[Saendy] Electric Management

The vast range of containers available means that they can be chosen to match the situation and the budget. Most containers can be customized and can do a great deal to improve the most unpromising environments.

There are a multitude of containers on the market, made from a wide range of materials, and of varying quality and durability. One of the oldest is terracotta, either glazed or unglazed, which produces a rough, earthy container; terracotta will blend well in most gardens but looks particularly attractive in a warm, Mediterranean-type setting. It is reasonably durable, as long as it was guaranteed frost-proof when it was bought, otherwise it may shatter during a cold winter. Terracotta is used for pots, strawberry tubs, troughs and wall pots. Wooden containers, such as half-barrels, tubs and troughs, have a rural look, are natural insulators (keeping plant roots warmer than stone or plastic) and are ideal for an informal setting. Those square wooden planters often called "Versailles", however, can be used very successfully in formal gardens and are particularly effective with very architectural plants, such as topiary, used in pairs to frame an entrance. How durable wooden containers are will depend upon how well they have been treated and seasoned, and they will probably need continued care as time goes on.

Reconstituted stone is used for larger pots, urns and troughs, and is much heavier than terracotta or wood. For this reason, it is a good choice where the container is likely to be left in position for a long time. These containers are usually highly ornamental, and suit a formal position near the house, at the end of a vista, or at the entrance to a seating area or walkway.

Concrete pots, urns and troughs are similar to reconstituted stone ones, and are equally heavy. Both concrete and reconstituted stone pots should be allowed to weather for several months before lime-hating plants are planted into them.

Plastic pots come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors, are cheap and light to handle, and unlike the other materials, are not porous, so that water is not lost through the sides. Improvements are constantly being made to increase the durability, but they are still likely to become brittle and crack if they are kept in strong sunlight.

The two main types of compost (soil mix) available for use in containers are soilless and soil-based. Soilless composts are based on peat, or a peat-substitute such as coir fibre, and are light and easy to handle. They contain sufficient nutrients for at least one growing season, and are suitable for plants that will only be in the container for a maximum of 12 months before being repotted or discarded. They are free-draining and, once they dry out, they can be very difficult to re-wet.

Soil-based composts contain a lot of natural soil, so they are heavier to handle but much better at hanging on to both water and nutrients. Larger or older plants, or those which are to remain in the same pots for a long period of time, will benefit from the stability offered by this type.