Caring for Summer Containers

August 6, 2013 | By webadmin

Extreme summer heat and lack of rainfall can take their toll on the landscape; especially container plantings. Container plantings are a great way to create accents and focal points in our landscape, create a welcoming entrance, liven up our patio area or grow specialty plants and herbs. But there are some special things we need to do to keep our container plantings looking their best all summer.

Container plantings will require more frequent watering than plants in the landscape. With a limited soil volume and exposure to wind and air temperatures, soil in containers dries out much more quickly. Not to mention, you lose some water from the drainage hole in the container. Hooking your container up to drip irrigation lines is a great way to keep them consistently watered; especially if you leave on vacation.

Plants in containers also need to be fertilized more regularly than landscape plants. Why so? Well, all that extra water you’re providing leaches out nutrients through the drainage hole. That means you’ll need to replace those nutrients more often to keep plants looking their best. The best practice is to use a water soluble fertilizer to feed your container plants once per week. That frequency isn’t always convenient for us busy folks, but there are other options. You can also use a slow-release granular fertilizer that will feed the plants over time. Even if you only feed once or twice per month, plants will perform much better than if not fertilized at all.

When using a synthetic water soluble fertilizer, be sure to read the label instructions and never use more than is recommended. Synthetic fertilizers can burn plant roots if overused. They can also result in salt build up in the soil, which can become toxic for plants. If you notice a white film building up around the soil surface, it’s a good idea to remove the top few inches of soil and replenish with new potting soil. Or, if plants have been in the container for a long time, it may be a good idea to repot them with all new potting soil. If you’re concerned about this issue, or have accidentally burned plants in the past, you can use organic liquid fertilizers more frequently and without the fear of burning.

Need your containers connected to automated drip lines? Give us a call!