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Member of
Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
Member of
Landscape Ontario
since 1989
Over 25 years in business
Spring Planting Tips for Container Gardens
Container planting is an easy answer to creating miniature gardens wherever you want them. Planters also lend a splash of colour to otherwise dark corners and will accentuate front entrances making them cheerful and welcoming. You want planters that will look great from spring until frost and won’t require constant watering and care. Success starts at the very beginning in choosing your planting medium. Here are some tips for planting beautiful, long-lasting containers.
- Use larger containers and those that retain water to reduce reliance on water. Clay pots look lovely but aren’t the best in hot dry conditions. If you use a clay pot, insulate it with a plastic pot inside.
- To keep out nuisance insects such as earwigs and slugs, place a small piece of window screening in the bottom of pots to cover drainage holes.
- Use new potting mix every year. Last year’s nutrients will have been all used up. Never use topsoil or garden soil in containers because of soil-born pests and diseases.
- Start with a good quality soil-less mixture and add water holding granules or other conditioners that will hold water such as coconut husk fibre. Adding these elements will allow you to go three or four days between watering. You can buy soil mixes with water retentive gel already in it.
- Use both annuals and perennials for interesting foliage or form when not in bloom. Selecting drought tolerant plants is a great way to reduce reliance on water. Consider using native plants and grasses.
- Time-release all-purpose fertilizer can be added to the soil mix prior to planting. In mid-summer once these nutrients have been depleted, start using a water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks.
- Leave five to eight centimetres between the top of the soil and the rim of the container. This space prevents water run-off and allows water to seep into the root system.
Mid-May is a good time to get your containers ready. Just be careful not to expose your new plants to frost. Once your containers are planted, a little maintenance is all that is required for continued blooms and lush foliage throughout the summer season.
- Water containers thoroughly but only when the soil feels dry to the touch. If using water retentive agents in your growing medium, watering may extend to three or four days, even on hot dry days. It’s best to water in the morning.
- Frequent watering leaches nutrients from the root zone. For continued blooms and lush foliage, it is necessary to use an all purpose, water soluble fertilizer such as 20 - 20 - 20 every two weeks during the growing season to provide nutrients. For edible plants such as tomatoes and herbs, be sure to use an organic fertilizer.
- Mulch the top of the pots to keep moisture in the soil. Decorative stone mulch looks very attractive and also helps keep cats and other animals out of the soil.
- Deadhead all flowering plants regularly to promote new blooms. Annuals such as petunias may get spindly by mid-summer. To maintain their good looks, trim back by a third so they will sprout again.
- During summer months, protect potted plants from high heat and wind. You may need to take down a hanging planter for a few days to remove it from harsh conditions.
- When you go on vacation, group several pots together in a sheltered area - this makes it easier for your plant sitter to water and also provides protection from the sun and wind.
Denise Sheedy
denise@living-landscapes.ca
Denise Sheedy is a gardening enthusiast in Georgina
Denise Sheedy
Living Landscapes
7130 Old Homestead Road
RR#1 Pefferlaw, Ontario L0E 1N0
Tel: 905-722-9569
Email:denise@living-landscapes.ca