Caring For Your Container Garden And Garden Pots
With some basic gardening skills, you can ensure a successful container garden. Starting with the containers themselves, make sure that any garden pots made from porous materials (such as terracotta or wood) are sealed on the inside with a quality water sealant. Otherwise, the pots will soak up much of the water meant for your plants.
Watering Your Plants
It is just as important not to over water as it is not to underwater. Most garden pots will have a saucer or bowl underneath to catch any extra water and keep it from rotting your patio or deck. The best way to water your container garden is by filling the saucers up with water. This helps you avoid over watering and the water from spilling over the top of the saucer. The water will seep up through the hole in the bottom of the pot feeding the roots of your plants.
You can also choose to water your plants on the top surface. If so, make sure to fill it a little at a time (about a cup or so) and keep an eye on how much water ends up in the saucer. Its best not to overfill the saucer. Your plants will always welcome a fresh spray of water from a hand sprayer. If you have really hard water from your sink, use bottled or rain water so calcium won't build up on the leaves.
Plant Food
Since pots are generally small, the nutrients in most potting soils don't last much more than five or six weeks. Therefore, you will need to replenish the soil with vital nutrients. Plant food generally comes in liquid or granular forms. Slow-release granules are recommended as they last a long time and keep a steady supply of food going to the plants.
Pest Control
The two main types of insecticides are Systemic and Contact. Systemic works by pouring the insecticide onto the soil. It is then absorbed through the root system then up through the plant. This works best for pests under the soil and for leaf eating bugs as they ingest the poison.
The next type of insecticide is the contact type which is sprayed directly onto the insects. It should work rather quickly but you might have to repeat the application after a few days depending on the amount of infestation is going on.
You are sure to have a thriving container garden with a small amount of monitoring and loving care.
David Haines has been working in gardens since his early childhood and has always been interested in educating others regarding gardening and landscaping techniques. If you'd like to know more about container gardening, visit AllGardenPots.com
