Plants
How to Grow and Care for Morning Glory Flowers in Containers
Intro: The morning glory flower is a climbing vine with heart-shaped leaves that blooms in the mornings. Morning glory blooms, which only last one day, come in a variety of colors (pink, purple, red and white, while blue is the most common) and usually bloom in mid-summer to late fall. Morning glory flowers can begin to bloom in March in warmer climates. These beautiful flowers grow well in plant containers on balcony gardens. Balcony gardeners can attach fishing line or durable string from the balcony railing to the roof and train the morning glory plant to grow along the string. This growth will provide dappled shade (you can intersperse white Christmas lights on these lines if there is an electricity outlet outside).
Tips for Growing Cucumbers in Containers
The important thing about growing cucumbers is not for their foliage or flowers, but for the crop they will give you. Take great care of your cucumber plant in order to have a small but rewarding crop of cucumbers later in a few months.
How to Grow and Care for the Dahlia Flower in Containers
Intro: Dahlia flowers do best in plant containers that are at least 1 by 1 foot, and low-growing and dwarf dahlia varieties are best for container gardening. There are so many dahlia flower varieties that every gardener can find something for their garden. These flowers come in every color imaginable for a flower except for blue. A blue dahlia flower has never been produced, even after the Caledonia Horticultural Society of Edinburgh offered a cash prize for the first person to grow a blue dahlia in 1846!
How to Grow and Care for Cilantro in Containers
Intro: Cilantro, also called coriander, is a strong herb used fresh or dried for culinary purposes, especially in Asian and Mexican cuisines. Cilantro's seeds (actually the plant’s tiny fruits) can be found in spice jars under the name coriander, while its fresh leaves are often referred to as cilantro (in the United States only – other English-speaking countries call the fresh leaves as coriander, as well). Cilantro grows to 20 inches tall and has tiny white flower clusters at the ends of stalks. Cilantro can be difficult to grow in kitchen gardens, especially in hotter areas. The trick is to plant cilantro in the balcony garden in the spring or fall when the weather is cooler.
How to Grow and Care for the Lucky Clover Plant in Containers
Intro: The 6- to 12-inch-tall lucky clover plant is known by many names, including iron cross, shamrock plant, lucky leaf and good luck plant. If growing in a feral state, it is often called four-leaf sorrel and four-leaved pink sorrel. Lucky clover, which is native to Mexico, is not a clover at all, but resembles a green four-leaf clover with an iron cross-shaped purple coloration in the center. The resemblance to the lucky four-leaf clover is what gives this Oxalis species its common names. This container plant blooms throughout the spring and summer with pretty little pink flowers. The good luck plant does well in plant containers indoors next to a sunny window or in a bright spot with indirect sun in a balcony container garden.
