Summer Gardening Tips for Your Container Plants

Nothing livens up a patio garden like plants sprouting from containers. With the right care, pot plants should thrive on a patio in the British climate. They can also be moved easily, allowing you to change things up in your garden whenever you want or need to – perfect for when the whole family is coming round for a barbeque and you don’t want the kids knocking anything over! Follow our summer gardening tips and your container plants will be the envy of the neighbourhood.

What Plants Make Good Container Plants?

Almost any outdoor plant can be grown in a container, so just choose something suitable for the size of your pot. If you have a large container pot then you can choose larger ‘architectural’ plants to provide you with shade. Smaller tubs can be filled with your favourite flowers and shrubs. Aromatics like sage and rosemary smell beautiful and can be used in the kitchen – a quick and easy way to get that kitchen garden if you don’t have much room!

What Containers Make Good Containers?

A good container has a hole in the bottom so that excess water can drain out. Plants love damp soil, but if too much water is trapped in the pot then the roots of your plant will start to rot. Other than that, choose aesthetics that complement your patio, or you can even DIY something unique!

How Do You Take Care of Container Plants?

In the summer, container plants on a patio will need watering every day that it doesn’t rain. Keep pouring water into the soil until your container is about to overflow. Let that soak in, then repeat. If the water just sits there, check that your container pot is still draining - the holes may have become clogged. Ask a neighbour to do the watering for you while you are on holiday, but don’t forget to bring them back a bottle of something nice if you want them to do it again next year! It’s also worthwhile feeding your container plants with a nitrogen rich plant feed a couple of times over the summer. It will keep your plants healthy and you will see a big difference in their blooms.

If you’d like a beautiful patio to home all your beautiful container plants, give us a call on 01603 360548. We can build a new one and even incorporate free-draining raised flower beds in the design, or simply restore the patio you have so it looks good as new!

What are your best summer gardening tips? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter at @KnightsNorfolk.