How To Plant a Container

Get your container planting off to the best start possible by planting it correctly in the right soil.

The key is choosing good potting soil. Never use regular garden soil; it's usually the wrong texture—too heavy or too light—and not fertile enough. Instead, choose a high-quality potting medium. Avoid soilless mixes for most containers. They contain too much sphagnum peat moss, which is usually a main element of soilless mixes. Sphagnum peat moss can dry out very easily and can be difficult to rewet.

For the best, most beautiful plants, do the following:

1. Choose a good container.

The best type of container is one that has a drainage hole. This allows water to drain freely but needs a cover to prevent soil from washing out. Cover the hole with a bit of broken flower pot, a scrap of fine wire mesh, large gravel, or even a piece of newspaper folded over on itself several times.

2. Add soil.

If the pot is very large, to save on potting soil, place a plastic soda bottle or two with the lid on in the bottom of the pot. Just make sure that there is at least a foot of soil for the plants to grow in.

Top the hole cover and/or the soda bottles with potting soil, adding enough to begin positioning the plants. (The plants should be well watered. If they are wilted, water well and wait until the next day. Wilted plants are more likely to die in the transplanting process than well hydrated ones.) If the roots of the plants are very knotted, loosen them with your fingers to ensure them taking off once planted.

3. Work in a fertilizer.

If the soil doesn't already contain a slow-release fertilizer, it's a good idea to work some in now. It will assure you of better, healthier, fuller plants. If you are planting flowering plants, look for a formulation designed to boost blooms.

4. Position the plants.

Position the plants so the crowns, that is, the parts of the plants where the stems meet the roots, will be at the final soil level. Fill in with the rest of the potting soil, tamping it down lightly. Leave at least one inch from the soil level to the top of the pot to allow for water to puddle.

5. Water well.

Soak the plant repeatedly until water runs freely from the drainage hole and the soil is thoroughly saturated. If that doesn't seem to be working, soak the pot up to its rim in a bucket of water so it absorbs water through the drainage hole and, depending on the container, through the sides of the pot.

6. Keep out of sun.

Set the plant in a shady spot for the next day or two until it recovers from the transplanting. Then set in its permanent spot and enjoy!