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So the verdict is in. The lighting conditions on my balcony are shade, different variations, but still shade. I realize by choosing plants accordingly I will have thriving plants in my container garden this year, but I have to admit that this is a rather sore subject for me right now. It seems like overnight my hopes of growing vegetables have been dashed. However, I now understand why I could barely keep my tomatoes going last year. The harvest was pitiful. Anyway, I would like to discuss the innovative tool that helped thrust me out of my “I am going to plant tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant this year” denial.
The EasyBloom Plant Senor is a revolutionary product that helps determine what plants to plant where, both indoors and out. When placed in a particular location EasyBloom collects data on lighting conditions (Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade, Full Shade), temperature, humidity, soil moisture and soil drainage. EasyBloom recommends plants for particular locations based on collected environmental data, diagnoses problems with existing plants, quickly tells you if a plant needs watering and provides you with an ever growing library of plants and their care instructions.
Getting started with EasyBloom was fairly easy, no pun intended. I purchased my EasyBloom from Brookstone. It was not in stock, so I had it shipped to the store and then picked it up. It did take about 10 business day for me to receive it, a little longer then I would have liked. Nevertheless, I was very excited when it did finally come in. I was anxious to decode the climate on my balcony and optimize my plant choices for the year. The first thing I had to do was register my EasyBloom at www.easybloom.com/go. At this site I downloaded the companion software. I then inserted the battery and connected the EasyBloom to my PC via the USB cable that was provided. Alternatively, you can insert EasyBloom directly into a USB port. When connected the EasyBloom dashboard was then launched where I could select a mode of operation. There were 3 modes to choose from:
1) Recommend – Helps indentify plants for the location that you place the sensor
2) Monitor – Monitors a troubled plant in order to make recommendations
3) Water – Indicates whether a plant needs water
I have only used the EasyBloom in recommend mode thus far, because it needs 24 hours to collect complete environmental data. Considering the time it takes to get a read on each location it has taken me a little while to gather data on various locations on my balcony. After EasyBloom was finished collecting the data from a location, I connected it via USB cable back to my PC and the EasyBloom website was automatically launched. The data was then downloaded immediately and I was prompted to name the location from where I gathered this particular round of data. Additionally, I had to type in my zip code and choose whether this location was indoors or outside. I few seconds later a page with a summary of the environmental conditions in the location came up as well as a link to recommended plants.
All things considered I believe that EasyBloom worked well. I wanted to find out definitely rather than relying on guessing what the conditions were on different parts of my balcony and what plants would thrive there and EasyBloom help me do just that. I am looking forward to using EasyBloom’s other functions to enhance the vitality and longevity of my container garden.
Tennille
Plants need sun. Even plants that are said to be “shade loving” usually will not survive without sun. That is why you must know the lighting conditions in your container garden before you choose where to permanently place your containers and consequently the type of plants that you will grow in these containers. Determining lighting conditions is integral to your container garden’s success.
Let’s define these terms first since so that we are all on the same page. This will prove invaluable when choosing plants and seeds at nurseries and garden centers.
Full Sun – Plants in this category require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. These plants must be placed in an unobstructed place in order to get the minimum required sun for them to thrive. If you have a bright and sunny balcony, typically south, west or east facing, you may be able to enjoy a wide range of full sun plants in your container garden.
Partial Sun – Plants in this category require at least 3 – 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. Partial Shade is another way to describe some of these plants but if you see Partial Sun rather than Partial Shade the emphasis is on sun part. This means that meeting the minimum sun requirements will be extremely important for these particular plants. Balconies facing east, west and bright north facing balconies may be able to accommodate plants in this category.
Partial Shade – Plants in this category require at least 3 – 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. Partial Sun is another way to describe some of these plants, but if you see Partial Shade rather than Partial Sun the emphasis is on the shade part. Some protection from the overbearing midday sun may be necessary. Balconies facing east, west and bright north facing balconies may be able to accommodate plants in this category.
Deep Shade – Plants in this category require less than 3 hours of direct sunlight every day. This does not mean that these plants require no sun, but will be okay with filtered sun over the course of the day. North and dark east facing balconies are were these plants will usually do well.
To make things more complicated several plants will actually thrive in more than one type of lighting condition. I often see “Full sun – Part Shade,” indicated the plant will thrive in either of these conditions.
So how do we determine the lighting conditions for our container gardens? Even taking into consideration the geographical orientation of your balcony is not a sure fire way to determine the lighting conditions of your container garden. A nearby building, tree, or your very own privacy screen may alter these conditions in your container garden. I have found three options to help get this crucial step right.
