Planting in pots gives you so many options when it comes to flowers, herbs and even some vegetables. If you don’t have a garden space, a deck, a patio or even a spot that gets 6 hours of sun and you have the ability to grow things and be quite successful. There are lots of things we can grow in pots, but they will require a little care. Here are some tips for how to care for your plants in pots.

Watering:

Your vegetables and plants will need plenty of water as they grow. You’ll know it’s time to water when the top inch of your potting soil is dry to the touch. Some plants dry out quicker than others, and you’ll learn that as you go. During really warm weather some potted plants may require daily watering.

Fertilizing:

There are a few different ways to provide fertilizer to your plants. One is to incorporate a slow release fertilizer into the soil when you plant your container. If you buy an already planted container or if you forgot to incorporate the fertilizer, you can sprinkle the fertilizer on top of the soil with it. Slow-release or controlled release fertilizers work great for people who want a “feed and forget” type solution. I love this idea!

There is also the traditional water-soluble fertilizer, that you can use from the beginning. Generally, you would apply a water-soluble fertilizer every week or every other week while watering your containers.

For vegetables, you might want to consider an organic fertilizer specific to vegetable gardens. Each product comes with detailed instructions on the back for use, but most vegetable garden fertilizers suggest you fertilize your garden every 3-4 weeks.

You can watch our Facebook Live where Elspeth gives a demonstration on pruning your flowers and talks all about fertilizing, etc.

Pruning:

To keep your flower containers looking nice you need to cut back the dead flowers or excess blooms. As Elspeth says, “the more you pick the more you get”. 🙂

With vegetables in pots, like lettuce, gently pinch off the larger leaves as they grow and are ready to eat. You can also poke a hole in the soil and plant another seed as the season progresses when you’re harvesting more of your lettuce.

Planting in pots is such a great option for any gardener. With a little care, this can provide you with beautiful flowers, vegetables or herbs to enjoy all season!

Do you plant in pots? Flowers? Vegetables? Let me know if you do and what works well for you.

“Grow with Me and Wile’s Lake Farm Market” is sponsored by Wile’s Lake Farm Market located in Wileville, Nova Scotia. They carry many different varieties of fertilizers to assist you with your care of plants in pots. Their knowledgeable staff is also available to answer any questions you might have.