23 October 2008

Plant a Dish Garden


Nothing adds a little green to a home like a dish garden created by you. Dish gardens offer dozens of options for combining a variety of plants, whether foliage or flowering, of every size and shape in one pot.
Choose Plants.
With so many plants to choose from, where do you begin? Well, one way to start is to pick plants that have the same lighting, watering and temperature necessities. It makes it easier to care for and maintain the plants. Because of the limited space, you should also try to get plants that are slow growing.
Choose Planter.
Picking the right or appropriate planter is an important step. Dish gardens can be planted in just about any planter, but make sure you have a planter large enough (or small enough if not using a lot of plants) to support the ones you plan to use. It is helpful if it has drainagle holes, but not necessary if it is deep enough to hold a layer of gravel on the bottom.
Gather Supplies.
Make sure you have everything you need before beginning. Three plants that we used are Peace Lily, Dracaena and Ivy Specialty "My Heart". You wouldn't want to stop halfway through to get something with potting soil all over you.
Proper Drainage.
To ensure the life and success of your dish garden, proper drainage is critical. Pieces of broken pottery or rocks should cover the hole(s) to prevent soil from washing out and roots from sitting in water for too long.
Potting Soil.
Cover the bottom of the planter with a good layer of potting soil. Then continue to add more soil until it is high enough so that when you set the plants in place, their soil level will be about 1/2" below the rim of the planter.
Remove the Pots.
Plants are easily removed from their pots by placing your hand around the base of the plant and tipping slightly upside down. Then gently ease the plant out of the planter, leaving the roots alone. In normal planting you would loosen the roots at this point, but since slow growth is desired for a dish garden, leave roots untouched. Remove the pots from two to three plants at a time, starting with the tallest one first.
Design Placement.
Arrange the dish garden plants in line with how it will be looked at. If it will be looked at from all sides, the tallest plant may be best placed in the middle with the others around it. If it will be seen only from the front, tall plants may be best placed in the back. But don't worry, there is no proper way to design a dish garden, it should be an expression of you and what you like.
Place Plants.
When you are sure you know where you want each plant, place them into the dish garden. Get the plants into the exact position you like, and make any changes you need to (depending on where it will face.)
Fill With Soil.
Once the plants are in the proper position, secure that placement by putting more potting soil around each plant. Keep adding more potting soil as needed to fill in any empty areas.
Pack The Soil.
With the tips of your fingers, gently pack the soil. You pack by pushing the soil down around the plants evenly. Check around each plant and make sure enough soil is there. If not, add a bit more soil and pack it down.
Water It All.
With room temperature water, get in around the base of the plants and pour water over the soil of the entire dish garden. Don't over wet it, but give it a good drink. And be sure to not get the leaves wet--just the soil.
Decoration.
Adding ceramic figures, mini wheelbarrows, decorative rocks or Spanish moss can really bring out the beauty and add that personal touch.
Finished Product.
Placing your completed dish garden where it will receive the correct amount of light for your chosen plants is very important. If your plants requuire medium light (indirect or curtain/blind filtered) place by a window with blinds.
ENJOY WATCHING YOUR GARDEN DISH GROW!

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