Whether you have a small garden or a big open space, we’ve got some tips on how to pot your plant to keep it happy.
IN A CONTAINER
Many of us don’t have the space for flowerbeds. Where space is a premium, using containers allows you to maximise space and still create an outdoor oasis – and you’ve got the added benefit of moving the pots indoors or into a sheltered spot when the weather changes.
- Pick a container with a hole in the bottom to make sure the water drains out and the roots don’t rot – you can also put some gravel in the bottom to help the plant drain. You want it to be about 1.5x the size of your plant.
- Fill your container with soil and compost until it’s about three-quarters full.
- Take your plant out of its existing pot by turning it upside down, holding it at the base of the stem, and giving it a tap on the bottom to release it from the pot.
- Give it a little squeeze if it doesn’t come out.
- Put the (now empty) pot into the middle of the container, and fill around it with more soil and push down firmly.
- Remove the old pot, and put your plant into the hole you’ve created.
- Put a little more soil on the top, and push down firmly.
- Water your plant and enjoy!
IN THE GROUND
If you’ve got space to plant into a flowerbed, make sure to pick a spot that your plant will enjoy, with the right sunlight and soil conditions. (See our blog on picking the right spot for your plant for more support).
- Prepare your flowerbed by digging up the soil until it’s soft, and add in some compost to give it a fresh hit of nutrients.
- Take your plant out of its existing pot by turning it upside down, holding it at the base of the stem, and giving it a tap on the bottom to release it from the pot. Give it a little squeeze if it doesn’t come out.
- Then dig your hole that’s roughly the size of your plant pot – you want it deep enough to hold the root system and wide enough to grow. The easiest way to check is to put the empty plant pot itself in the hole, and then press down your soil firmly all round the outside.
- Remove the old pot, and put your plant into the hole you created.
- Put a little more soil on the top, and push down firmly.
- Water your plant and enjoy