For those who suffer from winter doldrums when it's too cold to garden outdoors, an indoor dish garden may be the perfect "pick-me-up." Here, guest Harriett McMillan, a horticulture information specialist from the Denver Botanic Gardens, shows how to transform any shallow container into an attractive dish garden. McMillan demonstrates how to create an ideal environment for small specimens of cacti and succulents using gravel, mulch and water, and also shows how to fill a dish garden with a collection of small plants, including ivy, African violets, purple passion vine and creeping fig.
Materials
- 12-inch clay bowl (with drainage hole)
- scoria / soil-less mix
- trowel
- 14-inch clay saucer
- two six-inch saucers
Featured Plants
- Aeonium tabulaeforme
- Agave reginae
- Echeveria
- Euphorbia
- Huernia
- Kalanchoe
- maidenhair fern
- pin cushion cactus
- polka-dot plant
- Sedum crassula
- Senecio
Background Information and Tips
- Maidenhair fern and polka-dot plant are good foliage-type plants for starting a dish garden.
- Small plants are affordable, look great in a windowsill and make a great dish garden that can also be kept outside (weather permitting).
- Before planting, make sure soil-less mix is moist and the plants going in the dish container have been watered; however, be sure not to over-water.
- If using plants such as cacti and succulents that have shallow root systems, plant them with a cacti / succulent mix in a terra-cotta pot to ensure good drainage.
- When handling a cactus, wrap it with newspapers or paper towels to protect hands (even if wearing gloves).
- Set larger plants, such as agave, in the back of the container so they are slightly off-center; euphorbia is a good choice for adding height.
- Fill in the container(s) evenly, making sure not to over-crowd the plants. To soften the edges of the container, add plants that will eventually grow over the brim.
- Once a dish is planted, place it in a well-lit area and add fertilizer as needed.
- To create a simple "living wreath," plant small plants in a shallow pan with an upside down container in the middle to serve as a pedestal. Place a candle on the pedestal and set the wreath outdoors when the danger of frost has passed. (In warmer climates, wreaths and dish gardens can be left outdoors all winter.)
