Advice for potted plants?

[JamieCatheryn]

My veggie garden has been doing increasingly well each year but I still fail miserably at the container plants. I want herbs and flowers in pots. How do I do it right so they don't die on me? Specifically I'd love basil and mint, maybe sage and thyme. Dunno what flowers, something pretty for the patio. I wouldn't mind buying the plants themselves if I can get them to thrive.

Also I want to do a spring craft with DS1 and maybe some of his friends painting little pots and planting some seeds in them, any advice there on what to plant and what potting soil to use? I'm thinking either lima beans, alfalfa (because I have some sprouting seed and new grass looks spring-y), or some kind of wildflowers.

[goldfinches]

I remember planting limas as a child in little pots. I wouldn't expect them to do much, but they'll at least get a vine and some leaves.

Honestly, I would get large pots and put already started seedlings in them instead of seeds. The main problem I have with pots is that they dry out easily. They need watered nearly every day. I like to do a tall plant, some shorter ones and a couple of viney ones in each pot. If your pots were large, you could plant all 4 of those herbs in each and they would look pretty nice. Add a couple of geraniums or a marigold.

[luv-my-boys]

I usually tell people to start with plants that are native to their area because they will require less "fuss" than other plants. most garden centers have an assortment of native plants or wildflower packets for hardier plants. Although if your having a hard time keeping things alive I would suggest seedlings vx. seeds unless your ok with them not sprouting. I've found that sunflowers are a great flower for the kids to plant as they are large seeds and are quite sturdy plants watering/soil wise so we havent had any problems with them growing.

[Ruthiegirl]

I can grow a jungle in my backyard. Seriously. Huge squash vines rambling all over the yard, bushels of tomatoes, loads and loads of herbs and lettuce, kale, chard. The fig tree dumps a load of figs on us every year, but I cannot grow anything in pots.

My neighbors grows beautiful ornamentals in pots of all sizes and he says the success of his plants is due to daily watering. And he really means daily. Nothing can dry out even the tiniest bit.

I don't have the time and energy to devote to a marathon of summer time watering. I have seen some self watering pots advertised that I might be willing to try if they weren't so expensive.

Something like this:

http://www.gardeners.com/Self-Wateri...efault,cp.html

This is a prettier one, but it is very small (4"):

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Shaped-Se...7390290&sr=1-2

[prescottchels]

I vote for these self-watering planters, which you could also do w/regular pots, I would think if you were into it/had the right tools to drill ceramics... There are other versions out there that use rubbermaid tubs too, if you search self watering containers there are several sites.

[JamieCatheryn]

Thanks guys I'll give larger pots a try, do one huge grouping of herbs. I'll be very careful to water daily or set up self watering...maybe small ollas may be in order? Or, ugly but I hear effective, an upside down plastic bottle with holes in the cap and a hole for adding water? For the kids' project they don't need to last, just sprout to signal spring in small pots for the 3-4 year olds to handle and paint.

Any advice as to what sort of soil to put in the pots?

[Indigo73]

That would be my suggestion - larger pots and daily water.

For my tomato plants (in buckets) they get a two liter bottle (bottom cut off) tucked into their bucket, fill with water. The tomatoes need the bottle filled daily but some of the herbs & flowers can go a day or two... or get a smaller bottle like a 20 oz. water bottle.