CHOICE: Pots and pot plants come in all sizes as Josh Alexander and Alana Dihel show at Thomson's Garden Centre. Photo: CARLA FREEDMAN
Growing plants in pots or containers can be rewarding if you get the right advice.
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Gardening expert Reg Kidd explains how watering, using the right container and correct fertilising can make all the difference.
TYPES OF POTS
- Terracotta pots made from clay can be expensive.Because they are porous they lose more moisture but the evaporation from the pot sides helps the potting mix stay cooler.
- Plastic pots are lightweight. Because of their non-porous nature they help retain moisture in the potting mix. Black pots absorb heat which can raise the mixture temperature too high.
- Imitation terracotta pots have advantages of both but are expensive.
- Glazed pots are waterproofed but can be expensive.
GREEN THUMB: Gardening expert Reg Kidd.
POTTING MIX
- Don't use soil as its quality is variable and often doesn't drain well
- Use a potting mix that carries the Australian Standards mark as Standards Australia regularly tests mixes for quality.
SIZE MATTERS
- The larger the pot the easier it will be to look after.
- Large pots retain moisture and maintain a more even temperature
- However, for aesthetic reasons it is good to have the plant size in proportion to the container.
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FERTILISER
- Potted plants need to be fertilised regularly during their growing period
- Use controlled-release pellets such as Nutricote, or if you prefer organic, use Dynamic Lifter
- Liquid fertilisers such as Aquasol, Thrive or Fish Emulsion can also be used but need to re-applied fairly frequently, at least once every two weeks during the growing season.
- If you use dry, granular fertiliser, take care to moisten the potting mix before applying and water well afterwards to disolve the fertiliser salts.
- Because the root system of a potted plant is confined it is more likely to be burnt by dry fertilisers.
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WATERING
- The best rule is to give plants a good drink when the top centimetre of the potting mix feels dry.
- Pretend the container is empty and fill up the container with water. This gives a good indication of how much water is needed.
- Make sure the water drains freely and is not sitting in the saucer or tray underneath the container.
- Use a water breaker on your hose to make sure you don't blast the potting mix out of your pot.
- Water holding crystals, polymer granules that absorb and hold moisture, can be added to the potting mix can be added before planting or added to holes around the root system with an established potted plant
- Container plants that have dried out can be difficult to re-wet. Treat the mix with a soil-wetter, Cr Kidd said.
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