Last week, Denver Water issued a Drought Watch. Denver gardeners may face mandatory watering restrictions this growing season if we don't get some rain.
Plants in containers dry out quickly anyway, even if the pot is in the shade. And when rain does fall, containers don't always get sufficient water if the plants cover most of the soil or if the pot is beneath a deck or roof. Most container gardens need specific watering, and most pots don't appreciate going too dry. On a hot Denver summer day, your entire container garden can wilt in the heat--especially if you're dealing with terra cotta pots that turn into pizza ovens in the sun.
But here are a few tricks that allow you to have beautiful container gardens despite drought.
1) Plant non-thirsty plants. In my window boxes in my Denver garden, I planted hens-and-chicks, and these architectural plants survive Mile High winters and thrive during summer. They're not quite as sweet as the pansies I used to plant, but they're less hassle. If I go away for the weekend, the hens-and-chicks can survive on their own without watering.
Other plants to consider for drought-tolerant containers include portulaca. Also known as rose moss, these plants look delicate and produce lots of papery, colorful flowers. But portulaca wants hot, dry conditions. I reported in-depth on portulaca last summer for The Denver Post. To read more about portulaca, click this link.
Here's my Denver Post cover story with all the dirt on succulents.
I also published a Denver Post cover story on aloe. For information about aloe, click here.
To read my post about low-water, low-maintenance portulaca and aloe, click here.
Last year, I stuffed my front urns with Dusty Miller. The mass planting looked sophisticated, and the plants don't require so much water. You might also work with aloe, echivaria and other succulents in your containers. Many of the options in the Plant Select palette of natives and adaptibles will work well in containers. Or try your hand at cacti. And then grow dry: You do not need to overwater these containers. In fact, doing so will damage the plants.
2) Catch water indoors for your outdoor plants. Keep a watering can by your kitchen sink to catch water in whenever you're waiting for the stream to heat up. Or put a big bucket in your shower to collect water as you wait for your shower to run warm. I also catch water in my biggest stainless steel bowl as I'm washing fruits or vegetables. I place my colanders inside the big bowls and capture the rinse water. Then, I simply step outside my kitchen to my secret garden and use the water to give my containers a drink. If you're garden is not close to your kitchen, keep a big bucket on hand. You'll be surprised how much water you can save with these simple steps.
3) Mulch your containers. To help keep your container gardens' soil cooler and moister, try topping off your pots with mulch. Spagnum moss or green moss helps hold water and keeps the soil shaded. You might try some bark mulch, too. Just be sure your plants are ok with the top-dressing. Most won't mind, and the finished effect is pleasing to the eye.
Or top-dress containers with a thick layer of compost. Compost helps soil retain water, and the organic material will feed your plants, too. Just be sure your plants want such rich planting material. Not all plants prefer compost, particularly the portulaca, which gets by on the poorest soil.
When drought strikes, we all need to conserve more water, but that does not mean our containers need to sit empty. With a little forward-thinking and a shift in our esthetics, we can grow container gardens that conserve water and deliver the many benefits of plant life to our environment.
••• Cultivate your corner of the world:
You grow your garden; your garden grows you.
Colleen Smith gardens in and writes from a historic neighborhood in central Denver. Her second book, "Laid-Back Skier," was released in September 2011 and is available through FridayJonesPublishing.com or Amazon.com and in bookstores, boutiques, and museum gift shops.
Colleen Smith's first novel, "Glass Halo,"is set in Denver, and was a finalist for the 2010 Santa Fe Literary Prize.
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