Have your potted plants lost their pizzazz over the winter months? Maybe it’s time to give them a refresh and revitalise so that they can look their best as we head into spring. Here are 6 steps that you can take to ensure your plants look amazing!
1 – The right sized pot makes an enormous difference to your plants health and growth. Plants will grow bigger, remain healthy and produce more flowers when their roots are not constricted (or “pot bound”). You will also find that a larger pot will hold more moisture so that the plant won’t dry out as quickly. Be sure that the pot has drainage holes at the bottom so that excess water will drain away. You can lift the pot off the ground with pot feet, tiles or bricks.
2 – Choose the correct plants for your position and climate. Drought tolerant plants are great for sunny and hot spots where they won’t be watered as often. If your area is shady, a sun-loving plant may not flower as much or at all. If you place a shade-loving plant in the sun the foliage may burn. When potting up a mixed planting, ensure that your choices have similar light and moisture requirements. The benefit of planting in a pot is that you can trial and error positions and move the pot around. Many natives are excellent choices for pots – Acacia Pot O Gold, Anigozanthos Frosty Yellow, Scaevola Purple Fanfare and Brachyscome Bliss are just a few of our favourites!
3 – When potting up, ensure that you use the best quality potting mix (and the right kind!) The mix in your containers should be light, loose, well drained and moisture-retentive. If you are planting a native plant, use a low P native mix. We recommend Searles potting mix for best results.
4 – Water often and well. Especially if your plant is in a terracotta or stone pot, it will dry out faster than if it was planted in the ground. When the soil gets too dry, the plant’s delicate feeder roots die back. Replacing those damaged roots requires energy that would normally go into leaf and flower production. Water deeply and thoroughly, and you can even cluster pots together to help protect from drying winds, increases ambient humidity levels and make watering easier.
5 – Prune and maintain your plants to keep them compact and healthy. Remove any spent flowers and leggy growth.
6 – Use a good quality fertiliser to keep your plants looking their best. Our choice is Flourish Soluble Plant Food from Searles. It’ll give your plant all it needs for beautiful blooms, healthy foliage, and even great fruit production. It is formulated to premium specifications, and is rapidly absorbed through both leaves and roots. Simply apply to foliage just as you would when watering normally with a watering can.
Article written with help from Longfield Gardens