Alexander the Great popularized the medicinal properties of aloe when he heard how the sap from it’s leaves could help heal battle wounds.

“Aloe” creates a protective barrier on the skin that keeps it moist and promotes healing.  It also stimulates the Langerhans cells, which can reduce inflammation.

Now is a good time to think about growing your own indoor potted aloe plant.  It’s so easy, they are just beautiful and a very healthy plant to have around the house.

Select a small size clay flowerpot and saucer.  Make sure you place them in a sunny location or window.  The potted aloe plant loves indirect sunlight but too much direct sunlight can brown it’s leaves.  It’s best to rotate the pot once or twice a week so that all sides receive equal light.  Don’t overwater but keep the moisture moist.

To use for burns or cuts:  Slit open a stalk, squeeze out some gel like substance and dab on the skin.  Keep the remaining stalk in the refrigerator for up to 60 days.

Read More: How to grow a pineapple bush.

Looking for something easy to plant and grow in a decorative patio pot, something healthy to eat, wonderful to smell, and looks good in a garden planter?  GARLIC!

If you have never tried to grow garlic in a garden container and watch it grow so you can harvest it, then you are missing out for sure.  It’s really so easy and fun to do.  Great for kids and older adults alike.  Just follow a few easy tips and you can have great success growing your potted garlic.

As we all know, garlic is one of the most popular herbs you can grow.  It’s used in almost all recipes from spaghetti sauce, to stir fry and everything in between.  Garlic is reported to be a wonderful medicinal plant owing to its preventive characteristics in cardiovascular diseases, regulating blood pressure, lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels, effective against bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections, enhancing the immune system and so much more.

The first thing to consider is the right type of garlic to plant in your flowerpot.  If you live in a cold climate purchase Hard neck. The Soft neck kind is better for warmer climates.  You can google this for more information.  The second thing to consider is where you will place the garden containers once they are planted.  The best place to locate your pottery is where they will get full sun.  A patio area or yard and garden area where they can get direct sun without an overhang or awning.

When selecting the container to grow the garlic in you will need one that is at least 6 inches (15 cm.) deep and has excellent drainage. The garden container also needs to be big enough to leave 6 inches (15 cm.) of space between cloves.  We recommend a terracotta planter, window box, or garden bowl because the clay breathes and is healthy for the soil and garlic to get good air circulation.  But most any garden container will yield success.

Start with fresh potting mix.  Don’t reuse mix from year after year in any of your flowerpots, because the garlic will deplete the nutrients in the soil.  Separate the cloves carefully and set them into the mix pointy side up about 4 to 6 inches into the soil.  Space apart.  Top with soil and mulch the planter.

Don’t overwater these planters.  Allow the soil to dry a bit between watering but never dry out completely.  Feed each flowerpot with fertilizer during the active growing season to help things along.  Stop fertilizing the potted garlic mid-summer when the leaves begin to turn brown and die back.  You will know when to harvest when half or more of the leaves have died.  That is the time to dig up the bulbs.

Dig them up being careful not to bruise or cut them.  Lay them out to dry for 2 to 3 weeks in a shady area or in a garage.  When the roots feel brittle, rub them off along with excess dirt, but leave the papery skins intact.  You can now store them in bunches, braid them or cut off the stems a few inches above the bulb.  Store on a screen or shelf where they will get good cool, dry air.

Did you know that growing Spinach in a garden pot is really easy to do for a number of reasons?  It likes the shade and you can grow it indoors on a windowsill.  Do you eat a lot of fresh spinach and are tired of that bagged stuff from the grocery store?  Then read on and learn how simple it is to grow your own spinach in a flowerpot.

The best size of pot to start growing spinach in should be at least 8” deep.  This is considered a standard flowerpot size and easy to find.  We sell Italian clay 8”garden pots that would be perfect.  Next decide if you want to fill the pot with seeds or starter plants.

Each spinach plant requires approximately 3” of space so make sure you give them that.  If you think you may want to wait to harvest the leaves till they are larger then give them 5” of space or if you like the idea of eating tender small leaves give the potted plants 2” space.  You decide and pick a container accordingly.

If you are thinking about trying this growing idea in the Fall then place the garden container in a sunny spot.  In Spring & Summer when it gets really hot place the flowerpot in a area that gets some shade, especially in the afternoons.  You don’t want to burn those tender leaves that you plan on eating so move the planter accordingly.

Always use a quality growing mix and make sure the planter you use has drain hole.  You don’t want soggy soil.  When watering, avoid watering the foliage and keep the soil damp not soggy or wet.  Don’t get overly concerned about water, just make sure the soil is moist.

Growing indoors requires a pot that has a drain saucer.  You want the over water to drain off the soil but a saucer will be necessary to catch it.  Use smaller pots that fit into your window and plant fewer plants in each.  A window will provide enough sunlight but not all-day sunlight so it’s prefect.

When the spinach stem has 5 leaves you can start to pick them off and eat them.  Start with outer leaves and leave the inner leaves so they will grow larger.  Once all the leaves are gone, cut off the whole plant at the base and it will re-sprout again.