Optimising Baskets And Pots

Good planting will ensure healthy plants and lots of colour

- Ruth Hayes

Whether you are planting a container or basket there are certain things you can do to get the best from your plants and maximise their flowering potential.

Firstly, choose healthy plants and stand them in water to give their roots a good soak before planting them up.

If you are reusing a container or basket, disinfect it first to remove debris and any residue of pests and disease.

When it comes to choosing compost, there are several proprietary blends mixed specifically for containers with added nutrients and water-retaining compounds. However, they often contain peat, which will be banned from 2024, so I recommend using a peat-free product and supplementing it with a granular fertiliser such as Growmore or Vitax Q4.

Water-retaining granules that store and release up to 80 times their own weight in moisture are also widely available, easy to use and will make regular watering less of a chore.

Once the compost is in your pot, slip your plants from their pots (this should be easy as they have been standing in water) and carefully tease out roots that are congested or circling the rootball.

Add your plants at the same depth as their rootball, as they won’t be happy if their roots are too deep or shallow.