caring for your container garden
watering:
Before watering, feel the top of the soil. If its dry water, if its wet wait.
When watering, saturate the soil until water is draining out the bottom of the container.
Watering should be done in the morning or evening to allow the water to reach the roots of the plants before evaporating.
Cool seasons require watering less often but in the hot summer heat, watering is needed almost daily. Feeling the soil as you walk by will give you an idea of the frequency and routine they need.
maintenance:
During the growing season, give your containers a light grooming session every couple weeks including deadheading* spent blossoms, cutting back straggly stems, and if needed, replace or remove any plants that have given up.
*Deadheading is the removal of finished flowers and their stems down to the nearest leaves. Deadheading is different than pruning which consists of removing stems or branches on shrubs, vines or trees. Here is a great resource if you are interested in learning more about proper deadheading techniques.