How to take care of autumn containers
It is easy to make the containers look decorative; just follow a few simple tips. Start by replacing the soil. Even if it looks ok, it may contain old plant roots, which putrefy, transferring bacteria to new plants.
When you return from your summer holidays, spring plants in the garden containers are not "what they used to be". However, removing the containers at this point would be a pity for they can still bring you joy for yet a couple of months – just use other plants.
A hole in the bottom of the container is essential to remove excess water. Otherwise the plants may drown during a rainy autumn.
When the containers have been planted up with your favourite plants, make sure to water them thoroughly the first two weeks. Then water and feed them regularly for the rest of the season.
If the plants are winter-hardy, they will do fine throughout the winter; just place the containers on a sheltered spot and protect them against hard sunshine and frost.
If the containers are placed outdoors, give them a sheltered position and protect the plants using spruce twigs. Stick them into the soil round the plants to give shade and shelter; this way, you protect the plants against drying out too much during times of hard frost.
In early spring, you can plant the winter-hardy plants from your containers in your garden beds and replace them with colourful, outdoor plants of the spring.
Read also: Mobile Garden
