Once you get the hang ofcontainer gardeningyou might find yourself growing more and more pots each year.
Here are some of ourbest tipsfor successfulcontainer gardens.
The bad news is that many garden pots that are sold simply don’t have enoughdrainage.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
you’re free to often increase drainage, by drilling, punching or carving bigger holes.
However, sometimes it’s just easier to buy a pot that does have enough drainage.
The minimum size for a drainage hole is 1/2 inch in diameter for small or medium-sized pots.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
For larger sized containers, look for at least an inch in diameter.
Evaluate Your Light
People often wildly overestimate how much sun their containers get.
it’s possible for you to also use a sun calculator to determine your sunlight.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
The vast majority of plants will need fertilizer added to your soil, to make it thrive.
you’ve got the option to mix in a slow release fertilizer into a potting mix.
Then fertilize every week or two with a liquid fertilizer, usually a fish emulsion, seaweed blend.
The Spruce / Janet Kwan
It smells awful but really helps to give plants the nutrition they need.
Smartphones are great for this.
Most nurseries will have someone there who can help you out with your choices.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
Also, in most nurseries, the plants are organized and labeled for how much sun they require.
This means that all the plants in one pot should all require the same amount of light and moisture.
If you combine plants with different needs, some of them will not thrive.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
If all else fails, venture to look it up on the internet.
Read and Save the Plant Tag
Plant tags are critical.
This is important when considering your container design and how to arrange your plant combinations.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
Sometimes Plants Die
The more plants you grow, the more plants you will kill.
It’s that simple.
Sometimes even the most expert gardeners will kill plants.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
It’s a fact of gardening life.
The trick is to know when to give up on a plant.
When a plant starts looking dreadful you have a couple of choices.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
Depending on the plant, you could cut it back dramatically, and hope for the best.
you could pull out the unhappy plant and put another plant in its place.
It takes time and attention, and while it doesn’t have to be expensive, it can be.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
This is both the good news and the bad.
All of the uncertainty and hard work makes the whole endeavor exciting, rewarding, and endlessly interesting.
No matter what the answer is, there are container gardens that will work with your lifestyle.
The Spruce / Kerry Michaels
You don’t like to water?
Growsucculentsand other drought-resistant plants.
Don’t have a lot of extra cash?
Make your containers out offound items or haunt yard salesand second-hand stores.
Whatever your style, there are plants that can work for you.
You just have to do a little research and experimentation to find what works.
