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Garden Planters Basics : What makes a good planter for Container Gardening

Choosing the right outdoor planters for your container garden depends primarily on the plants that you want to grow. The amount of space required for the plant roots as well as the height and fullness of the plant will determine the appropriate planter size. Your garden style and growing conditions will determine the best material for your planters. Many planters will suit any container garden style or theme, so choose the appropriate material first, then the style.

Also, remember to take into consideration any requirements for re-locating or permanently moving your garden planters if you rent your home or have a large container garden to re-arrange.

If there is one general rule for selecting garden planters, it is that bigger is better. Small pots will tend to look out of scale as your plants mature and you'll require many more of them to fill a garden space. Also, bigger pots do not dry out as quickly as smaller pots. If you are considering planting perennials, then buy the largest garden planter your budget allows in order accommodate many years of growth.

Here's a brief checklist to help you select the right garden planters for your container garden:

• Size: A good outdoor planter must have room for a good amount of soil to allow for adequate root growth, but not be too large. Thorugh the season, you may have to repot vigorous plants into larger planters as they mature. This is particularly important if you are growing perennials and shrubs or trees in planters.
• Drainage: Every garden planter must have drainage holes. Make sure the planter either comes with holes in the bottom, or is made of a material which you can drill holes in.
• Porosity: Will the soil be able to breathe in the planter? Plant roots need oxygen in addition to water and nutrients. Consider adding 'pot feet' to raise your planters off the ground and encourage air flow.
• All-Season: If your planters are large and too heavy to move when the weather turns cold, are they 'winter-proof'? Concrete, metal and wood are best in cold winter regions. Clay or terracotta planters are especially vulnerable to freezing and splitting and should be movable.
• Weight: Consider the location of your planter or group of garden planters. Is there enough support for the weight of a planter or group of garden planters full of plants, soil and water?
• Material: Some planter materials have limitations in their suitability for growing conditions. Dark-colored metal planters are not a good idea for locations receiving extreme heat and constant direct sunlight. The planter can overheat and dry out or even burn the roots. If you ive in a region infested with termites and other wood-eating pests, then you should avoid the frustration of wood planters. Some glazed planters do not stand up well to climates that experience a wide range of day to night-time temperatures. While some new terracotta planters are being labelled 'frost-free', be sure to check with the supplier what range of temperatures they can withstand.
• Style: Isn't that what container gardens are all about? A good starting point for choosing the style of your container garden planters is to consider them an extension or enhancement to your indoor decor. View the location of your garden from indoors to decide what would be most pleasing to your eye. What style would create an appealling transition from your home to your outdoor space? Keep in mind intense, dark colors make a space look smaller—light, cooler colors make a space look larger.