Correctly plant containers

By Bev Johnson | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, May 31, 2008

Bunkey likes to plant all kinds of pots and containers. One that has given him fits is the strawberry jar.

The plants on the top do well, but the bottom ones have a tendency to bite the dust fairly rapidly.

This year, Bunkey took a class in planting various types of planters including strawberry jars. Here are the tricks to keep your strawberry jar looking good all summer:

First of all, soak the jar for several hours before you plant. This prevents the dry clay from sucking the moisture from the roots of your plants.

Next, buy a piece of 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe, cut to a little taller than your jar. Drill holes randomly along the whole length of the pipe and plug the bottom with a rag or sponge. Cover the drainage hole in the jar with a coffee filter to prevent soil from leaking out and angleworms from crawling in.

Now, holding the pipe centered in the jar, add soil up to the bottom hole. Then add the first tier of plants. Make sure the roots are well covered and the soil is well-firmed to prevent air pockets. Water this layer.

Continue up the jar until all the pockets are full. Leave a bit of the pipe out of the soil. Sometimes, it is easier on the plants to push them through from the inside. Attempting to push that big hunk of roots through that hole can damage the roots and slow recovery.

Put taller, upright plants on the top to conceal the pipe. Now when you water, you pour water into the pipe and all the plants get watered equally.

To ensure nice full plants, use a water soluble fertilizer at half strength about once a week. Be careful that you don't over-fertilize especially if you are growing herbs. If you are using organic fertilizer, you don't need to sweat it as it is almost impossible to use too much of that.

Another tip: Turn the jar 1/4 turn about once a week to keep all the plants growing equally.

Any clay pot will do better if soaked before planting. If your pot is in a windy or very sunny spot, you will do better with a plastic container. It won't lose moisture as quickly. There are some containers that mimic clay so well that you have to touch them to tell the difference.

All container plants need fertilizing weekly. In the nursery, plants are watered with a mild fertilizer with each watering. That is why they look so great and decline when you get them home, if you stop fertilizing regularly.

Bunkey plans to have the most spectacular containers on the block this year.

Bev Johnson is a master gardener for West Otter Tail County.