1) Monitor your balcony when you will be home for the duration of the day. Start early in the morning and jot down every hour whether your balcony is sunny or shady. At the end of the day add up the amount of hours that your balcony was sunny. This will help you determining which plants may be suitable for your container garden. The only thing is that different parts of your balcony may have different lighting conditions. You may need to observe very particular places on your balcony in order to get this exactly right.
2) Sun Calc sunlight measuring device for gardens. This is a great little tool. You place this directly in your container filled with soil in the exact place that you want to position it. After 24 hours it will indicate whether the container is in Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade or Full Shade conditions. You can not use this before your last frost. It may take some time to get full readings of you garden but this product has enjoyed positive reviews from other gardeners. Visit the following link for more infomation about the Suncalc Sunlight Calculator.
3) Easy Bloom Plant Sensor helps you determine your lighting conditions the same way as the Sun Calc but after it collects the 24 hours of data you plug it into you PC via USB adapter and it not only indicate whether the area is Full Sun, Partial Shade or Full Shade but will suggest plants that will thrive in that container. No restrictions in using in colder weather. Visit the following link for more information on the EasyBloom Plant Sensor.
You know spring is right around the corner when you begin to see seed displays in every store, from CVS, to Shoprite and of course the home improvement stores. Most garden center are still pretty bare but the displays are a reminder that and abundance of plant life will be returning very soon. This year I welcomed these displays with open arms having made the decision to start most of the plants for my container garden from seeds this year. In the past this may have intimidated me a bit, but I welcoming this challenge with open arms. Growing plants from seeds is an art that I want to begin to master. In addition to enhancing my seed starting skills I realized that there were many other very good reasons to start plants from seeds.
1) Inexpensive – It is significantly less expensive to start a garden using seeds than transplants from a garden center or nursery.
2) Great ROI – If you decide to plant vegetables from seeds you will produce more vegetables for a much lower costs.
3) No Surprises – If your purchase a reputable brand of seeds there will be no surprises and you are much more likely to pick out the specific variety of plant that is right for your garden and your zone. Sometimes that is not accurately marked and/or indicated on the transplants that you buy in the the garden center and nursery.
4) Quality Plants – Having grown the plant from an itty bitty seedling you know the quality of your plant and will have these plants at your disposal as you need them.
5) Special varieties – There are a limited variety of plants available at garden centers and nurseries. Obtaining seeds allows you to get those special hard to find varieties that you need.
6) Experiment With New Varieties – Seed suppliers have the newest varieties of plants. Maybe this variety will not be available in your garden center of nursery this year. There is no way that they can carry all of the newest varieties. They usually stick with garden classics, which makes experimenting very difficult.
7) Disease and Insect Free – Disease and Insects may have inhabited the plant in the garden center or nursery and these problems become problems in y0ur garden. By starting from a seed you will be aware by your own careful observations if problems with disease or insects occur.
 Social Rewards – Participating in seed exchange programs allow you to become more involved in gardening by socializing with fellow gardeners.
9)Internal Rewards – Watching a plant grow from a seed is very exciting. You are literally seeing life develop before your eyes.
10) External rewards – A beautiful display of flowering containers or a bountiful harvest on a shoestring.
Tennille
I planted my impatiens seed over 6 weeks ago and they have completely failed to germinate. My Coleus seeds, which I planted at the same time are thriving and I just can’t understand what I did wrong. I followed the instuctions and sowed them shawlowly and kept them moist. I even placed them under plant lights to increase my chances of success and still nothing. Has anyone out there had a similar problem with their impatiens. Help, anyone?
 Choosing containers proved to be another difficult task for me. There were just too many choices and I really didn’t understand the differences between the choices. In addition, not knowing whether to pick out the plants first or the containers first only enhanced my frustration. I came across beautiful containers and beautiful plants, but wasn’t sure how to put the two together. I went no frills and chose plastic and terracotta containers. I planted one plant variety in each container and although I was happy that my plants were thriving I felt that nicer containers would have jazzed things up a bit. I planned to paint the containers to dress things up, but never got around to doing this. Every time I saw a fancy container I secretly wished to myself that I had been bold enough to buy more exciting containers. As I learned more about the different types of containers in my travels I began to make better choices that enhanced the beauty of the plant and decor of my entire garden. The following are brief descriptions of the types of containers that you will most likely encounter.
