I love container plants. I have big container plants that grow year round. I have hanging baskets on all sides of my porch. I have big containers and small ones. This time of year, watering those plants every day is imperative to their survival.
Potted plants need more water because the ratio of plant to soil is skewed to the plant, especially if the plant is an annual plant that grows vigorously increasing root size quickly. There are some things that can make container plantings easier to maintain in an Ozarks summer.
It’s very easy to find plastic containers at large retail garden centers. Plastic containers will hold the water in the container longer than a clay or other permeable pot. Look for plastic containers with a large reservoir at the bottom to hold additional water.
This year, I placed watering retention discs in the bottom of my hanging baskets. The discs create a little reservoir in the bottom of the basket that fills with a few ounces of water. The discs seem to help keep water in the basket for a little longer so there’s less wilting daily. The discs are available through Kinsman Company, www.kinsmangarden.com.
The “Dot Planter” from Crescent Garden, www.crescentgarden.com, includes a water level indicator. The container also has double walls that help the containers retain water. These planters are available in 16, 20 and 26-inch diameter, and they come in various colors that will look good indoors and outdoors.
Plow and Hearth, www.plowandhearth.com, has some great looking containers that look like copper or wood, but are actually molded resin. These molded resin containers will retain water well, and the containers look like they are built out of very substantial material, but they are actually lightweight and easy to move even when filled with a full-size, well watered plant.
If big plants or planting large containers is your thing, check out the “Viva Self-Watering Rolling Planters” from Gardeners Supply Company, www.gardeners.com. These containers are made of ultraviolet-stabilized polypropylene with built-in casters to make the pot easy to move. Just like the name suggests, the pot is self-watering with a built-in reservoir to allow water to wick into the roots. It’s easy to fill with water, using a hole on the side of the container.
If you’re looking for large, simple and functional, the “Root Pouch Reuseable Grow Bags” from Gardener’s Edge, www.gardenersedge.com, may be the ticket. These pouches range in size from three to 30 gallons. The large bags hold lots of soil and retain moisture well. The bags are made of recycled plastic, jute and bamboo. They can be emptied, cleaned, folded and put away for use the following year.
Questions or comments related to gardening? Contact Joleen at missourigardener@hotmail.com.