The bad news is that many garden pots that are sold simply don’t have enough drainage. You can often increase drainage, by drilling, punching or carving bigger holes. However, sometimes it’s just easier to buy a pot that does have enough drainage. The minimum size for a drainage hole is 1/2 inch in diameter for small or medium-sized pots. For larger sized containers, look for at least an inch in diameter. It is a total myth that by adding gravel, pot shards, or stones to the bottom of your container garden, you will increase drainage. Some people even say you don’t need drainage holes if you put these things in the bottom of your pots. Unless you are a really attentive container gardener, who can water perfectly, or you have a plant that likes wet soil (and there are some that do), you need holes in your pots – preferably lots of them. To figure out how much direct light your container will get, place it where you want it and then time how long the sun hits it. You can also use a sun calculator to determine your sunlight. Then fertilize every week or two with a liquid fertilizer, usually a fish emulsion, seaweed blend. It smells awful but really helps to give plants the nutrition they need. Many people use a commercial fertilizer, and while it will feed your plants and help them to grow if you start using it, you will have to continue because this type of synthetic fertilizer will kill the beneficial organisms that exist in the soil. Organic gardening depends on these organisms so once you’ve used a synthetic fertilizer, you will have to stick to it. If possible, it is a great idea to bring either your pot or a picture of your pot with you. Smartphones are great for this. Most nurseries will have someone there who can help you out with your choices. Also, in most nurseries, the plants are organized and labeled for how much sun they require. To find out what a plant requires, either check the plant tag or if there isn’t one, ask a salesperson. If all else fails, try to look it up on the internet. The tag will also tell you about your plant’s “habit,” which means its shape and how it will grow. This is important when considering your container design and how to arrange your plant combinations. For example, if you have a large pot you might want some plants with “upright habits,” to give your design height and then some plants with a “mounding habits” for filling in your design. To finish your pot, you might choose plants with “trailing habits,” to drape over the sides of your pot. When you buy seedlings in the spring, or if you grow your own from seed, you must harden off your plants. This is a slow and tedious process, but if you don’t do it, the chances of your plants thriving will be significantly reduced. If you live in a colder climate and plan to overwinter your plants, they will also need an adjustment period to get used to less light and drier air. The more potting soil you use, the more water retention you will have which will give you a much great margin for error when it comes to both watering and feeding your plants. When a plant starts looking dreadful you have a couple of choices. Depending on the plant, you can cut it back dramatically, and hope for the best. For many plants, this is all it takes, and in a few weeks, your plant will come roaring back, happy and beautiful. You can pull out the unhappy plant and put another plant in its place. Depending on how dead and/or precious the plant is, you can try to rehabilitate by repotting it and baby it until it rebounds or you just can’t stand the look of it any longer. However, if your plant is exhibiting signs of serious disease, take it out immediately, re-pot it and either quarantine or put it in a plastic bag and throw it out. This is both the good news and the bad. All of the uncertainty and hard work makes the whole endeavor exciting, rewarding, and endlessly interesting. To have the most fun and to increase your chances of success with any kind of gardening, assess how you live before you dive in. No matter what the answer is, there are container gardens that will work with your lifestyle. You don’t like to water? Grow succulents and other drought-resistant plants. Don’t have a lot of extra cash? Make your containers out of found items or haunt yard sales and second-hand stores. If you have a formal entrance and want a more tailored container look choose large containers in classic shapes and plant them with luxurious and eye-catching plants. Whatever your style, there are plants that can work for you. You just have to do a little research and experimentation to find what works.