Terracotta -A staple container option. One of the most used containers for container gardening. Its’ clay colored, but requires a lot of cleaning. Very porous so may leave plants dry requiring you to water more often. Will crack in the frost, most be stored at room temperature in off season.
Metal – creates a great look in the garden, but tend to rust quickly. If you like this look, Pamela Crawford suggests aluminum in Easy Container Gardens because it does not rust like other metals.
Plastic – A great choice for containers because it holds up during freezes. Plastic is also non-porous and will not take water away from the plant. Some feel that plastic containers do not have a much aesthetic appeal as other container options, but there seems to be a greater variety each year, which I feel is coming closer and closer to the “traditional” containers such as terracotta that so many are found of.
Fiberglass – It is unbelievable how authentic these containers look. I could hardly tell the difference between a real cast stone container and a fiberglass one. Lightweight and non-porous.
Wood – Very charming option. Wood planters are beautiful. If not cared for properly wood will rot over time and is also more susceptible to pests.
Cast Stone – Great looking pots, providing an antique flair to your garden. The weight is the issue here. They are so heavy and are may crack during freezes.
Glazed Pots – Great finishes. They come in a wide variety of color and designs. These too are on the heavy side.
Now that you are armed with a little more information about types of containers it is time to pick out your containers. Remember that whatever type of container you use it must have a drainage hole to let excess water out, otherwise the plant will die. If you are starting your plants from seeds bring the seed packet of the what you are planting when choosing containers. I have found that it is best to pick out plants and containers simultaneously. I like the fiberglass ones that come in so many different shapes, sizes and colors and have been able to coordinate things in my garden better by shopping for plants and containers at the same time. Even if you are waiting to buy transplants, plan your containers and jot down the colors of the plants you are going to choose. Whether you are going for the classic look of terracotta containers or looking for something a little more bold I hope that you find the right containers for your garden.
Tennille
 Title: Easy Container Gardens
Author: Pamela Crawford
Pages: 172
Review by: Tennille
Gorgeous containers, and lots of them. That is what you will find in container gardening guru, Pamela Crawford’s latest container gardening offering, Easy Container Gardens. Crawford is widely known for her container gardening expertise and her creations have been featured on the covers of several popular gardening magazines, such as HGTV Magazine and Better Homes and Gardens. Easy Container Gardens is volume 2 of Crawford’s container gardening series and is her attempt at providing an easy to follow guide for creating container gardens. The caption on the very bottom of the front cover reads, “For Anyone Who Has Ever Killed A Plant!” and is an indication of the simplicity and straightforwardness that this resource is trying to provide. Although there are many terrific ideas for specific containers that may be helpful to the more advanced container gardener, I believe that this book will prove most beneficial to the beginner container gardener.
The book is divided into 8 chapters; Container Basics, One Plant Wonders, Two Plant Combos, Four (or More) Plant Combos, Side-Planted Containers, Succulent in Containers and Best Container Plants. The first 53 pages or so are devoted to covering beginner container gardening principles discussing things such as, container gardening mistakes, differences between container and landscape gardening, light conditions and planting techniques. In these early pages Crawford also shares with us the results of her plant trials conducted in her very own trial garden. She informs us that a staggering 92% of the plants that she planted in the ground in her trial garden died. On the other hand however, plants planted in containers during her container gardening trials fared much better, with far fewer casualties. With this experiment Crawford concludes that planting in containers is far easier than planting in the ground, making container gardening an ideal choice for those of us who habitually commit plant homicide.
In addition to providing great basic information, this book contains easy to follow container ideas. There are specific ideas for planting single plants and/or combinations of plants in each container. Each design is categorized as being blue ribbon or red ribbon. Crawford using the following criteria classifying a container as either blue ribbon or red ribbon:
Blue Ribbon: Performs consistently every year, little to no trimming, does well in most climates, last the growing season, few pest problems, good history, blooms continuously
Red Ribbon: Performs consistently every year, requires some trimming, does well in most climates, last the growing season, may have some pest problems, good history, blooms continuously
The only difference between the two are the Red Ribbon choices require some monthly trimming and many are more susceptible to pests. Crawford does a great job of describing containers in both categories, which creates a wealth of options for the container gardener. She provides a full page description on each container which includes information on light requirements, which season to plant in, expected lifespan, care, water requirements, troubleshooting and planting plan. Crawford also provides a full page photograph of the finished container.
Easy Container Gardens is a solid container gardening resource. Crawford has put together a thourough and beautifully illustrated book. I feel that it would be an assest to any gardening library and is ideal for beginnger container gardener.
Tennille
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