Container Gardening Know How - How Much is Enough Water?

While containers can be easy to access and provide a growing area in a limited amount of space, to ensure healthy growth, there are specific watering conditions that should be met. Hot weather, sun and even breezes can dry the soil in your containers quickly and because there is no subsoil for them to draw upon, they need to be watered more often.

During the very hot days you need to be prepared to water as much as twice per day. Water them thoroughly (the water needs to run out of the holes in the container). When the weather is cooler, like in the spring, plants do not require as much water. Plants get heavier as they grow and the water adds to the total weight of the container, so with hanging plants you want to make sure the hook it's hanging on is suitable for this weight.

Aside from potting soil, mulch can help hold moisture in. Some container gardening methods even include soil-less mixtures that are lighter in weight and this helps keep the weeds out. These mixes can be found in most garden centers. When you add your soil to your container, leave at least a two inch space between the top of the container and the soil. You will be able to add 1/2 inch or so of mulch later.

Since water tends to drain rapidly from most potting mixes, fertilizer will be washed out of the container as you water them. The lighter the mix, the more often you will need to fertilize your plants. You should check the labels in you garden center to make sure that they contain a balanced solution that includes trace elements.

I'm Eric Samms and I'm here to share my passion for Container Gardening with you all. After years of starting, maintaining and developing my own Container Gardens for the last 11 years - it's time to give away my secrets. Now it's your turn to learn all about Container Gardening and it's many amazing benefits in your life! Visit http://www.containergardeningexpert.com today for more great container gardening tips!