title says it: was a challenge with the drought in central MA this year
best mulch to conserve moisture for plants in containers
Any mulch would do about the same job at a 1-2 inch thickness. Use water crystals with potting soil will help a lot to hold moisture. They sell them this way now too. The type of container also makes a big difference. Terra cotta pots lose moisture much faster than plastic or glazed pots. Larger containers will obviously hold more moisture too. There are also self watering pots available that have a reservoir in the bottom of the pot to lessen frequent watering. Use every trick you can help yourself out. Good luck.
I for one am cutting way back on containers next year.My schedule is so busy that I don't do them justice and they look it,no pleasure in that.
Yep I agree with Patti(ngam) the water absorb crystals and the self watering containers help tremendously
what do you have for plants in the containers?
I expanded all kinds of my gardens at home & camp over 20 yrs. without any expertise or a brain in my head ~ (once a week back from summer camp with recyclables/garbage) and spend all morning watering what is not the best tour of established dry and needed water plantings. Most live well w/lots of chipped leaves and tiny composter for all non meat garbage. I went by color and not water needs; killed lots of stuff in the 90's before reading all kind of mags. & these posts that have somewhat improved my care in the last decade of most of my plants. Thank YOU!
Corinne from VT.
Please, dear gardener, read again what .."ngam"... wrote about water crystals !!!
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" !!!
The clear gel holds water like "Jell-o"; you can walk away for 2 weeks from your containers, and your plants will still thrive!
The crystals are like little "water balloons" that hold water over SEVERAL days.
Worth the initial cost. Mix the gel crystals into the soil mix, and they will hydrate your plant roots for 5 years!
thanks to all - yes water crystals will be a good thing - one question: are these available so that i add to my own mix?
Yes, they're widely available. Most nurseries and Home Depot carry them.
Please be sure to use a large enough container to initially hydrate the plant crystals, and also a full 24 hours...this is BEFORE mixing into soil.
I have had great luck this year with the Soil Moist Transplant Formula'. I've used it on everything and it does seem to make quite a difference. I purchased the one with the 3-3-3 fertilizer in. Some people say the fertilizer and the mycorrhiza do not work together, but it really seemed to for me.
I used it on the roots of the plants I put in containers, and used it on my plugs in gallon pots. It worked so well I put some on my Japanese and siberian irises when I divided them this fall.
As you can see it has the water crystals in there too.
http://www.soilmoist.com/products/mycorrhizal.php
I also used the water crystals in vases this year. I put some in a vase and put some reed diffuser oil in and it still smells wonderful.
will have to give that a try polly
I was just down looking over the transplant beds, and the ones I treated have amazing new growth. I'm very surprised, actually. (And new growth on irises in the fall is good, unlike woody plants.)
I found the best price so far on ebay.
thanks for more thoughts - wha (Peperell MA) asked the kind of plants: the problem containers are full sun and have the heat ( and dry) lovers : marigold, container sunflowers , gazanias, gallardias, cosmos - I am assuming that the water crystals will be good for these even though like it a bit dry?
Yes, I've had success with annuals (marigolds and morning glory vines in containers).
I don't do perennials in containers, but I will be trying the smaller sunflowers next year.
I am definitely going to try some of the Soil Moist with mycorrhiza on some Morning Glories in pots next year. Becky over in Morning Glories sent me a bunch of seeds for nice new fancy ones. Can't wait. Always nice to have something to look forward to for next spring.
Yes Becky is generous, and quite knowledgeable about morning glories.
With the correct lighting, you can start the seeds indoors now, or any time of the year.
She sure is! Won't they be too large if I start them now? I plan on them for containers on trellises next summer. I anticipated around March. I will go read Becky's Cubit for instructions.
100% agree that the soil moist crystals are worth their weight in gold. When we leave our Fla. home in the spring, there is very little rain for about a month. I make it a practice to dig the hole for a plant deeper than required for the size of the plant. I sprinkle in the crystals and fill the hole with water; then I add some good quality garden soil and finally I add the plant. Things do much better and the roots reach down to find the water instead of remaining near the surface to be badly affected when the top soil layer dries out. I couldn't garden without them!!
Many of the japanese MG collectors grow them year-around as indoor plants. there are threads on the MG forum about that.
You can wrap them in a spiral around 2 sticks.
Thanks!
thanks for all the useful updates ( i have not logged in for a while). Especially good: info about morning glories - mine in containers languished so the Crystals could be key
Plus, MGs are in need of LOTS of light, more so than most houseplants
yes they do - these containers were outside so i am thinking moisture is the problem - performance should be better next year, for all containers, with crystals and mulch - thanks all for info and interesting asides