- Anything that can hold soil and has at least one drainage hole (2 to 3 holes are better) can serve as a planter. Often “found” unconventional items make excellent pots.
- When using pots that have contained other plants, you may want to use a 10% bleach solution to disinfect your container and tools. This solution is active for 20 minutes, it's best not to store the solution.
- Large containers retain more moisture than small ones. This is especially true with hanging baskets.
- Grouping containers together is an attractive way to display potted plants.
- Use soil less mix for containers. Commonly known as potting soil, there is no soil in this mix.
- This soil less mix provides good drainage for containers.
- Leave 1” freeboard space in container to allow for even water penetration.
- When water starts to run through the container without wetting the root ball container mix should be changed. It can also be refreshed to bring it back to the freeboard.
- To facilitate wetting peat moss, add a drop or two of dish soap to the water.
- When making a hanging wire basket that is lined with moss, place a shallow saucer close to the bottom and inside the basket to hold some water. Otherwise, the container dries out too much and water tends to run through.
- Container plants must be rated at a lower temperature than your plants in the soil. If your temperatures reach no lower than 20 degrees, you should choose plants that will accept at least 15-degree temperatures. Plants in containers get colder than plants in the ground – they also get warmer in the direct sun.
- At 86 degrees and higher, temperate zone plants do not grow. They just pump water to stay alive and survive the heat.
- The most important rule – group plants together that have like requirements – water needs and exposure preferences.
- Never fertilize plants when they are dry or stressed.
- Controlled release fertilizers such as Osmocote as activated by heat at 70 degrees. They are dormant in cold weather.
UC Master Gardeners of Placer County