General Products Questions and Answers
What are the location, cultural requirements for planters, containers, and raised bed?
Location and cultural requirements include:
 | Full sun or at least six hours of sun a day is
recommended for raised planters and containers; eight to ten hours if
vegetables are to be grown. If full sun is not available, then choose
shade-tolerant plants, such as begonias and impatiens.
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| All raised planters and container gardens will need
more watering than a standard garden. A water source should be nearby, and the
hose should be light, accessible, and easy-to-use for a gardener with limited
strength and mobility. It may be worth the investment to install automatic or
trickle irrigation systems in permanent planters. Attachments that are of
value to the gardener include an on/off valve at the hose end; extension
nozzles; water breakers; and easy-to-use, lever-controlled water faucets.
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| Fertilizer usually is incorporated into the soil at
the time the planter is filled. Later applications are based on normal
requirements of the plants.
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| Mulching is a must with most of the larger raised
planters as it slows the evaporation of water from the bed and helps keep the
soil cool for the roots. Mulching is also an excellent weed deterrent.
Weed-free organic material is preferred for mulching so that it enriches the
soil as it decays.
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| Most pest control should be done by hand and without chemicals to avoid the danger presented by working with toxic substances. However, if chemicals are needed, contact your local extension agent for specific recommendations. |