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Photo: homebnc.com
By Debbie Roland, Master Gardener
I’ve been reading about what is new and trendy in gardening for 2025. One of the most common things seems to be gardening in containers. There are many options other than just placing a few pretty containers on your patio. Sizes range from several hundred gallons down to a pot that will fit in your kitchen window. The large ones can be pricey but well worth the classy look they can add to your garden, beds and yard.
Several well-placed containers in your flowerbeds can create a calming flow. Bear in mind that the larger the planter the harder it will be to move into a winter safe place. Perennials (we recommend native) will be a much better option for pots that can’t be moved.
When starting your container journey, you will need to be mindful of two things: The pot and the soil. The quality of these will make your future growing seasons easier. Since we live in a hot climate choosing heavier pots will provide needed insulation from those 105-degree days. Planning and thinking ahead will help.
· First, always get your soil right. Mix 4 parts coconut coir (holds up to 10x its weight in water), 2 parts compost, 1 part worm castings, and 1 part vermiculite. Mix well and use as needed. You don’t need to get the mixture exact but adding these four ingredients will definitely help with your success.
· Watering is always a challenge, and the hot summer winds add to that. If allowed to dry out the soil will cake and become hydrophobic. Store bought potting mix usually has peat moss added and once it is dry it is difficult for it to absorb water. The soil will shrink from the edge of the pot and stress out your plants. If you find that your soil won’t absorb water, put on your gloves and stir water into the soil until it once again will hold water. Adding a drop or two of liquid detergent to your watering can breaks the surface tension allowing the water to soak in. To know if your soil will hold water, water well and stick a pencil an inch or two down and pull it out. If there is soil stuck to your pencil it is holding.
· If your pot is large enough you can take a water or pop bottle and drill a hole or two into the cap. Next cut the bottom of the bottle off and turn upside down. When potting your plant leave an inch or two of the now open-ended bottle above the surface of the soil. Keep water in this bottle and it will slowly water the plants throughout the day.
· Attractive warm weather plants are, of course, not your only option. Beautiful fall plants such as ornamental cabbage can make a welcoming entry for holiday guests.
· It seems that hanging baskets are easily heat stressed especially if they face the west sun. Try lining your basket with coffee filters which will help the soil not to wash away through large drain holes.
· Mulch is needed in your pots and not just your garden and flowerbeds. It helps with evaporation and protects the soil in your pots.
If you have questions, call the AgriLife office in Odessa at 498-4071 or in Midland at 686-4700. Additional information, and our blog for access to past articles, is available at westtexasgardening.org. Click on “Resources.
Photo: fantasticviewpoint.com
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