TLC For Container Plants
According to gardening author, Jim Wilson, no one really knows when the first person put a plant in a pot and willed it to grow, but drawings carved on the wall of an Egyptian temple 3,500 years ago depict people digging up and potting frankincense trees for the enjoyment of Queen Hatshepsut
Other early renderings show urns, jardinières, calabashes, and woven baskets filled with soil and planted with food crops and ornamental trees and vines. So those of us who decorate our decks, patios, steps and porches with pots filled with colorful blooming plants and striking foliage plants are following an ancient tradition.
One advantage to container gardening is the ability to move them around if one location doesn’t suit us, unless the container requires more muscle than we have to move it! A monetary consideration is that containers take fewer plants to make a visual impact than garden beds require so it is easier on our wallets. They also take a minimum amount of effort after they are planted. Remember that minimum does not mean zero. A regular maintenance plant of TLC for container plants is important in order to keep the plants healthy and attractive.
Rain may supply all the water your container plants need, if they are placed where rain is accessible and not under eaves or an outdoor porch with a roof. During warm, windy weather evaporation and transpiration increase to keep the plant cool. You may have to water twice daily, especially for small containers, on days that are very hot. Every time you water, make sure that some runs out the bottom of the container but don’t let water sit in a saucer under the container.
Before watering, it is important to check the moisture level of the soil using either a moisture meter or your finger probing about one to two inches into the soil to see if watering is required. Checking is important as overwatering is the number one cause of container plant mortality. It is helpful, also, to use a rose attachment on a watering can or a fine-spray nozzle on a hose to trickle or sprinkle water gently onto the soil.
If any of the containers become nearly dried-out, where the soil has visibly shrunk from the sides, the entire container, if it is of manageable size, will need to be submerged in water over the rim of the container. It should remain under water until the air bubbles stop coming. Then place it where any excess water can drain out. Hopefully, this will revive the plants.
Container plantings depend on us for nutrients to aid their growth and overall health. Using a liquid fertilizer, according to the manufacturer’s directions, will have the nutrients immediately taken up by the plants roots. Before applying, thoroughly water the container to reduce the risk of burning the roots. Let the excess water drain out and then apply the fertilizer solution.
For many plants, removing faded flowers and seedpods will increase the number of flowers and extend the season of bloom. When taking off faded blooms, cut the stems back to a leaf node or main stem. If an entire stem is damaged, cut it back to the nearest healthy growing point or all the way back to the base. Plant injuries often attract pests or encourage diseases.
TLC of our container plantings – watering, feeding, and cleaning – will reward our minimum effort with major visual impact.
Betty J Magnan
Beltrami County Master Gardener
