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How to pot a plant, the right way!

2/16/2016

 
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Most people don't correctly plant in pots. You can plant up beautiful perfect pots every time with a few simple tips.

Start with a pot

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This square contemporary planter is all the craze right now.  It's made of a specially spun fiberglass material and designed to look like a rustic cement block but is much stronger and only weighs a couple of pounds.  Look for the "Asian Ceramics" brand at your local garden center or nursery.

Cover the hole with a screen

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Your pot must have a drainage hole at the bottom, otherwise water will sit at the bottom, mold and grow disease.  Cover it with a piece of used screen.  If you don't have screen, just use a rock that is slightly bigger than the hole to cover it up which will stop soil from seeping but still allowing extra water through.

Cover the screen with rocks - optional

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This isn't necessary but rocks help hold the screen in place when you start packing it with soil and also helps a with drainage so that the hole doesn't get clogged with soil over time.

Fill with potting soil

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Use a high quality potting mix.  The better soil you use, the better your plants will look.  I used Miracle Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix.  Never use soil from your garden because it could have insects and diseases in it.  

Pat the soil down

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Pat the soil down.  Leave room for your plant.  I'm planting an agapanthus and I want to make sure that the top of the root ball (the dark brown part) isn't higher than the rim of my pot.

Finish filling soil

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Again, make sure you leave room a couple of inches from the top.  Most people fill it right up to the top which doesn't leave any room for mulch or water.

Mulch

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Mulch will help add a nice decorative finish to the plant.  I used a black bark because it will give a nice contrast from the light pot.  Mulch also serves a practical purpose by keeping the soil cool when it gets too hot.

Again, again, again!

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Leave some space from the top of the pot so that the water doesn't leak out when you water it.

Add a rock

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A rock can add dimension to a simple contemporary planter.  Plus the rock's round shape helps visually soften the sharp corners of the pot.

Water (with a twist)

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Your initial watering should be spiked with some Superthrive which will give it vitamins and nutrients and ultimately the best possible start.

Voila!

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Remember, whenever going for a contemporary or modern style planter, less is more.  Keep it simple.  This agapanthus doesn't look like much now but in just a couple months it will send up it's blue powderpuff flower and look stunning!

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