#1 Watering
Plants grown in containers dry out many times faster than those planted in the ground. Sun and wind exacerbate the condition. Watering seems to be a plant chore that confuses many gardeners. Regardless of whether a plant grows in a pot or the ground, one quick trick reveals if it needs water. Stick your index finger into the soil right up to the first knuckle. If the soil feels dry, the plant needs watering.
Always water at the soil line, below the foliage. Many plant diseases, like powdery mildew and black spot, thrive in moist conditions. If the plant is growing in a pot outside, remove the bottom tray. Never leave a plant standing around in water. Like a WWI soldier in the trenches, its feet will rot off.
#2 Fertilizing
Rather than giving your plants one huge dose of fertilizer at the start of the season, try feeding them minute doses at regular intervals. One of the most efficient methods of delivering regular shots of fertilizer is in water-soluble form.
Mix a dilute solution of fertilizer, one that barely colors the water, and apply every third day. This may work out to being every time you water. At the garden center, we water every day and fertilize every third day. You shouldn’t have to water this often unless you are going through a particularly arid period or are growing everything in containers.
If frequent feedings aren’t something that’s practical for you, choose a slow release fertilizer, like Osmocote, and apply it early and late mid-season.
#3 Deadheading and Pruning
You know how great the plants looked at the garden center, healthy, covered with blooms and glossy leaves? Someone there took the time to remove spent blooms and dead leaves. Deadheading and pruning encourages new growth and rebloom, ensures plant health, and makes your plants look fantastic.
