Take Care of Your Container Garden All Year Round

Your container garden is now set up, and you’ve chosen and potted your plants. But since any garden grown in containers is more artificial than a garden in the ground, it requires a little more attention. That said, rest assured: there are several tips to make your life easier. I can assure you, it’s perfectly possible to be laidback in a container garden!

Watering

The basic rule for watering potted plants is simple: water thoroughly until the entire potting mix is saturated, then wait until the soil is almost dry before watering again. Unfortunately, there is no universal frequency: it all depends on the weather, exposure, type of pot, potting mix, and plants.

In hot, dry weather, watering a few times a week—or even every day for hanging baskets—may be necessary. But when it rains often, you may not need to water at all. Check the condition of the soil regularly, except during heavy rain.

There are a few methods you can use: touch the soil with your finger, weigh the pot (especially useful for small pots), use a moisture meter (with caution, as it can give false results in mineralized soil), or observe the leaves. If they turn pale or wilt, the plant is very thirsty—but it may be too late. In an emergency, immerse the pot in a bucket of water to completely rehydrate the root ball. With a little experience, you will learn to recognize the warning signs and adapt your watering routine to the current conditions.

Watering Methods

There are several options for watering your container plants:

• Watering can: ideal for a small number of pots. Handy for adding soluble fertilizer, but quickly becomes restrictive if there are many containers or they are difficult to access (hanging baskets, high shelves).
• Garden hose: practical and versatile, it makes it easy to water a large area or several pots at once. For balconies or terraces without an outside tap, an adapter can be fitted to the kitchen tap. Adding a watering want means you don’t have to bend down and makes it easier to water hanging pots.
• Drip irrigation: this is a watering system consisting of a main hose connected to small tubes (“spaghetti tubes”) leading to each pot. At the end of these tubes, drippers release water one drop at a time directly to the base of each plant. This system can be connected to a timer to automate watering. Ideal for large pot collections or laidback gardeners!

Saving Water

We usually use drinking water to water our pots and planters—a precious resource that many municipalities are seeking to regulate. Fortunately, there are several strategies for reducing water consumption without harming plant health.

Drip irrigation, combined with a timer set for early in the morning, waters slowly and directly at the base of the plants, limiting evaporation and runoff. Mulch (leaves, RWC, compost) protects the soil surface, while double potting—placing a smaller pot inside a larger one—provides better insulation against temperature fluctuations, slowing down drying.

Simple measures can also help: group pots together to create a microclimate, place them in partial shade during heat waves (even for plants that require full sun), or use larger pots to provide more soil, which will retain water better.

Finally, consider collecting rainwater in a barrel under a gutter. This unchlorinated water is often better tolerated by plants, but be careful: it may contain contaminants. Avoid using it on leaves or vegetables that will be eaten raw.

In Case of Prolonged Absence

Going on vacation can be stressful for gardeners, especially in summer. To prevent your plants from suffering from drought while you’re away, start by grouping your pots together in a shady spot: this reduces evaporation and makes watering easier for whoever is looking after your garden.

If no one can come by, set up a drip irrigation system, making sure it is properly programmed and tested a few days before you leave. You can also use capillary wicks (such as old shoelaces moistened with water) that connect the soil to a bucket of water: the moisture will gradually rise to the roots. Another option is to turn a 2-liter bottle into a mini reservoir: drill a small hole in the cap, turn it upside down, and stick the neck into the soil. In any case, test your systems in advance—it’s better to make a few adjustments than to find dead plants when you return!

Fertilizer

Plants in containers have increased nutritional needs, mainly due to the leaching of minerals by rain and frequent watering. To maintain their vigor and promote abundant flowering, regular fertilization is essential.

Two options are available:

• Soluble fertilizers (powder or liquid) should be diluted in water before watering. It is better to use them in small doses with each watering rather than in large quantities once a month. They can be applied using a watering can, a hose with a fertilizer chamber, or an injector connected to a drip irrigation system.
• Slow-release fertilizers, in granule or powder form, are mixed into the soil when planting. They release nutrients over several months, reducing the frequency of applications. For demanding plants or successive sowings, an additional application mid-season may be useful. This is my preferred method, as it greatly simplifies maintenance.

In addition, foliar fertilizers, applied in very low concentrations to the foliage, provide a quick boost in case of deficiency (e.g., yellowing). Seaweed extracts are particularly valuable for their trace elements.

