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TRANSCRIPT
Maximizing Small Garden Spaces
Original photographs and presentation by Susan Bell
Maximizing Small Garden SpacesSMALL SPACES
• Townhouse
• Courtyard
• Deck
• Balcony
• Hell strip
CONTAINERS
How to plant and maintain
VERTICAL PLANTING
Using vines, verticals, espalier, artwork
Maximizing townhouse garden
Spring Bulbs
Summerflowers
Why annuals?
I want a different look
every year and it is
more fun
Driveway hell strip
Perennial herbs and sun lovers like
the heat and dryness created by
paved surfaces
No planting beds?
Utilize any sunny spot
with containers
Fall planning decides my spring color
scheme
Fall lettuce for the shady deck
Harmonize beds and pots
Hot colorpalette
Intention: Relaxation on a 7’W x 15’L Deck (in open shade)
View from inside
Use saucers, plant trolleys
or trivets so deck dries
Be careful not to drip on your
neighbors!
Seasonal outdoor decoratingwith fall gourds, pumpkins
and Easter bunnies
Indoor plants outside for summer
(they love it)
Setcreasea pallida, Purple Heart Chlorophytum comosum, Spider Plant
Veggies and herbs grown in partial shade on deck
Ready to harvest‘Red Sails’ Lettuce,
‘Bright Lights’ Swiss Chard,
Golden Oregano and Pansies
Back underdeck area planted with dwarf
Cityline ‘Vienna’Hydrangea macrophylla
for low windows
Before
Shady back yard near creek
Hosta need deer spray
Entrance alcove with containers and accessories
Fine Gardening magazine
Trellis for vertical interest
Clematis vines
Espalier and artwork also solution for tight spaces
Proverbialhomemaker.com
Principle of proportion: using the right scale
Sliding glass doors lead to courtyard, so this space
viewed from living room
Balconies Tomato Challenge
Part two – Container choices
• Terra cotta – dry out too easily, breakage
• Moss lined hayracks - dry out too easily, liner has to be replaced
• Ceramic – beautiful colors, however heavy, have to go inside in winter
• Metal - heavy and usually low volume
• Concrete – no one is going to take it off your porch
• Whiskey barrel - hard to move even before it is loaded with soil
• Fiberstone or fiberglass *
• Plastic *
• Foam *
• Self Watering *
Think “out of the box”
Movable feast
Place containers
wherever you need a burst
of color
Watering and Drainage--1-3 drainage holes
--no stones--newspaper to cover--saucers – empty often--trivet – keep deck dry --trolleys --3’ watering wand --water breaker--rain doesn’t count--don’t wet foliage
Recycling giveslocal compost
Soilless mixture with
moisture control and
timed release fertilizer
Fertilizers: critical for containers, amend beds with compost prior to planting
Read the plant labels when purchasing
NameDescriptionSun, Partial Sun or Shade?Does it like it wet or dry?How big does it get?How far apart do I plant?When does it bloom?Need fertilizer?Etc.
Examine the root structure and color, plant at same level as in
pot. Don’t compact soil, leave 1 inch space for watering
Element of change – grow or die
examine
remove diseasedgrowth
deadhead
thin/cut back
spray/pick bugs
Add flowers to draw pollinators
Beneficial insect types:pollinatorpredatorparasite
Feeding birds and providing nesting (even on a deck!) Kevin Shea
Eureka! Hayrack a pre-made nest
Grow
It
Eat
It Rosalind Creasy, Taylor’s Guide to Garden Design
Plant supports yield from single cherry to
Growing sweet potatoes
in containers
No digging!
5 gallon container with 1 slip yielded 5 pounds
by Robin Ritterhoff
Require: Cross pollinator (two varieties)Patience as they fruit on 2 year old wood
ThornlessBlackberries
Blueberries
Double duty
Maximize your space and design for what you love
Edibles * Cut flowers * Natives * Wildlife * Fragrance * Relaxation * etc.
For more information see “Container vegetable gardening” including size pots required by type of vegetable, etc.
Go to www.ohioline.osu.edu/kyg-fact/1000/1647.html