Growing Fruit Trees in Containers- There’s a Tree for You

It is always surprising the range of fruit trees that can be grown if you have no garden to plant in. Your first thought is that 7m cherry tree growing in a large orchard has put you off thinking of growing fruit trees.

Breeders have seen the opportunity and have developed techniques to minimize the height of trees. It is now possible to plant fruit trees in containers, and still get a decent harvest. The technique developed by free tree breeders is called ‘grafting’ in which the fruit producing section, technically called the ‘scion’, is joined to a different variety …

Rabbit and Deer Proofing your Container Garden- Stop Flower Heads Disappearing

Everybody remembers the story of Bambi, the young deer whose mother get shot dead by hunters, and his rabbit friend, Thumper. In Disney animation these creatures are fine but put Bambi and Thumper in your garden, and you wish that they were never born.

Plants can be devastated by rabbits and deers who have a large appetite for many plant varieties. It is a nightmare trying to come up with plants that are not favoured by deer and rabbits, and yet still attractive to have in the container garden.

DEERS AND RABBITS WILL EAT ANYTHING

In very harsh weather conditions, …

Diseases and Pests of Plants in Containers-What to Watch Out for?

Most diseases and pests that affect plants in containers, also commonly affect those that are found in gardens. These problems are often due to improper care, which can be often improved by better cultivation and maintenance of the plants in containers.

Chemical sprays are limited because of the vastly reduced numbers available, due to the number of chemical pesticides and fungicides that have been withdrawn that will tackle diseases and pests.

As consumers, we have become more environmentally friendly, and the effect pesticides have on our native species such as birds, bees, butterflies, and ladybirds are becoming better known. The …

Growing Magnolia Trees in Containers

When you think about magnolia trees, your first thought is of a majestic plant, growing in well-kept lawns or in large gardens, bearing large pink or white flowers in early spring. You see them in gardens but never in pots due to their large root system. Your second thought is that you want one but that I have no garden to put it in. This article is about the suitability of growing magnolia in containers.

If you are going to use a container, you will get a level of control that is not available to those who grow directly in …