How to Take Care of your Patio Planter!
- Posted on
- By Zocalo
WATERING
Watering is the most important aspect to the success of your patio planter. You do not want your potting mix to dry out! Once that potting mix dries out it will repel water and will make it harder for your plants to stay hydrated. Each planter is unique in water requirements based on location, sun and wind exposure, and plants. Planters located in sunny, exposed areas, with fast-growing thirsty plants will obviously dry out quicker than planters in shady, sheltered locations. Wilting plants are a sure sign that they are under-hydrated and in quick need of a drink. The best way to tell if you should water your planter is stick your finger in the potting mix and feel for moisture. If it is dry five centimeters down, it is time to water your planter.
FEEDING
The next thing to care for your patio planter is feeding (fertilizing). Follow the instructions on your fertilizer packaging but most instructions will suggest you fertilize at full dosage once every two weeks. You can also dilute the mixture and fertilize every time you water, it's up to you. The benefit of fertilizing every time you water takes a bit more time but it provides those macronutrients to the roots of your plants constantly, whereas when you fertilize once every two weeks much of those nutrients are leeched away. To promote flower production and blooming you want a fertilizer with a higher middle number, like 15-30-15.
DEADHEADING
Next, you’ll want to keep that patio planter stunning by deadheading the spent blooms. Simply pick off the flowers that are not looking very good anymore (either at the flower head or follow the flower stalk down to the stem of the plant).