Following yet another hot summer and my container pots/plants being devestated by drying out quickly?

Question

It doesn't help being erratic in my watering habbits but has anyone any suggestion of the best way to keep these in good condition during next years hot spell....

Answer 1

Consider putting in a watering tube. I found these last year, put some in my pots and they worked great. Did what the website said, got the water to the roots and kept the plants healthy.
http://www.wateringgem.co.uk

Answer 2

I love container gardening and have battled this same thing year after year.

First, go with the largest pot you can find that has good drainage holes in it. The larger the pot, the more soil that is in the pot which means the soil will not dry out as fast. Group them together when possible. This slows down evaporation.

Avoid clay pots as they wick moisture from the soil. I like using plastic and resin. There are so many styles now and you can't even tell they are plastic. A good quality pot makes all the difference. I've had good luck with glazed pots, but they can be quite expensive in larger sizes. On a side note, if you are using plants lke cacti and succulants, you may want to use a clay pot because they don't like too much water.

Use a good quality potting mix appropriate for the plants in the pot. I like to mix one part compost with one part potting soil so that the soil will have more nutrients and retains more water, but yet it is still light and airy, which is good for the roots. I also like to use those water absorbing crystals mixed with my soil. They absorb water and then release it to the roots as needed by the plant.

Next, make sure that all the plants in the container have the same needs...in otherwards the same light requirements, same water requirements, same nutrient requirements.

And lastly, in addition to water, container plants need fertilizer...especially because the potting mixes you buy by the bag are sterile. I like to add a slow release organic fertilizer to my potting soil at the time of planting and then suppliment it with a water soluable fertilizer once a week at half strength. You may need to water twice a day during the heat of the summer. I find it works best when I water all my containers and then come back a half an hour later and water them again until I see the water run out the bottom of the pot. This ensures that all the soil is saturated.

Pots on asphalt or concrete will need more water (so avoid placing pots in those areas, it's too stressful for the plant anyway). Never fertilize a plant that is under water stress. Instead, water the plant thoroughly and then come back and fertilize an hour later after the plant has had a chance to absorb the water.

And lastly, I like to use a little shredded wood mulch on the tops of my container plants. This also helps to retain water. Good luck next year.

Answer 3

Your problem may be not only how much water you give them but also when they get it. Water first thing in the morning and get them saturated before the hottest part of the day. Remember that if they have good drainage then you cannot overwater them. Do not fill up your pots when planting but leave about 1" of space at the top so that you can puddle your plants. If you find that a pot has started to dry out ( compost shrinking at the sides of the pot )then add a touch of washing up liquid to your watering can but do not pour over the plant just on the soil. This will help to re-wet the compost and get some moisture to the plant. Choose bedding plants carefully and pick the plants that will take some abuse.
Best of luck for next year.

Answer 4

Depending on where you are. A previous answerer mention plastic pot and not clay. Plastic is fine unless you live in the desert. If you are in the desert, clay is better because as the water evaporates from the clay it keeps the roots cool. I container garden in the Mohave desert, and I use big clay pots, then I set them in a cat litter pan full of water. It evaporates so fast I fill them every day during the summer. I have also filled a gallon jug with water an put a pin hole in the bottom side of the jug so the water dribbles out all day long. Leave the cap off the jug of you'll get a vacuum and it will stop dripping.

Answer 5

Adina's answer was fabulous. The other thing is to set up a drip system or drip irrigation, or whatever they may call it in your area. You can buy kits at the home and garden store that have tubes, drip or spray nozzles, etc. and you group your containers together, if they're not already, then run the tubes around the bases of your plants. You can even get a timer for the system and set it to water once or twice a day during the severe heat waves, then re-set it to water less frequently during periods of less intense heat. Good luck!

Answer 6

You could try a "wick-watering" method...you bury a wick into the containers, letting it come over the top and down into a comunal container of water, this way you put the water in only one container and the plant will drink as much as is needed thru the wick, this also acts as a "plant-sitter" when you go on a vacation. Try and get heat resistant plants for your containers such as some flowering cactus, they don't need much watering and are very beautiful. Hope I helped. Happy Gardening!

Answer 7

Get some tree bark, either bought in or from a tree surgeon, and put that around the top of the soil.

It keeps the water in, helps feed the plants, and looks ok

Large pieces look better than the mulch you buy in bags.

For earicatious plants, such as blueberry bushes, use Oak bark, thats acidic.

Answer 8

Some good answers here, notably water-retaining crystals, plastic containers, mulch. Also bear in mind that heavier, more "soily" growing matter holds water much better than the fine, lightweight clean stuff you buy as compost at the garden centre. If you use garden centre compost, get the "tubs and containers" or "hanging basket" stuff. It's richer and holds water a bit better

Answer 9

place the houseplants on watering trays and place one end of a wick into the plant the other end into the bottom of the tray fill the tray with water the water will then rise up the wick and water the plant as it needs it be sure to check the level of water in the tray about 1 hr after first placing into the plant top up water every 4 days or as plants need it this method stops you over watering the plant

Answer 10

Something I have tried that has worked well is burying a small (or big depending on size of pot) pop bottle filled with water. Pop bottle is pricked first with a small hole around the approx. root zone then buried so that the open mouth is at soil level. Fill with water, then it slowly waters your plants. Occasionally fill the bottle.
Hope this helps