How To Grow A Pot Plant: Top Container Gardening Tips
Growing plants in pots instead of in a garden is very practical. It will give you more space and the ability to rearrange your garden at any time. That is why learning how to grow a pot plant is very useful. You will have more freedom to rearrange your garden the way you want to. It will also allow you to have more plants in your designated space.
In this article, we will walk you through the steps on how to grow a pot plant to help you save more space in your garden.
Choosing a Pot
Before we dive into the steps on how to grow a pot plant, you should first know how to select a pot for your choice of plant.
When choosing your pot or container, make sure to keep these pointers in mind:
- Choose large rather than small pots- this is because it is easier to grow plants in a large pot than a small pot. Small pots are prone to drying out, while large pots can resist changes in temperature.
- Drainage holes- make sure that the pot you choose has drainage or a hole. This is to make sure that the soil doesn't become waterlogged and kill the plant.
- Consider the Pot’s Material- what the pot is made of is very important when deciding which pot to choose; Important, but subjective. Meaning, it depends on you. You can choose from clay, plastic, concrete, polyurethane foam, wood, or metal.
Those materials have their merits and disadvantages, but it will be all up to you to judge which one is needed for your plant to flourish.
Steps on How to Grow a Pot Plant
Now that we have learned to select a pot, let's go to the steps on how to grow a pot plant.
Prepare your Pot
The first step in learning how to grow a pot plant is to prepare your pot. Put the pot in the intended location because it can get heavy once it gets filled with soil and plant mix. You have to make sure that it is situated in an area where it can get enough sunlight.
Although we have discussed that the pot needs to have a drainage hole, put a layer of paper towel or newspaper on the holes before adding the plant mix to prevent the soil from washing out.
Do not use plain garden soil because it can be too dense for growing a pot plant. You have to moisten the soil or flood the container with water before putting the earth in it.
Furthermore, do not fill the pot to the brim. Make sure to leave space for watering and the actual plant.
Putting the Plant into the Pot
Next, put the plant into the pot. Start simple. Don't jump into sophisticated styles of planting like planting a variety of plants or flowers in one pot.
Put the plant into the space left for it in the pot, then cover its roots with soil and plant mix that you've filled the pot with. Make sure that the hold of the soil around the plant is just right: it shouldn’t be too tight, nor too loose. This way, the plant will have more space to breathe and grow.
Maintain
Learning how to grow a pot plant does not stop putting the plant into the pot and making sure that it has enough room, water, and sunlight to grow. You still have to maintain it and take care of it every day by providing the following:
Water- Watering plants in a pot is an entirely different task compared to watering plants in the ground. Potted soil holds less water than garden soil. And, you have to take note that too much or less water will kill your plant.
So, the idea is to water potted plants one or twice a day, depending on the temperature.
- Sunlight- knowing how much sunlight your plant needs is vital when learning how to grow a pot plant.
- Plants require 7-12 hours of sun a day during wintertime, make sure to buy and install plant grow lights to give ample sunlight during the cold season.
- Mulch- during summer, it is vital to add organic mulch into your potted plant to give it moisture and add more nutrients into the soil.
- Temperature- your potted plant will grow between 55 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. As seasons change, make sure to move them inside when its chilly and move them outside when it is sunny.
- Fertilizer- Aside from adding mulch, you also need to add fertilizers to ensure that the plant will thrive.
- Pests- Plants don't need pests. Potted plants are less prone to pest infestation, but you also need to be wary of them. Make sure to buy house plant cleaners to prevent pests from infesting your potted plant.
Conclusion
In this article, we learned about how to grow a pot plant. We discussed how to choose your pot, preparing your pot, and putting the plant into your pot.
Learning how to grow a pot plant properly is important. It is a meticulous process because we have to consider what the plant needs like sunlight, temperature, water, fertilizers, and mulch.