Container Gardening for Social Image and Values of Life

Muralikrishna Halemane
Nov 6 · 4 min read

Plants are the closest associates of human beings in this world. Every day from dawn to dusk and even at night, while sleeping, we are closely linked to plants and they, in turn, are associated with human beings and other animals. The relationship is beyond mere physical tangibility reaching aesthetics and psycho-sociologic levels.

Cultivated plants

Cultivated plants have found their way from forests to the civilized areas. Among the naturally beautiful plants, people have domesticated flowering, colourful and beautifully appearing plants to be associated at or near the dwelling places for no monitory gains from the products. But these have values beyond monetary terms, literally beautifying human life.

Gardens and parks

Vertical enhancement of container plant placement on a steel stand

Thus, from time immemorial, plants were decorated, arranged and designed in the hedges, boundaries, yards, by the sides of walkways, at the places of resting and leisure and thus gardens have become part of the aesthetic sense of living and evolved as gardens. Gardens of larger size with numerous plants and decorations for a group of people in a community or a public entity for commonplaces of recreation are known as parks.

Dieffenbachia plants in potted verandahs

Container gardens

Containers have brought the plants further closer to human life, finding their way to living rooms, verandah and bedrooms, kitchens and porticos, office rooms and meeting halls and even the drama stages.

Mobility and elevations for plants

Containers have given mobility to the otherwise immobile rooted plants. Plants started moving in vehicles from place to place.

Soil-less cultivation

Some plants like the orchids and anthuriums can be grown in a soil-less medium. Instead of soil, peat or husks are used for planting the garden species.

Anthurium plants in soil-less growing media

Management of container plants

Optimum irrigation is the most essential requirement. Containers without water desiccate the potted plants and they either wilt or show dried up and dull look. It will spoil the purpose and make the premises ugly.

More the water, the surroundings will become damp and become slippery. Plants may start rotting. This will also create the stinking smell and non-hygienic surroundings.

Organic fertilizers also have to be kept to the optimum. More the organics in the container, there will be more biodiversity. Weeds, insects and grubs will find their place in the containers. So, keep a cleaner look by periodically changing the soil. That will give nutrients to the plants as well as freshness will be retained.

While changing the soil or medium, cut some old roots and trim the extra roots to fit in the containers.

Periodically remove old leaves and prune over growing twigs to eliminate forest-like appearance.

Rotation of plants from the nursery to interiors and then to sunlight, then for maintenance nurseries will help to give enough sunlight to plants. This will make the plants look less-greener and pale because of climacteric.

Periodic weeding will give good aesthetic look and soil aeration.

Whenever needed change smaller plants to larger pots to enable higher growth and eliminate overgrown appearance.

Aesthetics and creativity

Type of containers used depends on the abience required. To the extent possible, earthen and cement pots give natural look as well as eco-friendliness portrayed in your neighbourhood.

Pots, tubs, bags, barrels, shells, stones, boxes, tanks, containers inside a large container, containers in a cage, containers in a tank, etc. are all used on a mixed manner with the well-planned layout. Similarly, cacti, succulents, herbs, crotons, flowers, etc. are also laid out in groups and combinations. These are also according to sunlight requirement, aeration, spacing and irrigation type to suit the locations and plant habits.

What is important for any plant to grow and flourish is optimum sunlight, water and nutrients, ample space within the container and the spacing between containers, suitability to human contact, etc.

Vertical gardening

For novelty, for decoration as well as for saving space, vertical container gardening is the idea of horticulturists and urban gardeners. Vertical gardens resort to the stacking of plants in vertical profiles such as steps, clamps, hangers, etc. help to take plants to higher elevations. These change the way your large and plain wall appearances

Terrace farming/ gardening

Harvesting leafy vegetables, as well as colourful garden plants, is practised by people.

In this case, we must ensure the weight tolerance capacity of the roof and pillars, while taking into account the weight of pots and plants as well as the soil and water mass.

Tanks for placing potted plants
Tanks for growing plants within buildings

Social psychology beyond engaged living and activity for peace of mind

People grow potted plants for not just giving a social status and greenish look to give various meanings creatively to portray their services, their care, their outlook, which mere words cannot say, but also to portray meanings beyond words by the appearance, which makes it evident.

Muralikrishna Halemane

Written by

Author is a villager, M.Phil Botany, MBA Marketing, a certificate in IPR and a practicing editorial officer from South India. Natural farming is his passion.

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