THINKING INSIDE THE POT CONTAINERS DELIVER BIG COLOR IN SMALL PACKAGES.

Byline: Elizabeth Smilor Correspondent

Want to grow something? Just contain it.

``Just about anything that grows can be grown in a container,'' says Jane Troiano, who works in garden sales at the Home Depot in Woodland Hills. ``Older people can do it without kneeling. It's a lot of fun. That's all I have in my backyard.''

Troiano and Martha Parker, a garden specialist and buyer at the same Home Depot, will lead a free discussion and demonstration July 15 on container gardening at California State University Northridge.

``A lot of people in condos and apartments might be surprised at what you can plant in pots and how creative you can be with it,'' says Parker.

The first thing to consider is where to place your containers. Will they be inside or outside? In the sun or shade?

The location will determine what types of containers and plants will thrive and look appropriate, experts say.

Once you know where you want to create your garden, then choose the containers, experts say.

``A container can be anything,'' says Troiano. ``I've seen people use old chairs with a pot in the seat, bathtubs and sinks. Just put holes in the bottom for drainage.''

Garden supply stores and nurseries offer a variety of containers, and there are also specialty stores with large selections. Sig's Pottery in Northridge has more than 10,000 pots, says co-owner Keith Brodsky.

They offer ceramic, terra cotta and concrete pots.

Larry Ruoho, the ``container guy'' at Sperling Nursery in Calabasas, prefers terra cotta because it breathes, but it also dries out quickly.

Plastic pots contain more moisture, he says.

``Growers grow in them, so how bad can plastic be?'' he ponders. ``But really it depends more on the look the gardener wants.''

Chris Greenwood, public relations director and chief rosarian for Armstrong Garden Centers, says a container should fit its space.

``Container gardening can be more than one pot in an area,'' he says. ``It's sort of an architectural thing, too.''

It's the size of the container that really matters, the experts say. ``A common mistake is choosing pots that are not the right size for the plants,'' Parker says. ``A small plant alone in a large pot will drown.''

Ruoho advises customers to pick out the largest pot possible for their space.

``The biggest flaw is people pick out lots of little pots, and it's really hard to grow anything because they dry out so quickly,'' he muses.

For a location outside in full sun, he recommends a pot no smaller that 12 inches in diameter but says a 16-inch container is better. For a cluster of pots, choose one 12-inch, one 16-inch and a 24-inch container, Ruoho says.

With your location and size and style of containers in mind, you're ready to choose the plants.

``Pick what you like,'' says Ruoho. ``It's not a long-term investment, like a tree that lasts decades. You will be re-potting in six months to two years.''

Most pots can hold more than one plant and will look better with a variety of plants. To design an attractive container, remember three words: thriller, filler and spiller, experts say.

``Have one plant for visual appeal (the `thriller'), a bushy filler plant and a cascading plant (`spiller'), says Parker. ``Or those variations can be spread in multiple pots.''

Greenwood and Ruoho stress that different textures give a container garden more appeal.

Don't be afraid to mix flowers with grasses and colored foliage.

``A pot with all tiny flowers looks like a weed patch,'' says Ruoho. ``But with different textures, it looks better.''

Greenwood likes the combination of palms with grasses and broadleaf plants, while Parker's favorite summertime combination is blue salvia with yellow marigolds and red ivy geranium.

Troiano says some people like flower colors to complement the shade of their house, or they want cool colors (blue, purple, pink) or warm colors (red and orange). She says pot placement affects design as well.

``If the pot is in the middle of a yard and can be seen from all sides, you want the height in the center, ``Troiano says. ``If it's tucked in a corner, you want the height in the back.''

There are many books available with container-gardening tips, but one that offers many diagramed container combinations is ``Contain Yourself'' by Kerstin P. Ouellet.

Vegetables and herbs can also be grown in containers and be mixed together in one pot. A tomato plant, however, will need a large pot -- preferably 24 inches or larger -- and a bamboo teepee or metal cage for support.

``People are often surprised at how large a tomato plant gets,'' says Parker.

She also says that anything fruiting needs at least six hours of sun a day. Many herbs require a lot of sun as well. Troiano encourages customers to choose things they would eat.

She has created an Italian garden with herbs such as oregano, basil and parsley and a salsa garden with tomato, cilantro and onion in one container.

The bottom line, says Greenwood: ``People can just let their imaginations go crazy.''

CONTAINER GARDENING WORKSHOP

What: Container gardening talk and demonstration.

Who: Jane Troiano and Martha Parker of the Woodland Hills Home Depot.

When: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 15.

Cost: Free.

Where: California State University Northridge.

Information: Registration is required by calling [phone], or via e-mail to [e-mail].

GOOD EARTH

Buy a good quality potting mix. Ordinary soil or compost mixes used to amend ground soil are too heavy for potted plants.

PROPER DRAINAGE

Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of your container. Then put rocks, broken pottery or crushed aluminum cans in the bottom before adding potting soil.

ADD POLYMERS

Containers exposed to a lot of sun -- especially hanging baskets and window boxes -- dry out fast and will benefit from polymers that expand within the soil and hold water.

FERTILIZE

Add a slow-release fertilizer at planting time and again every four months. Follow the directions, so as not to over-fertilize and burn the plants.

WATER

This is important to remember. As the weather gets warmer, container plants will need more water.

SATURATE THE SOIL

Small pots and hanging baskets exposed to the sun need to be watered twice a day during summer. Consider a drip irrigation system if you find you aren't watering consistently. Adding a layer of bark mulch to the tops of containers will slow the drying.

CAPTION(S):

6 photos

Photo:

(1 --- cover -- color) Controlled bloom

Become a master of the planted pot

(2 -- 3 -- color) Below, Martha Parker, left, and Jane Troiano of Home Depot in Woodland Hills put together a colorful container. At left, one of their creations flows over its pot.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer

(4 -- 6 -- color) no caption (plants in containers)

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GOOD EARTH (see text)