I started out with only a few clay pots, and I've added a few more every year. I really enjoy the flexibility that container growing gives me. Unlike permanent plantings, I can move my pots wherever I feel they will look their best. Since we spend much of our relaxation time on the deck I can also put the majority of my fragrant flowers nearby.

Another advantage is that you can give each different plant exactly the culture that they require. Some plants like an abundance of moisture and fertilizer, while others prefer a dry, lean soil.

I prefer the look of clay pots. I think they appear more natural, and blend more easily into their surroundings. One negative is that they tend to dry out faster then plastic pots. If you would like the look of clay and the advantages of plastic, buy plastic pots and put them inside your clay pots as liners.

I put a circle of old window screen and/or a pot shard over the drainage hole, them fill them with a good packaged potting soil or soil that I mix myself. I use new potting soil every year and compost  the old soil to be used in my other gardens.

A new development in the last few years has been self-watering containers . Self-watering containers have a reservoir in the bottom so you only have to water every few days. They are a great choice for those who travel and don't want to have to find a babysitter for their plants every time they leave town.

Almost anything will do well in containers. The key to having attractive containers is putting the plants closer together and fertilizing and watering them more often. I hate to admit it, but I do use a water-soluble chemical fertilizer. I never use them on my other gardens because I use so much compost and other organic fertilizers. The problem with pots is that every time you water them some nutrients wash out. I use the fertilizer at one-half strength about once a week and all my flowers do great.

When you are planning your container, choose some plants for each pot that will trail or cascade over the side. Some good ones are ivy geraniums, lobelia, alyssum and some petunias. After that--go wild. I like to combine flowers with vegetables and herbs. I've found that red looseleaf lettuce and parsley are a nice contrast in any container. 

If you like tomatoes, but don't have the room to grow them outside--try pots.  Make sure you put the cage in right away, or soon they will be taking over your deck or patio, but don't buy the patio tomatoes offered at the nursery.  I have yet to find one that isn't hard and tasteless.

Cucumbers do especially well in containers. For years I grew the bush variety in clay chimney flues and harvested more than enough to keep my family in refrigerator pickles.  My neighbor also grows zucchini, which also seems to produce well in pots.

The possibilities are endless!

Read more in the articles "Success with Pots and Planters", "The Potted Kitchen Garden" and "Why Veggies Grow Better in Pots" written by the author of "Incredible Vegetables from Self-Watering Containers".

Or plant a container that will attract hummingbirds!

Planting Herb Pots Video
Growing Herbs and Vegetables in Containers from "Garden Time."