Plants in pots popular as yards grow smaller

Following the trend of smaller backyards, smaller units and high-density living, growing plants in pots is becoming more widespread and fashionable, especially with waterwise succulents and plants that can handle tough conditions.

Jess Russ of Fifth Street Wonthella, is a keen gardener and has been at it all her life.

She explained the method she used to propagate plants from cuttings.

Ursula Clarke, who we featured in the last edition’s column, was present during the visit and asked: “How do you build a pot, Jess?”

“I put carbon in the bottom of the pot,” Jess said.

“The plants like it. You can’t overwater as the carbon helps drainage. Then I put the soil on top of that. But I dig a hole in the soil and put my NPK fertiliser in that hole before I put the plant in and then water them.”

“Do you use honey to help a strike,” Ursula asked.

“Yes, I do,” Jess said. “I did that this morning. I am terrible, if something breaks off I stick it back in the ground. Kevin cuts everything back but I learn to live with it and just walk around the growth.

“Throw it out, Kevin says. But after he’s gone I pick the cuttings up and put them in. I scrape a bit off the end, about an inch on one side, showing the raw flesh of the plant and on that I put the honey. I have a little jar of honey for that reason. Someone told me that years ago and I have always done that.”

The geraniums that Jess had growing in pots and in the ground were also discussed.

She referred to pelargonium, which she said were a separate type of plant.

According to Wikipedia, “Pelargonium is a genus of flowering plants which includes about 200 species of perennials, succulents, and shrubs, commonly known as geraniums”.

As Jess was left with the inevitable bunch of cuttings for replanting, the next gardening adventure awaits with Ursula asking for research on whether it is necessary to wash all fruit and vegetables bought from the supermarkets and fruit and vegetable shops.