|
Newsletters
|
Container
gardening
|
WaterPlants in containers need much more water than plants in the ground. The smaller the container, the faster the soil dries out, especially if it’s on a balcony or rooftop where the wind can be much stronger than on ground level. Many balcony gardens may need watering twice a day. You’ll have to monitor the plants carefully until you’re used to it - it’s easy to lose an entire garden by forgetting to water for only one day. Fortunately there are ways of protecting the plants and saving water. A good soil mix to which a lot of organic matter has been added will retain more water than one right out of the package. Be sure to water thoroughly - that means until some water comes out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the container. Applying a little bit of water to the top of the soil won’t get it where it’s needed - the bottom of the pot where the roots are. It’s also best to water during the cooler parts of the day, usually the morning and the evening. You’ll lose less to evaporation and the plants will not go into the hottest part of the day in a stressed condition. However, if you see that the plants are in dire need of water in the middle of the afternoon, don’t wait - they may not make it through to the evening. In addition, a layer of mulch on the surface
of the soil will act as insulation to minimise evaporation
and will keep the soil cool. Mulches can be everything from shredded
bark, straw, cocoa bean shells, to pieces of black plastic
sheet. |
