With some basic gardening skills, you can ensure a successful container garden. Starting with the containers themselves, make sure that any garden pots made from porous materials (such as terracotta or wood) are sealed on the inside with a quality water sealant. Otherwise, the pots will soak up much of the water meant for your plants.

Water

Not over watering is just as important as it is not to underwater. Placing a bowl or saucer underneath your garden pots will catch any extra water and keep the water from rotting and staining your deck or patio. Filling the saucers up with water is the best way to water your container garden. By doing it this way, you avoid over watering and you keep the water from spilling over the top rim of the saucer. The water actually feeds the roots of your plants by seeping up through the garden pot’s hole in the bottom.

You can also choose to water your plants on the top surface. If so, make sure to fill it a little at a time (about a cup or so) and keep an eye on how much water ends up in the saucer. Its best not to overfill the saucer. Your plants will always welcome a fresh spray of water from a hand sprayer. If you have really hard water from your sink, use bottled or rain water so calcium won’t build up on the leaves.