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Potted plants which last a long time
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Growing plants in pot, but with the aim of keeping them for a long time: this is the idea of durable potted plants, which offer a permanent setting. With these potted plants you can concentrate on the rest, that is to say renewing your decoration!
The principle of lasting potted plants just calls for a well suited substrate and a pertinent choice of plant. This is not complicated and the advantages are plentiful. Not only you save money in not renewing your plants as often as you used to do but on top of that you get more mature, more aesthetic-looking specimens. After all, the art of Bonsai is nothing more than the art of keeping shrubs lasting, growing in pot...
A lasting substrate
The key of a plant which can happily grow in its pot for a long time is its potting compost. The shop-bought, ready to use bags must be amended in order to keep their qualities, without deteriorating. Therefore choose a good quality potting compost to start with and avoid at all cost using soil from your garden, as it can improve a compost which is too light, but in small proportions, like a measure of soil for 20 of compost.. As for the compost, it must contain organic fibres. Do not sift it.
Firstly, think about incorporating a draining matter to the pot’s soil. With time, the earth in a pot subsides and the roots which are at the bottom of the pot asphyxiate. To prevent this, mix a third of draining matter to the soil, in the bottom half of the pot. Expanded schist, clay marbles or matters in granulate-forms such as pearlstone or vermiculite are just perfect for this usage. Proscribe sand and gravel: they do not really help to fight against the filling-in of the soil at the bottom of the pot.
Tip
In the bottom third of the pot, add some slow, rotting matter like peanuts shells (non-salted), hazelnuts shells, composted pine barks, etc. which will nourish your plants over a long period of time.
Plants which last a long time in pot
To get a durable potted plant, choose plants which get old gracefully even in confined spaces:
- Plants which grow slowly: Slow growing shrubs (often evergreen varieties like the Nandina or Heavenly Bamboo) won’t be a nuisance before several years. Miniature varieties are perfect to be part of a pot-grown display
- Plants which are easily pruned: even if they do not grow quickly, species which tolerate harsh pruning can be brought back to a more modest, manageable size in pot. Willows, Maples and Viburnums tolerate a short pruning done at the end of winter.
- Plants which keep their size: Bulbs (Tulips, Daffodils, etc.) do not grow in height but get thicker where the growing conditions suit them. They are excellent to fill up a pot.
How long?
The longevity of a plant depends exclusively of its roots. If they renew often, as for many perennial plants, the life span is then unlimited. If on the other hand, the roots form wood (the roots of many shrubs and of all trees), the longevity of a plant growing in the same pot can last up to 5 years. Beyond that, the plant does not die but it needs repotting. - Photos (4)
Potted plants which last a long time
Well-chosen and well planted, a shrub (here a Cotoneaster) or a perennial plant can live for decades in a pot.
Author: B&G Media
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Potted plants which last a long time
Mix maters which let water through to keep your potted plants for longer.
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Potted plants which last a long time
Plants which are easily pruned, like the Cornus (on the right of the photo) last a very long time grown in pot.
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Potted plants which last a long time
Cutting the branches limits roots development and allows the plant to last even longer in the same pot.
Author: B&G Media
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