Watch your garden grow – the perks of potted plants

Published 9:00 am Saturday, July 13, 2013

On a first date over the winter, he asked me, “So do you have any plants?”

I said yes, and then he asked, “are they alive?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer. Some of my plants appeared to be more brown than green while others had what some call a “wilted look.”

I had two problems. I didn’t want to leave the heat on in my house, which was a hazard for the banana plant trying to survive in my living room. The other problem was that my deck, which housed my herbs and veggies, was not getting enough sun.

So I told my date, “yes, my plants are alive.”

But the conversation made me wonder, what do plants say about a person? Now that I live in an apartment located in a sunnier area of Eastsound, my once straggly looking plants in pots have truly blossomed, making me look like I may have a green thumb hidden somewhere way beneath the skin.

Recently I talked with garden guru and former Orcas Island Garden Club president Marlyn Myers, who gave me some of the best advice I have received about starting a new plot.

“You absolutely need to have sun … so make sure you start your garden in a spot with plenty of rays,” she said.

She also pointed out that potted gardens are great because on the island there are so many places that have bad soil, but in a container you can control what is inside.

“Plants like loamy soil,” said Myers.

Watering becomes even more critical with pots. Myers said you have to really watch your watering because soil in containers dries out much more quickly. She has to water every day except in her really big containers.

You also need to make sure the container has drain holes on the bottom or is filled almost halfway with rocks to drain the excess water.

A plus of having a potted garden, like mine, is that it keeps the soil nice and warm. Some of the plants that seem extra happy in containers are oregano, thyme, kale, spicy basil, swiss chard, chives, parsley, peas and tomatoes.

I have also succeeded in growing some succulent strawberries. Last year, the rabbits got to my red berries before I did, but now that I have a container garden on a deck high above the ground I have very little trouble with pests.

You do have to start worrying about the pots when winter comes around because they will freeze and crack. Myers plants a smaller pot inside of her larger containers so she can just pull it out when temperatures drop and store the smaller planter inside.

She has also gotten creative with potting, creating what she calls “tippy towers” from old galvanized watering buckets. She and her husband Don took rebar and cemented the buckets to rocks to make them look like they are tipping and planted herbs, strawberries and tomatoes.

For Myers, gardening is a peaceful activity that gives her a sense of independence and stress relief. Her advice is to start small or you’ll give up. But after getting to know Myers I know that gardening is a project she is committed to no matter how difficult the task. Even on the most rainy and overcast days she is outdoors tending to her green delights.

“I’ve had to be organized in life and you have to do some organizing – you have to know the steps in gardening,” she said. “You have to be totally committed.”

So, if you’re looking for a long-lasting relationship, it turns out that asking about plants on a first date may make perfect sense.