Caring for Container Gardens

Caring for container gardens can take some time.

I really enjoy my container gardens- I love to create different color schemes and designs every year......but I have to tell you that they do require maintenance. For one thing , they need to be watered far more than planting flowers directly in the ground.

But it’s well worth the effort of extra care since my container gardens are seen up close on the backyard patio and used as focal points in the front entry garden. But there’s no getting around it – potted flowers and plants need to be watered more often, fertilized regularly, and checked for over crowding and dead flower heads.

Here’s a quick list of things you need to do for general care and maintenance of your container gardens.

Read it through and see if you can commit to the schedule of caring for container gardens before you go out and spend time and money on pots and plants.

There is nothing more depressing than a patio full of overgrown, or worse yet- dead plants- in beautiful pots! Read on to see if caring for container gardens is what you had in mind.

Here goes…….

1. Water Every Day.

Yes, everyday for best results. ( Sometimes even twice a day in hot sunny climates) Water is crucial for healthy happy plants and daily watering may be necessary.

And don’t think that you can throw water carelessly at the plants and call it a day. The water needs to reach the potting mix and then the roots; sometimes the leaves of the plant act like an umbrella so make sure to get the hose directly on the mix without damaging the plant or washing away the soil. .

You can use an irrigation system, but sometimes it’s easier to water by hand than to rig up an automatic drip watering system with tubes and hoses. Attaching the hoses to a timer may save some time, but the equipment still needs to be cleaned out regularly.

Do some research and find an efficient system that's right for you .

Too much water If you water regularly but the plants look yellow and wilted- then you could be watering too much, have poor drainage, or need more aerated soil.

Not Enough Water Sometimes miracles happen and you can revive droopy plants that haven't been watered enough.

If this happens and you have neglected watering your container grown plant to the point of wilting, you may get a second chance.

Stand the container in a tray or bucket of water – but make sure it’s out of the sun. Let it sit soaking for about an hour. When the mix is completely wet, then take out the pot and drain as usual. Many plants perk right up – and will continue to thrive.

A miracle!

Daily watering can leach away nutrients in the container soil ,so add small amounts of fertilizer every 3-4 weeks.

Lime may be depleted sooner in containers too, causing the mixture to become too acidic and prohibiting the plants from absorbing the nutrients. If you think this may be a problem- check the PH of the potting mixture and add lime if necessary.

Fertilizers can be liquid or granular form, either organic or inorganic.

Liquid fertilizer is usually more fast acting and applied at regular intervals through the season. Avoid using the liquid in hot sunny conditions and stay clear of the plant leaves; the fertilizer can burn the leaves.

Slow release fertilizer is usually in a granular form and added to potting mix at the beginning of the season. The nutrients in the slow release fertilizer generally last over a longer period.

Use an organic fertilizer whenever possible for eco-friendly gardening.

Problems with over or under fertilizing- Things to watch out for……….