Hello from India

[Syed Adnan]

I understand you are using containers for gardening, if this is the case there are several precautions you have to take as compared to gardening in ground. I have been into container gardening for more than a decade, if this is your first time then I believe it's a success. what are your fertilizing, watering practices? Share your potting medium composition, these are very important in addition to the hours of sunlight which your pots received each day.

[MOHAN SINGH]

Thanks for your kind words.

I have setup my small garden on the terrace which has a building on its east side and our own home on west so it gets sunlight from 11 -3 pm in winters.

Containers are various things for ex:
2 4.5 inch PVC pipes which have been installed and fastened to the walls on north and south. Pipes have dianthus, viola, petunias, phlox, mesembry, cineraria, verbena, belis.

3 Vegetable crates which have gazania, salvia, dahlias

2 tyre planters which have dianthus (the current pics of dianthus are of tyre planters) and Osteos

Other than that some small 4 inch pots filled with mesembry, pansy, snapdragon.

I have a very limited space due to which i have to constantly find ways to enjoy flowers and not comprise on the sitting area at the same time. The position of the terrace is something which i cant do much about and ironically thats the most imp part, the sunlight. Therefore, the blooms are late by a month or so. Next season probably i would prepare the seedlings on rooftop and bring them down once plants are on buds.

As regards the potting medium and fertilizers, literally everything i can say i have learnt from this forum or izhar sir through his post. I use soil:sand:compost in equal parts. For fertilizer i use loads of dried banana peels mixed into potting mix. Other than that as per izhar sir's advice i sprayed npk regularly in a very diluted quantity which did wonders to the health of plants.

[Syed Adnan]

If you are following IZHAR you are on the success path

You can resolve the less daylight issue by putting annuals like Cenenaria , Salvia , Hollihox Dwarf etc. can do well in your condition.

be careful with the soil fungus and pathogens, they are silent killers and thrive in low light , warm climate if there is overwatering and excess Nitrogen in your soil. The indication is that plant become stunned and droopy.

I give my Plants: potting soil + NPK + occasional vinegar (to control PH if req).

make sure your pot sizes are good for plants to be healthy, many fancy designs can't bear roots well. keep light colors on pots, they should never be transparent. Drainage is most important requirement in pots.

Goodluck !

[MOHAN SINGH]

Yes sure I am since I saw success with his practices

Thanks for so many tips. Shall make sure on those. As a side note however, the health of my plants has drastically improved. Last summer i grew zinnia, gomph, etc. however i used some soil digging from the ground which led to damping off. Zinnias i grew were over over crowded, just to enjoy more blooms i literally got one plant. But after reading the plethora of information generated by this forum i have mend my ways and there is great improvement. Just waiting for blooms now each day

[Syed Adnan]

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
― Albert Einstein

Keep your thumbs Green ! goodluck !

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
― Albert Einstein

Keep your thumbs Green ! goodluck !

Remember nothing changes unless you make a change
And do not worry if your thumbs are light green and not deep green.

[MOHAN SINGH]

ELATED.. Thanks for the support and kind words..

[MOHAN SINGH]

My tyre planters

[MOHAN SINGH]

The pipe planters

[MOHAN SINGH]

The colorful pipes as they evolve pouring out more and more colors..