turn those empty vessels into stunning (and tasty) mini gardens!
Small-scale gardens; big benefits
So why container gardening? There are so many reasons pots and planters are an awesome way to put your green thumbs to work:
- Great for small spaces – They can turn your balconies, decks, patios or indoor spaces into blooming beautiful natural oases.
- Beginner-friendly – Container gardening is perfect for newbie green thumbs because it’s simple to set up and manage and has quick results. Plus, it’s a fun way to experiment!
- Makes plants easy to move – Whether you’re chasing sun or rain, rearranging your space or living in a rental, pots and containers are perfectly portable. Add wheels to make shifting larger ones easier!
- Perfect soil conditions – Because you add your own potting soil, you can choose the best dirt for your selected plants, keeping them healthy and droop-free.
- Reduces pesky pests – Not only do pots keep your plants away from nasty bugs and diseases in the soil, but elevated containers stop slugs and snails from nibbling away.
- Easy to tend to – Whether you suffer from a sore back, are in a wheelchair or are gardening with kids, containers can be placed at the perfect comfortable height.
- Year-round growing fun – The joy of planting doesn’t have to stop with the seasons! You can easily move your plants indoors during colder months.
Garden containers of every kind!
Container gardens aren’t a ‘one-pot-suits-all ‘situation. There are so many different types of planting vessels you can pick, depending on what you’re planting, the look you’re going for, and where you want to put them.
Container size, shape and material matters
Let’s look at what you can get, from sizes to materials (many come in different colours).
Seedling containers
These are small pots or trays designed for starting seeds and nurturing young plants until they’re ready to pop into larger pots or beds.
Size me up: Usually range in size from about 5-10cm in diameter for small pots and up to 15-30cm for larger pots.
Material options: Plastic, peat or biodegradable materials like coconut coir or recycled paper. We love the eco-friendly options!
Flower pots
Typically cylindrical, flower pots provide the perfect home for all kinds of beautiful blooms, plants or even bushes or trees.
Size me up: Usually range in size from about 10cm to 60cm+ in diameter:
- 10-15cms – Great for small plants, herbs, or seedlings
- 20-30cm – Ideal for medium-sized flowers and houseplants
- 35-50cm – Suitable for larger plants or small shrubs
- 60cm+ – Perfect for larger trees or statement plants
Material options: Plastic, ceramic, fibreglass, metal, terracotta/clay, concrete or wood
Jack products:
Pots and planters range
Plant containers
While all flower pots are containers, not all containers are flower pots! These versatile vessels come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, including square and rectangular.
Size me up: Same as flower pots, square plant containers typically range in size from about 10cm to 60cm in diameter. Rectangle containers have wider diameters ranging from 30cm x 15cm to 120cm by 60cm.
Material options: Plastic, fibreglass, ceramic, metal, terracotta/clay, concrete or wood
Jack products:
Raised garden beds
Raised beds do exactly what they say on the tin! They’re bigger gardening structures where soil and plants are elevated above the ground.
Size me up: Raised beds can be custom-built to any size but are best kept to a maximum of 1.2m wide. Here are some common dimensions:
- Standard – 1.2m (wide) x 2.4m (long) x 30-60cm (high)
- Small – 0.9m (wide) x 1.2-1.5cm (long) x 30cm (high)
- Compact – 0.6m (wide) x 1.2m (long) x 30-45cm (high)
Material options: Wood, metal, stone or brick, concrete, plastic or composite materials
Jack products:
- Raised Garden Bed
- Square Raised Garden Bed
- Garden Up Raised Planter
- Oxy-Shield Modular Panels – Long, Short, Curve
Hanging baskets
These eye-catching planters are suspended in the air from a beam, ceiling or even from a wall or balcony railing.
Size me up: Usually range from about 20cm to 60cm+:
- 20-25cm – Ideal for small plants, herbs or single flowers
- 30-35cm – Add multiple small plants or larger flowering plants
- 40-50cm – Great for larger planters, trailers or mixed planting
- 60cm+ – Perfect for dramatic displays with a few plants or flowers
Material options: Plastic, metal, wicker/rattan, coconut coir, ceramic or wood
Jack products:
Tree rings
Not strictly a container but a circular garden barrier placed around the bottom of a tree that ‘contains’ moisture, stops weeds and protects the roots.
Size me up: Tree rings can range from around 60m up to 2m in diameter. They can also be made or cut to a custom size.
- 60cm-90cm – Great for smaller trees or shrubs
- 1-1.5m – Ideal for medium-sized trees with plenty of mulch space
- 1.5-2m – Perfect for larger trees, leaving lots of space for roots
Material options: Metal, wood, plastic, concrete, rubber or composite materials
Jack products:
Container gardening advice and tips
There are lots of things to think about when planting in pots and containers. As well as deciding where you want to put them (make sure they have enough sun and are easy to get to), here are our recommendations for potting to perfection!
Choosing your container plants
From growing your own mini vegie gardens, aka vegetable container gardening, to creating vibrant displays, you can grow just about anything in pots and containers. Just take your pick:
- Plants – Golden cane palm, fiddle leaf fig, snake plant, birds of paradise
- Herbs – Basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, parsley
- Flowers – Petunias, marigolds, kangaroo paw, geranium, native daisies
- Vegies – Tomatoes, lettuce, capsicum, spinach, carrots, silverbeet
- Fruits – Dwarf citrus fruit trees (lemons, limes, oranges), strawberries, blueberries
- Succulents and cacti – Aloe vera, echeveria, jade plant, agave.
