How I keep my plants in pots from drying out in the hot sun

If you've container gardened for long, you know that some pots dry out quick. Especially Terracotta or a barrel style wooden type with cracks at every joint. People that use plastic pots have the advantage of keeping the pot from drying out, but I prefer the look of terracotta and most recently, the wooden barrels that I purchased. The aesthetic appeal is better but it dries out much faster... so here is what you do to keep the advantages of plastic pots in less than ideal containers..

Turn your water hog pot into a "plastic pot" with all the benefits of having the pot material you want to use.

Susan

You have your container.

Now you line it with a plastic bag. Obviously, this is a large container, so I used a large lawn and leaf bag. For smaller ones I use the grocery bags, and for bigger ones, maybe IKEA bags... you get the picture. Use a bag size that matches your pot.

This step is crucial or you will have a mess!! You must provide drainage! If you do not make holes in the bottom of the plastic, you will no doubt regret it.
:(
Also, when putting your soil just into the plastic bag, you must make sure that the drainage holes are still open.. the soil can make the plastic shift.

As you fill with soil, the sides of the plastic will wrinkle. This is fine and how it will look.

Once you have situated your plants in the pot, but before you fill the remainder of the way with soil, cut just under the top rim of the sides all the way around the pot.

If you decide to cut the plastic before you fill up with soil and put your plants in, it is difficult to keep the sides of the plastic up to the walls of the pot.

Susan

Now fill as you would normally and mulch to keep moisture from evaporation.. Oh and also, you can use water absorbing polymers in your potting mix to help as well.

Whalla.. My secret to keeping my pots from needing water hourly.

I also do this with hanging baskets that use the coir liner. I line with plastic, make drainage hole and plant. Everybody is much happier this way!

Susan

Thanks Susan for those step by step photos. Looks like it works like a charm. Your barrel of plants is beautiful.

Janet

a great idea for the young......When I was in my 30's, 40's and 50's I swore that you would never catch me with one of those ugly plastic containers in my yard (LOL).............Now that I am on the medicare years and can't pick up clay containers anymore, it is amazing how happy I now am with the"ugly" plastic containers and still have to use a dolly to move around.....................

Great idea and excellent photos to go with the instructions. Thank you.

Glad to help! It's makes a huge difference in the amount you have to water your pots. You can keep things from drying out and keep them alive if you do this :)

Gail, I know what you mean about pots being too heavy.. I asked my husband if he thought we could both lift this pot into place after I filled in in the shade and he said nope!.. So I had to fill it in place under the sun. I'm quite alright with it being as heavy as it is close to my street side garden and I wouldn't want it to walk off. Plastic containers are being made much more attractive now :)

Susan

it simply has to be plastic or no plants at all in containers!!! (LOL) Getting old will either make us laugh or just invite friends to a 'pity party'

I have to have plastic "in" all containers too!
:)

Or set your ugly plastic pots down into prettier ones. It works for me. Saves on the watering too.

Patty and I posted some pics under both Container gardening Pirls' thread 2 and in House plants..........all are in something lightweight.....be it spaghnum moss or plastic.......not bad for those of us who can no longer pick up clay pots....

Hey Susan, I coat the insides of terra cotta pots with polyurethane. Works like a charm! I use your plastic bag method for my coir hanging baskets. I can't keep them watered without it!

Yes, that's a good idea too.. I use the poly for my outdoor medal yard art that would rust otherwise. I really run up a bill on poly when I spray all my stuff!

:)

Susan

You can come see what the pot and the rest of my garden looks like today at

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/774521/

:)

Susan

I had the opposite happen with 2 half barrels that I had planted this spring. Didn't know the neighbour was also heavily watering them...it was my 2 new water features. I had drill holes in the side to drain the water. No way to lift & pour out the water. Did catch it on time & the plants were fine.

With the smaller terra pots, I lined them with moss, which worked well. With the strawberry pots, I put a plastic pipe with holes & centered it in the middle., filled it with vermiculite & ran heavey cotton string to wick the water to each plant. Worked very well.

Glad it worked out.. What a nice neighbor to try to water for you!

Speaking of lifting.. One morning I did notice the two rope handles on either side of my barrel sticking straight up as if someone has tested the weight.. They are still there....

Susan

I would like to add a little on this.

I take a sheet of small bubble wrap and line the inside walls of the pot.
It is both waterproof and provides a layer of insulation for the media. You do not have to do the bottom as you want all the drainage you can get. It will regulate the soil temperature better then a thin plastic pot. Wooden barrel planters provide needed insulation, but still benefit by it.

A little farther out idea that some people do is line them with disposable diapers. The gel in them is the same water crystal the you buy for the soil. They also insulate.

ohhh my goodness Ted......... THAT explains it!! :) LOL!! Years ago I bought a potted plant at a yard sale and went to repot and found two soggy diapers in there!!! ewww!! When you don't know whats its for, it's pretty gross finding that unexpectedly!!

Bubble Wrap is a great idea.. Insulate from my heat and keep the moisture in..

Thanks!

:)

Susan

I like that idea also....................have plenty of bubble wrap around...............

The water absorbant crystals are a nice addition as well. My containers sit in full sun on sidwalks and my concrete patio next to a brick building and even with the drought I didn't have to water every day. I usually sprinkle it in the bottom half of the soil and mix in well since that's where the roots will be headed. If you use too much especially close to the top of the container you can sometime get little gelly clumps on the top of the soil.

I like the plastic tip too...will be trying that out in the spring:)

Susan, just took the tour of your gardens - amazing :) I'm so surprised that the Dichondra in your container still looks so good? Used to have excellent luck with it in my containers while living in Maine (cooler summers), but tried it once here and with the heat and humidity of these southern summers, it looked dreadful by August. After seeing how beautifully yours has performed, thinking maybe I'll have to try it again!

Debbie

Thanks!!

Wow, I'm so glad I didn't know that and I went for it! ! :) .. it's been a great "spiller"

:)

Susan