Container Gardening

Terry Brite DelValle andTiare Saracino

This document is ENH1211, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date May 2013. Revised July 2016.

Clarissa Chairez, Amy Vu, andSydney Park-Brown
Other Contacts: Clarissa Chairez

This document is ENH121, one of a series of the Department of Environmental Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date June 1996. Revised October 2007 and April 2017.

Elena Karlsen-Ayala, Romina Gazis, and Matthew E. Smith

Mushrooms growing in potting soil are a common problem reported in nursery production and in potted plants in the indoor and outdoor home landscape. Many of these fungi are saprotrophic and feed on the organic matter contained in the potting soil itself and/or in the mulch, which varies in composition but often contains tree bark, wood chips, pine straw, moss, or leaves. These fungi are not necessarily harmful to the plants, but fungal fruiting bodies can make plants unmarketable. Unknown fungi can also be concerning to retailers and homeowners because of potential toxicity to pets and children. The purpose of this publication is to provide homeowners and retail nursery growers with an overview of some of the most common mushroom-forming fungi found in potted plants and potting soils in Florida. We also provide cultural control recommendations to help prevent or reduce mushroom growth.

Nicholas Rabanal, Hannah Moribe, Chi Dinh Nguyen, andHeqiang Huo

Florida’s unique climate provides an extended growing season ideal for cultivating a wide variety of container flowers. This guide offers a comprehensive approach to successful container gardening, offering valuable insights into creating vibrant container gardens in central Florida. The publication highlights container trials conducted at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, Florida, evaluating the performance of four flowering varieties—snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), stock flowers (Matthiola incana), pansies (Viola x wittrockiana), and China aster (Callistephus chinensis)—under central Florida's unique climate conditions. The results demonstrated that these species could thrive in containers with proper care and management, making them suitable for home gardeners and commercial growers alike.