Beth Hyatt | July 6, 2018
Total Landscape Care
While traditional gardens may be popular among your customers, there may be a few that prefer the versatility of a container garden.
For those who want to harness the power of containers to create their outdoor oasis, take a look at a few helpful hints you can pass along to them to make sure their container plants are alive and thriving.
Select a pot, plant and soil
Most plants aren’t necessarily picky about the kind of pots they grow in, as long as they have enough room to flourish and drainage holes to let out excess water.
Pots come in all shapes, sizes and materials, and they all work equally well, but each pot will require certain upkeep depending on what it’s made of. Some plastic pots may need drainage holes drilled in the bottom, and terra-cotta pots could do with a good soaking in a pail of water for a day or two to hydrate it before filling it with soil.
Choosing what will go in these pots is the next step, as the options are pretty much endless. When planted in a larger pot, even shrubs and trees will thrive.
Most customers may have a preference for herbs, vegetables and flowers, and they will most likely want their container garden to be on their terrace, patio, porch or deck.
Once the plants are chosen, it’s time to pick the right kind of soil that these little greenies will be in. Be sure to always use quality commercial soil when potting these plants, as soil from your customer’s garden will harden into a solid mass when dry.
When choosing a quality potting soil, tell your customers to keep an eye out for the following amendments: rotted manure, peat moss, vermiculite, compost and/or perlite.
Lighting, layers, watering and fertilizing
When choosing plants, pay close attention to the type of lighting conditions they will require, as you won’t want to put two different types in one container.
Planting in layers is also a beneficial method for creating eye-catching looks your customers are sure to enjoy. Remember to include the tried and true thriller, filler and spiller method when designing containers, and be sure to choose complimentary varieties when choosing colors and leaf forms.
Container plants will require more frequent watering than traditional gardens, so advise customers to water whenever the soil surface is dry to the touch. When the temperatures are particularly hot, customers may need to irrigate their containers every day. This is especially important when it comes to hanging baskets, as they are more affected by the wind and will dry out faster.
Along with watering comes regular fertilization. If your customers want their plants to stay in tip-top condition all season long, this step is an absolute must.
Many types of potting soil have slow-release fertilizer already mixed in, but it’s still a good idea to add just a few extra drops of liquid fertilizer in whenever they water.
Remove, renew and replace
Once your customer’s plants have bloomed out, it will also be necessary to remove any dead or faded blooms, also known as deadheading. This process will help encourage new flowers to emerge.
For larger plants, it’s sometimes possible to simply pull off old blooms with your fingers, but for smaller flowers, it’s typically recommended that lawn clippers or scissors are used.
Even with proper and consistent care, some of your customer’s perennials and annuals may still begin to look tired or drab by the end of summer. Instead of trying to bring them back from the brink, carefully remove them from the pot and replace them with something thriving to give the container a second wind.
annualscompostcontainer gardencontainer garden designscontainer gardeningcontainer gardensdeadheadingdesigning containersfertilizationfillerlighting conditionsliquid fertilizerpeat mossperennialsperlitepotting soilquality potting soilrotted manureslow-release fertilizerspillerthrillervermiculitewatering
Recent Articles
Going organic: Is it right for your business?
Industry roundup: JMA offers internship/scholarship program
Tornado rips through Vermeer factory in Iowa (VIDEO)
Industry roundup: STMA names winner of ‘Stars and Stripes’ field…
Product roundup: Boss launches new plows and accessories
Equipment World now taking nominations for Big Iron Dealer of…
Login with social media networks or email:
COMMENTS
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Blog
Eight new, extreme ways to use your compact tractor
by Guest Post
Blog
The more you know: Fun tree facts to share on Arbor Day
by Beth Hyatt
Blog
Advantages of growing various plants inside
by Jill Odom
Blog
Help clients find their perfect houseplant match with this flow chart
by Jill Odom
Blog
The history behind Washington’s beloved cherry blossoms
by Jill Odom
Blog
Roses are red, violets are blue: Why red roses are synonymous with Valentine’s Day
by Beth Hyatt
Trending Articles
1
Tornado rips through Vermeer factory in Iowa (VIDEO)
1,538 Views
2
Greenworks debuts first UL-certified battery-powered ZTR and stand-on mowers
800 Views
3
Landscapers advocate for H-2B during Legislative Days on the Hill
379 Views
While traditional gardens may be popular among your customers, there may be a few that prefer the versatility of a container garden.
