Maple Rapids
Garden Center
FAQ
Do you know the other little things you can do to help your planters thrive?
01
Do you really need to replace all of the soil every year? It is best to replace all of the soil every year, but if last years plants were healthy and you have a very large planter you can replace the top half of the soil with new and leave the bottom half for one more year. Be sure to replace all of your soil at least every other year. If your plants had disease problems the year before, it is best to completely replace the soil. You should also thoroughly clean your container at the end of the season or prior to using it in the spring. This will decrease disease problems.
02
How much soil is enough? Potting soil is formulated to have a good ratio of water holding capacity and air space (roots need air space to be happy). Fill the container completely with soil, leaving some space between the top of the soil and the top of the pot (this is sometimes referred to as head space). In large container gardens, you can leave up to 2 inches;in smaller pots you might only leave ½ inch. I realize that filling large pots with potting soil can be a bit pricey, however, that additional soil volume will really help give your plants a boost.
03
Do I need to fertalize? Your planters will likely grow along doing reasonably well without fertilizer but to maximize their potential you should fertilize regularly. The easiest way to provide fertilizer to your plants is to incorporate a slow release fertilizer into the soil when you plant your container. If you buy an already planted container or if you forgot to incorporate the fertilizer, you can top-dress (spread the fertilizer on top of the soil) with it. Slow-release or controlled release fertilizers will generally provide nutrition for 2 to 3 months. You can also skip the slow-release fertilizer and use a traditional water-soluble fertilizer from the beginning. Generally, you would apply a water-soluble fertilizer every week or every other week while watering your containers. Read the directions on your fertilizer package for specific application instructions.
How often should I water? The basic tips are water your container when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Water until some liquid comes out of the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. Be careful not to over water when the temperatures are cool. Keeping soil too wet will cause disease problems. Large pots are especially vulnerable to staying too wet because of their large soil volume. All of that soil makes things easier in hot weather, but it can make things a bit more difficult in cooler weather.
04
05
What kind of pot should I use? Anything that can hold soil and has a drainage hole can be used as a pot. However, small containers will need to be watered more often. When the temperatures start reaching 97 degrees; in the shade you may need to water a small container more than once a day.
If you want easy - large containers are better. Large containers have larger soil volume so the plants won't need to be watered as often. More soil also means your plants can grow a bigger root system. Plants with lots of roots tend to be healthy, happy plants.
What kind of material your pot is made out of will also impact how quickly the soil dries out. Clay pots and cocoa fiber/moss lined containers will dry out more quickly than plastic or glazed pottery. Plastic and glazed pots are slower to dry because water doesn't evaporate through their sides.