Container Gardening Tips — How to Use Shade and Sun to Your Advantage

Container gardening gives you one big advantage: you can move things.

If you put a container on the porch and discover that it doesn't get enough sun, you don't have to dig up a garden. You can move the pot. That's one reason I love containers for small-space gardening — you can experiment.

Try Before You Commit

Try a pot in one location for a few days. Pay attention to the sunlight. If the plant isn't getting what it needs, move the container to another suitable spot.

Just remember that large containers can become heavy, especially after they're filled with soil and watered. If you think you'll be moving a container regularly, consider using a container with wheels or a sturdy plant dolly — it saves your back and makes the whole process easier.

Don't Forget About Shadows

Shadows aren't necessarily bad. In fact, they can be very helpful.

• A porch may get strong morning sun and shade later in the day.
• A patio might have full afternoon sun but be shaded in the morning.
• A tree may cast a moving shadow across your garden space.
• Even your house can change the amount of sunlight your plants receive as the sun moves across the sky.

The important thing is knowing when the shade happens. If a plant needs plenty of direct sunlight, a spot that only gets a little morning sun may not be the right home for it. But another plant may appreciate that same location.

So don't look at shade as a problem. Look at it as information.

Look Above Your Garden

When you're choosing a spot, don't just look straight ahead — look up.

Is there a big tree overhead? A roof or awning? Does your neighbor's fence block the afternoon sun? Is there a building nearby that casts a long shadow? All of those things can change your sunlight, even in spots that look open and bright.

The Freedom of Containers

That's the real beauty of container gardening — nothing is permanent. You have the freedom to learn, adjust, and keep trying until you find what works.

Start with a few containers in your best sunny spot, pay attention to how your plants respond, and let the garden teach you as you go.

— Kentucky Proud Mammy