For those who want to harness the power of containers to create their outdoor oasis, take a look at a few helpful hints you can pass along to them to make sure their container plants are alive and thriving.
Select a pot, plant and soil
Most plants aren’t necessarily picky about the kind of pots they grow in, as long as they have enough room to flourish and drainage holes to let out excess water.
Pots come in all shapes, sizes and materials, and they all work equally well, but each pot will require certain upkeep depending on what it’s made of. Some plastic pots may need drainage holes drilled in the bottom, and terra-cotta pots could do with a good soaking in a pail of water for a day or two to hydrate it before filling it with soil.
Choosing what will go in these pots is the next step, as the options are pretty much endless. When planted in a larger pot, even shrubs and trees will thrive.
Most customers may have a preference for herbs, vegetables and flowers, and they will most likely want their container garden to be on their terrace, patio, porch or deck.
Once the plants are chosen, it’s time to pick the right kind of soil that these little greenies will be in. Be sure to always use quality commercial soil when potting these plants, as soil from your customer’s garden will harden into a solid mass when dry.
When choosing a quality potting soil, tell your customers to keep an eye out for the following amendments: rotted manure, peat moss, vermiculite, compost and/or perlite.
Lighting, layers, watering and fertilizing
When choosing plants, pay close attention to the type of lighting conditions they will require, as you won’t want to put two different types in one container.
Planting in layers is also a beneficial method for creating eye-catching looks your customers are sure to enjoy. Remember to include the tried and true thriller, filler and spiller method when designing containers, and be sure to choose complimentary varieties when choosing colors and leaf forms.
Container plants will require more frequent watering than traditional gardens, so advise customers to water whenever the soil surface is dry to the touch. When the temperatures are particularly hot, customers may need to irrigate their containers every day. This is especially important when it comes to hanging baskets, as they are more affected by the wind and will dry out faster.
Along with watering comes regular fertilization. If your customers want their plants to stay in tip-top condition all season long, this step is an absolute must.
Many types of potting soil have slow-release fertilizer already mixed in, but it’s still a good idea to add just a few extra drops of liquid fertilizer in whenever they water.
Remove, renew and replace
Once your customer’s plants have bloomed out, it will also be necessary to remove any dead or faded blooms, also known as deadheading. This process will help encourage new flowers to emerge.
For larger plants, it’s sometimes possible to simply pull off old blooms with your fingers, but for smaller flowers, it’s typically recommended that lawn clippers or scissors are used.
Even with proper and consistent care, some of your customer’s perennials and annuals may still begin to look tired or drab by the end of summer. Instead of trying to bring them back from the brink, carefully remove them from the pot and replace them with something thriving to give the container a second wind.
Duis suscipit lorem eu turpis mattis efficitur. Donec fermentum semper leo non imperdiet. Etiam a velit elit. Vestibulum nec eros quis lectus mollis gravida ac at eros. Pellentesque in volutpat diam, at rhoncus metus. Etiam sagittis lectus lacus, eget feugiat lectus sodales ut. Proin porttitor varius nisl, sit amet pretium ipsum volutpat non.
Proin vel tellus venenatis, finibus dui et, laoreet nulla. Cras nisi lacus, gravida eget ultricies egestas, efficitur a neque. Maecenas vitae est enim. Phasellus viverra ex mi, sit amet eleifend ex faucibus non. Sed rhoncus et lorem ac interdum. Nulla pellentesque mi id congue interdum. Nullam placerat laoreet accumsan. Proin rhoncus auctor blandit. Cras gravida nunc velit, ac venenatis quam gravida lobortis.
Recent Comments