1. Choose the Correct Pot & Placement
"Avoid porous planters like terracotta or coconut/coir fibre liners in hanging baskets. These materials leach nutrients and moisture more rapidly than glazed ceramic pots and solid stone. Dark colours like black, and metal containers heat up quickly. They provide little insulation, causing the potting soil to dry out faster and increase the possibility of root damage. If you have dark coloured pots, try positioning in a shady spot with shade-loving edibles. Locate your light coloured, non-porous pots in full sun areas." via- themicrogardener.com
Not sure where you should place your containers? That's okay, start here!
2. Know When to Water your Plants
"Rather than watering on a set schedule, check first to see if your plants need water. If your plant is in a pot, check the surface of the soil in the pot either by looking at it or touching it with your finger. Wet soil will be dark in color while dry soil will be lighter in color. For peat based soil mixes (the most common type), this means dark brown to black is wet, while ‘paper bag’ brown is dry. If the surface of the soil is dry to the touch (or looks dry) water your plants. You may need to check your plants twice a day to see if they need water. Remember just because one pot needs water that doesn’t mean they all do. Differences in pot and plant sizes will impact how quickly a pot dries out. via- containergardening.about.com
3. Water Deeply
"The most important thing when watering plants is to give them a good, long drink - optimally, until water runs out the hole in the bottom of your container. You do this because, depending on the size of your pot, many of the plant's roots will be down towards the bottom and you want them to be able to get water too, and the only way you know that the water is getting all the way to the bottom is if it runs out. It will also encourage roots to grow down toward the bottom of the pot, which is better for plants." via- treehugger.com
4. Use Mulch
"Use mulch. Mulch or pebbles on the soil’s surface can reduce the amount of water that evaporates from the plant container." via- balconycontainergardening.com
Read our Introduction to Mulch, to learn what types of mulch work best!
5. Conserve Water by Double Potting
"Another good way to conserve water in container gardening is double potting. If you have one pot with a plant, place it inside a slightly larger pot. Then fill the gap within the larger pot with soil and add moss and/or stones and pebbles on top. When you water, water both the plant and the soil around the first pot. This will lessen evaporation. It's a great alternative for plant watering if you go on vacation or leave the house for an extended period of time." via- garden.org