Avoid overly concentrated fertilizers, such as 30-30-30 or 20-20-20 formulas, which can lead to mineral salt accumulation and burn the roots. Instead, I recommend slow-release organic fertilizers with an NPK ratio of around 3-1-2, or a variant such as 6-2-4, which is suitable for both vegetable gardens and flowering plants. Choose a fertilizer that also contains trace elements: plants need them to stay healthy.

In Case of Prolonged Absence

Many gardeners do a big fall cleanup. Personally, I prefer to let nature take its course, both in the ground and in pots. Annual plants decompose naturally, while dead stems and leaves provide valuable shelter for beneficial insects. All I have to do is remove the few remaining stems in the spring.

My main task is to collect fallen leaves, shred them, and use them as mulch on my pots. This partially protects perennials and shrubs, reduces erosion, and promotes microbial life.

Tropical plants generally need to be brought indoors early (as soon as nighttime temperatures drop below 15°C). Others, such as cacti, can tolerate a few cool nights. Before bringing them indoors, wash the leaves with soapy water and soak the pots to remove any pests.

As for tender perennials that are not hardy here (but are perennials elsewhere), they can be kept indoors during the winter. Personally, I prefer to take cuttings from tender perennials at the end of summer, keep them indoors, and then take new cuttings in the spring.

Plants that remain active during the winter need light and regular watering. Artificial lighting can compensate for the lack of sunlight. Once indoors, plants may react by losing leaves or stopping flowering, but they will adapt. Maintain good humidity, avoid fertilizing, prune if necessary, and watch for insects.

Plants that go dormant, such as dahlias and caladiums, should be kept dry and frost-free, in their pots or in a box filled with peat or vermiculite.

How To Store Pots and Planters for Winter

As winter approaches, it’s time to think about protecting your pots. Not all pots react in the same way to frost: some need to be brought inside, others emptied, and a few can be left outside without worry.

The Most Fragile

Terracotta pots are attractive but very vulnerable: their porosity allows water to enter, which freezes and causes cracks. Even when empty, they can burst. Glazed ceramic pots pose a similar risk: the slightest crack can cause them to break. It is best to bring both types of pots indoors where they will be protected from frost.

Moderately Resistant

Plastic pots are frost-resistant, but UV rays weaken them over time. Bringing them indoors will extend their lifespan. Certain metal pots (zinc, steel, cast iron) can rust: it is best to empty them, clean them, and oil them. Wooden pots can withstand frost thanks to their flexibility, but are at risk of rotting. They can be left outside, ideally emptied or protected with a varnish. Concrete pots are sturdy if they remain dry, but internal moisture can cause the container to burst when it freezes: it is best to empty them before winter.

Highly Resistant

Fiberglass and resin pots are strong, durable and frost-proof, although more expensive. Geotextile pots, like Smart Pots, are flexible, resistant to freeze/thaw, UV and humidity. They are practical, if a little less attractive.

Like many container gardeners, I don’t have enough space to store my pots, and bringing each container inside in the fall is too much work for me. So I prefer more durable models, especially those made of geotextile, plastic, and wood. It’s a bit like survival of the fittest: the pots that don’t make it are replaced by more durable models. Nowadays, all I have to do is make the occasional repair to my wooden planters.

Reconditioning Your Potting Soil in Spring

Unlike natural soil, potting soil is an artificial substrate that is often depleted of biological life, compacts, loses nutrients, and becomes acidic over time. This is why it is important to recondition it every spring.

Reconditioning begins with an inspection of the soil: check for compaction, drainage, and salt buildup (white crust on the surface). If necessary, remove 10 to 30% of the old soil, which can be composted or spread in the garden, then add compost, a little new soil, and a slow-release organic fertilizer.

There’s no need to throw out all the soil and start from scratch every year: with a little care, your soil can remain productive for several seasons.

Container Gardening, an Accessible Solution

Given the difficulty of accessing land, container gardening is often the only way for young adults, students, or anyone living in housing without a yard to garden. As for older adults, many have left their homes, no longer able to maintain their houses and yards, and find themselves in a similar situation.

Fortunately, container gardening offers many possibilities: you can grow houseplants, herbs, ornamental plants, and even—under the right conditions—vegetables and small fruits.

Don’t let the lack of land discourage you. Instead, join those who are helping to green our cities… and your plates!