Indoor Container Gardening Ideas

Let your ideas blossom beyond flowers Think of your container garden as a toy box. It's not just for flowers. Have a sense of humor with what you plant in it and how you decorate it. Plants are carefree and whimsical, so you can be too. Decorate your dirt Round glass ornaments don't need to hang on a tree. Lay a few in your container bed. The glassy surface will reflect your plant's beauty like gazing balls do in big gardens, and the bright colors provide gorgeous contrast. Marbles, beads and river rocks make great ground cover too. For added smiles, toss in a toy, doll or action figure.

Decorate your plate

Container gardens are great for growing fruits and vegetables too. Roma tomatoes love trellises. Strawberry pots, which have various holes for winding vines, are great for growing edible flowers like pansies, nasturtiums and violets. A garnish of fresh flowers makes all your food taste fresher.

Decorate your lifestyle

Container gardens can travel beyond your patio. Put them on the roof or windowsill. Liven up your houseboat. Dangle vines off your balcony. Line your driveway with angel trumpets to serenade you home. Slide a container into your fireplace during the off-season for a blaze of summer beauty.

Don't take out the garbage

Here's the dirt on recycling: most people throw food scraps in the garbage, then buy them back as compost. Skip a step and keep your money. Smashed up up egg shells add valuable calcium to soil, and calcium makes tomatoes fat and red. Coffee grounds are rich in minerals, and you can dump them right in your container garden. Bigger items, like apple cores, banana skins and leafy leftovers are best composted outside first.

Yuck! You forgot about that garlic and now there's a big green thing growing out the bottom. Don't toss it, plant it. Those are roots. Same with sweet potatoes, which put out shoots that grow into lovely vines, perfect for your trellis. Fruit pits? Bury them. You'll be surprised at what comes up.