30 March 2025
Share this post:
Chris Collins offers his top tips for gardening in pots this summer
bloom , intellectual nourishment and wildlife can expand in a container garden – specially if you stick to some of my golden rules . Unlike a established garden planted directly into the land , container plants will rely on you for all their needs .
The first line is to get the watering right , and I would argue it ’s the most expert task a nurseryman can do . Timing is important : the iciness of former morning time or early eventide will have the most beneficial encroachment as you ’ll subjugate the amount of water lost to transpiration . drip mold trays at the base of your stool will catch water and aid supply .
Most importantly , however , is the relationship you build with your container plants as you irrigate . This is the time you assess all the plants ’ requirement . Do they need feeding ? Do they need reenforcement / staking ? Do they involve picking over ?
A intelligent soil normally provides all the nutrients a industrial plant involve but a container is a different environment . Nutrients can easily dampen through the pot in a process call in ‘ leach ’ . For this reason , regular foliar provender backed up with an organic dim - release fertiliser will subsidise nutrient prerequisite . A top - dress of decent peat - detached or homemade compost during the grow season will also give plants a boost .
The joy of weed !
Container grown plant are also more susceptible to breezy conditions as they have less anchorage ground . bring support and secure with soft twine tied in a shape of eight around the plant . This allow movement in the wind and prevents rubbing of soft stem .
Chris tending to his balcony pots
Lastly , there ’s the weeding . I ’ve never like the intelligence ‘ weeds ’ as I ’ve always consider them as wild plants – but as your container is already a confined quad , keep a watch for trespasser . The rule is ‘ weed before they seed ’ so ensure unwanted plant are taken out before flower so seed yield can not occur . Picking over utter leaves and deadheading spent flowers will also slim down the prospect of mold , and the fillip is you may get young flowers to bask .
Question and Answer
Q.My balcony is on the top floor , how do I protect plants from tip ?
Chris’s potager pot
A.Try found a crampoon on the windward side of the garden , this will filter and slow down air current upper .
Q.What are some ways I can deal naturally with container ‘ blighter ’ ?
A.Look out for unwanted visitors on your daily watering check . If spot , remove by hand or well still encourage birdlife . grim mammilla will blame off those aphids without a bicker ! Incorporate doll tabular array , bee house and habitat piles into declamatory containers .
Hanging baskets on railings
Q.What can I plant for butterflies ?
A.I would recommend salvia , coreopsis , zinnia , genus Nasturtium and herbs such as dill and marjoram . Mix it up with some British natives such as raspberry ’s foot trefoil , barbaric strawberry mark , primrose , harebell and cornflowers
