How to Create a Dish Garden

Dish gardens are a great addition to indoor gardening. Multiple small plants in a dish of any size creates an unusual look and can be a showpiece at the same time. Another idea is to give a dish garden as a gift.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Any dish type container
• Pea gravel
• Collection tray
• Small, slow growing plants, various types, preferably 1 to 2 inches
• Potting soil
• Sand or perlite
• Small pebbles or unusual-shaped rocks

1. Pick a container in a size of your choice. This may include dish planters from a local garden center or unusual containers, which are shallow. Examples of unusual containers include household dishes, pet dishes, an old boot or almost anything that will hold dirt.

2. Purchase enough plants to fit the size of your container. For instance, for a dish that is approximately 8 inches around, five to six plants are sufficient. Be sure to combine plants that require the same watering and sunlight needs.

3. Ensure the container has drain holes in the bottom. If not, poke holes in the bottom with a screwdriver or drill, taking care not to break the container. Any type of tray for the dish garden is essential to prevent the soil from washing out of the holes.

4. Cover the bottom of the container with pea gravel. Add a thin layer of potting soil amended with sand or perlite on top of the pebbles. Remove the plants from their containers by turning them upside down with the stem of the plant between your fingers to catch it. Tap on the bottom of the pot and remove. Sit the plant and soil into the container and arrange them until you like the result. Note that the taller plants do better in the back of the grouping.

5. Fill around the plants with more potting soil until the plants are covered in soil to the same level as they are in the soil around them.

6. Add any decoration around the plants such as small pebbles, small figurines or other items to finish the decorating process. Water well, approximately ½ cup. This will depend on the size of container you use. The soil should only be moist to the touch and not soggy. Place in a sunny location just to the side of direct sunlight.

7. Move the plants to a larger container or separate them when they outgrow the container.

References

• The garden Helper

Resources

• Cactus Museum