#4 Container Gardening Tips to Help Your Plants Flourish

Container planting is a great way to add features to your garden, grow plants even if you only have a balcony or indoor space, or even grow exotic plants that aren’t suited to the local climate. But growing in a container comes with some very different challenges to growing plants outdoors. Whether you are growing orchids and tropical plants, vegetables or herbs, these container gardening tips from our cash for houses team in Dallas will help you keep your plants healthy and thriving!

#1 – Get to Know Your Plants

One of the most important container gardening tips we can offer is to research plants before you buy them so that you have a good idea of the plant’s soil, nutrition, climate, watering and sunlight needs. Some plants are incredibly successful in containers, while others simply need too much space to be a viable container plant. Rather than buying based on how good they look in the garden center, try to match them up to the areas of your home, garden or balcony where you want them to live permanently.

#2 – Choose the Right Container

Plants don’t really mind what container they’re growing in, but certain aspects will change how you need to care for them, or can even stunt their growth.

• Container size – It’s much easier to grow plants in larger plant pots because they hold more soil, need to be watered less frequently, and retain nutrients better. But the most important thing is to get the right size for the plant you’re buying, so consider the final size of the plant, the shape of its root system and how quickly it will grow. Keep in mind that some species like orchids prefer to be a bit rootbound and don’t do well with too much space around them.

• Container material – Light colored plant pots tend to reflect heat, keeping the roots cooler and helping to reduce moisture loss. Glazed pots will also retain moisture better than unglazed or wooden containers. Remember to consider the weight of the filled container as well – you may want to opt for a lightweight pot made out of wood, fiberglass, plastic or a concrete/vermiculite blend to get the size you want without making it too heavy when planted.

• Drainage – Waterlogging is the number one reason why houseplants die. Too much water will cause any plant’s roots to rot, so it’s very important to get plant pots with good drainage. You can also add more drainage holes with a drill if needed. Ideally, excess water should run right out of the pot after a deep watering. If your plants are inside, it’s better to place a saucer or catchment underneath the pots to protect furniture rather than to have no drainage holes.

#3 – Use the Right Soil

Plants can be very fussy about soil type, and the wrong soil type can kill or stunt a plant. If you want the best growth, flowers and fruit, soil is the place to start! Use a high-quality potting soil that’s rich in organic matter, as this will be good for drainage and help provide a source of nutrients as it breaks down. If you are growing exotic plants, try to find potting mixes designed for that type of plant. This is especially important for orchids, as they need very good airflow through the root system and tend to need a mix of bark chips, sphagnum moss or vermiculite rather than soil.

Use organic acid or alkaline composts to achieve the right soil pH. Most plants enjoy a pH of about 6-7 (slightly acidic), while some prefer more acidic soil (blueberries, potatoes, azaleas, hydrangeas and rhododendrons) or more neutral to alkaline soil (asparagus, beets, broccoli, box elders, canna, crocus, and daylilies). To find out what your soil pH is, you can also use a soil pH test kit.

#4 – Water and Feed Regularly

When it comes to nutrition and water, it’s slightly more difficult to manage container plants than outdoor plants because it’s all up to you!

• Watering – Water frequently and deeply, soaking through the pot and letting the excess run out. In hot weather or when the heat is on, these plants will dry up much faster, so adjust your watering accordingly. Always water the soil rather than the foliage, especially if these are indoor plants, as this will help prevent fungal infections and disease. If you aren’t sure when to water, you can use a moisture meter or simply water when the top 1 inch of the soil is dry to the touch.

• Fertilizer – Fertilize regularly, ideally using a very weak solution of liquid fertilizer each time you water, as this will give a steady source of nutrients even as the container gets flushed out. For fruit and vegetables, you’ll need to feed more regularly through the growing season using a fertilizer specifically for crop production. Certain plants also respond better to certain types of fertilizer that are lower in certain nutrients and higher in others, so it’s important to do your research. However, for most container plants, a slow-release granular or liquid fertilizer (preferably organic) for general garden use is just fine.

 We hope you enjoyed these container gardening tips!

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