- Climbing plants – Star jasmine, bougainvillea, wisteria, native clematis
- Ornamental grasses – Blue fescue, lomandra, kangaroo grass, fountain grass
- Shrubs or dwarf trees – Dwarf lemon myrtle, dwarf bottlebrush, dwarf olive trees
Eat safe: If you’re growing edibles, make sure you choose pots and planters that won’t leak nasties into your growing vegies. Our Garden Up® pots are all BPA-free, plus our Oxy-shield range of rings and planters are also safe to use.
Picking the perfect size
We’ve already given you a guide on sizing for each type of container, but here are a few other tips to help you get the dimensions right:
- Don’t pick a pot that’s too big – The excess potting mix can get too soggy, causing the feeder roots to rot.
- Think about root depth – Shallow-rooted plants like herbs, lettuce and strawberries are happy in pots (approx. 15-20 cm deep). Deep-rooted ones such as tomatoes, citrus trees, palms and some shrubs need more space (approx. 30-60 cm deep)
- Look at how big they grow – For fast-growing plants like tomatoes and vines, Start with a larger pot to avoid frequent repotting. Slow-growing plants like succulents and herbs can start in smaller pots but need potting up to bigger ones as they grow. Go 1.5 times bigger in size each time you repot.
- Think about aesthetics – When selecting the right size, think about where you’re putting them. Big pots can overpower small spaces, while small pots can look silly in a larger area.
Handy Jack tip: Always choose a pot that’s about 5-10 cm wider than the plant’s root ball for the best growth results.
Hydration and drainage
Because you’re working in containers rather than in the ground, you need to pay a bit more attention to getting your watering and drainage right. Here are our tips:
- Pick them holey – Ensure your pots and containers have drainage holes on the bottom to prevent them from getting waterlogged. If you’ve picked décor pots, use that as the outer layer or add pebbles at the bottom.
- Water wisely – Make sure you give your plants a good amount of H2O. Stick your fingers in the soil, and if the top few cms are dry, it’s time to give them a water. Don’t keep them constantly soggy, or you might see root rot. Importantly, keep an eye on baskets, as they can dry out faster. Our Garden Up pots and containers have a water-smart design with an integrated saucer that conserves excess water and prevents over-watering!
- Sprinkle with the season – How much water your plants need depends on the weather and time of year. In summer, they’re going to be much thirstier and might need a drink every day.
- Add some mulch – A layer of mulch on top of container soil can help keep in moisture and reduce evaporation.
Raise them up – Lift your pots and containers off the ground to boost drainage and airflow. Elevating those larger ones lets them breathe easy and keeps their roots happy. - Don’t forget fertiliser – As well as keeping your container plants hydrated, don’t forget also to give them some food. When grown in garden soil, they get more nutrients naturally. Try a slow-release fertiliser.
Planting and training
Want your container plants to thrive? Set them up right, and they’ll steal the show. Here are the basic steps we recommend:
- Picking the perfect soil – Use a good-quality potting mix. Everyday dirt won’t give them the nutrients they need.
Pop in some stones – Placing stones or broken pot pieces at the bottom can help your vesseled lovelies from getting over soggy. - Fill it with delicious dirt – Pour in your potting mix until it’s about halfway up your pot or container, and position your plants so their root balls sit a few cm below the rim. For raised beds, fill until you’re about 5-7 cm below the top edge.
- Backfill the soil – Gently push down the soil around the roots but avoid over-packing, then sprinkle thoroughly with water.
- Add some support – For taller plants like tomatoes and climbers, add some stakes or cages for them to lean on. For hanging baskets or trailing plants, use twine or plant trainers, such as trellis, to guide the vines.
Check out some of the new plant trainers in our Jack range:
Additional materials needed for this project:
Give plants the perfect companions
Pairing certain plants together (also known as companion planting) can help them grow better, deter pests and create beautiful displays. For a lush container garden:
- Pair golden cane palms with snake plants or fiddle leaf figs for contrast.
- Grow basil with tomatoes, and combine marigolds with vegies like capsicum to repel pests.
- Mix petunias with geraniums for colour, and plant dwarf citrus with strawberries.
- For succulents, pair aloe vera with echeveria.
Combine star jasmine and bougainvillea for climbing beauty. - Mix lomandra with blue fescue for textural flair.
Container accessories and styling
When you buy your pots and containers, don’t forget to grab the essential extras.
This includes saucers to catch excess water, stands and pot trolleys to elevate them, create better airflow and make them easier to move, plus hangers, pot holders and brackets, hooks and rope so that you can add your baskets or pots onto ceilings, beams and railings.
Now for the important finishing touches: the styling! Here are some fun tips:
- Mix and match pots – Combine different sizes, shapes and textures for a more playful look on the wall. Or try a trio of different-sized pots on the ground.
- Mix up your plant stands – Raise petite pots on stands to create height variation and make a statement.
- Hang at different levels – Add hanging basket greenery at different heights—great for herbs or trailing plants like ivy.
- Add decorative stones or mulch – Top off the soil with decorative rocks and pebbles for a pop of style and fun.
- Colour match your space – Match your pots to your outdoor furniture or add bright accents of colour for a fun, cohesive vibe!
Are you ready to get your gloves on and go potty?
Right, that’s container gardening done! We hope you’re feeling inspired to head outdoors (or even stay indoors!) and go potty.
All you need to do now is buy the Jack landscaping products you need to turn your container gardening dreams into reality! Simply head to your nearest local supplier.
Created a blooming fabulous container garden? Why not share some snaps on socials, tagging @meetdiyjack? We’d love to see and share your hard work.