Planting Basics: Avoid these Common Container Gardening Mishaps

Half barrels, tubs, and pots filled with flowers add appeal to any landscape. Container gardening, however, is excellent for people who have little to no garden space. When you do your planting in containers, you don’t need so much space to grow a dreamy mix of tasty edibles and colorful flowers.

Common Container Gardening Mistakes to Avoid

If you’re going to plant on these containers, you need to avoid these common mistakes that could prevent you from making your dream garden come true:

Using Cheap Soil

Good soil is instrumental to your success in any garden. This is more important for plants in containers, as they’re growing in a restricted environment. If you’re going to place soil on your containers, resist the temptation to purchase substandard, inexpensive potting soils that could do more harm to your plants than good.

When shopping for soil, look for one that retains moisture during dry spells, plants nutrients, and offers good drainage. On top of that, the soil should be sterile with no disease pathogens or weed that could cause issues down the line. A good example is a potting mix based on perlite, vermiculite, or sphagnum moss.

Neglecting to Water

Another reason container gardens fail is due to lack of water. Most containers, as a general rule, require daily watering except when the weather is cloudy and cool, during autumn and spring, and during times of extreme rainfall. If you’re out a lot, it is a good idea to set up a drip irrigation system that can water your containers while you’re not around. Alternatively, pick plants that are okay with dry conditions and forget about growing vegetables or flowers that have thirsty constitutions.

Overwatering Your Plants

If too little water dehydrates your plants, too much of it will drown your precious flora. Too much water cuts off or severely limits the oxygen supply that roots rely on to function properly. Additionally, overwatering can lead to the irreversible decay of roots and root rotting.

You can prevent overwatering by using containers with drainage holes. If you happened to overwater your garden, don’t panic. Move the container to a breezy and dry spot. You can also move your plants into a sheltered spot or garage to dry them out. This is particularly useful if the weather continues to be wet.

Starving the Plants

Water is not the only thing plants need to survive and flourish. Container-grown vegetables and flowers get hungry. Since they are unable to look for nourishment in the ground, you need to provide them with “meals” to keep the produce or blooms coming. Plants that aren’t getting enough food often stop blooming and develop yellow leaves. So, keep your plants happy by feeding them with a little liquid fertilizer.

Getting subpar soil, failure to water properly, overwatering, and starving the plants are a few of the no-nos you should avoid in container gardening. If you’re set on planting your vegetables and flowers in a container, you’ll need planters that will serve as their home. PolyStone Planters has the containers you need. We have quality custom planter boxes that last for years and are resistant to stains, mildew, and mold. Our products can withstand the harshest environmental conditions and temperatures. You can count on us to build a planter that matches your specifications.