A Citrus Container Garden
By Jennifer Wililams on August 1, 2010 |
This leafy low-maintenance container garden will keep citrus lovers happy all summer. An interesting and attractive mix of annuals and tender and hardy perennials, the edible aromatic herbs that fill this large, low pot are united by their redolence of lemon, orange, lime, and grapefruit. Harvest the leaves for salads, teas, and cooking throughout the summer (they’re most aromatic just before the plants bloom), or dry them for later use.
A modern-looking bowl-shaped planter works well for this informal design. Terra-cotta adds a Mediterranean feel, but concrete is more weather resistant. Spiky lemongrass and grapefruit mint fill the center of the planter where it is deepest; surrounding them are lemon basil and several members of the mint family—lime and lemon balm and lemon catnip. Lemon savory, lemon verbena, orange balsam thyme, and lime creeping thyme grow along the shallow outer edge of the pot.
All the plants in this design prefer full sun, but they have differing water and drainage requirements. Use a bagged potting soil to fill the planter (these contain more organic material than the indoor and soilless mixes). Apply a slow-release fertilizer (NPK 20-20-20) when planting and then again in early spring. To keep all the plants happy in this compact space, you can put the thymes and savory in their own pots with small-gauge gravel or grit around their roots to promote fast drainage; nestle the pots a little higher than the container’s soil to facilitate drainage. It’s also a good idea to keep the grapefruit mint in its own pot too, to keep it from taking over the entire container. Let the lemon verbena go totally dry, and then water it well. It can also go in a pot, which can be brought indoors over winter.
Copyright © 2012 BBG
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