Succulents are making a huge comeback right now. Everyone wants them potted on their patio, porch and even indoor garden planters.  The problem is you killed them in a few weeks and you are not sure why.  Here are a few tips on what may have gone wrong.

1.        Giving them too much water:  You are used to watering your potted flowers daily and even enjoy the process.  But succulents are very different.  They can get by with less water than a typical houseplant and are more like a cactus.  The planters soil should be cool and damp to the touch but never saturated or soggy.  Sometimes it’s even easier to mist the soil instead of feeding it directly for best results.

2.       The pot is way too small.  Maybe you found a flowerpot that was super cute and you thought it would look great with your succulent planted in it.  Just make sure there is room for the roots to grow.  It’s best to select a garden pot based on the depth being twice as deep as the plant.  Make the width three times as wide.

3.       Is the drainage in the container?  Planting succulents in cute containers like tea cups or a cowboy boot are fun but if they don’t have proper drainage the plant will not survive.

4.       Make sure the weather is warm enough.  Don’t place the clay planter in a drafty window or out in cold weather.  Keep them in an area that is pretty consistent.

5.       Make sure the planters soil is rich enough.  If not, then stir in some organic matter into the mix.  This way the potted succulents get the feed they need in order to be healthy.

These are just a few tips but they are very important ones.  

Nothing is better than the fresh, sweet flavor of home-grown fruit and berries.  Even though not all fruit can grow well in the space of a garden planter, many do really well.

When it comes to selecting the size of planter to use, we go back to the old saying, the bigger planter the better.  You need room for the root system to be able to prevent the plant from becoming root bound.  Eventually all fruit trees or berry bushes will need to be transplanted into the ground.

Many fruit trees are naturally small and perfect for a garden planter.  Dwarf varieties are your best bet. Now is the time to select the container.  You pretty much can go with any material of flowerpots.  Clay, Ceramic, Concrete, Glazed, Lightweight Poly Resin or High Fired Clay will all work.  Like we already said, make sure they are large enough and have drain holes.  You do not want the plants roots to sit in standing water.  Place the pots where they will be located before planting because of the weight.

For the most successful crop, take care to give your potted plants sufficient water and fertilizer.  Keep soil in the clay garden pots moist and never let it dry out completely.   Apply a fertilizer as directed.  With exceptions, most kinds of fruit and berries need at least 6 hrs of sunshine a day to set, ripen and sweeten the crop.

Plant bare root blueberries, strawberries, dwarf citrus like apple, pear, lemon, peach & apricot.  All work really well in garden containers, ceramic garden pottery and garden clay pots.

You love the thought of potting herbs to put into your kitchen so that you will have them to cook with. But, here’s another reason to have herbs in flowerpots indoors & nearby. They naturally purify the air!

Here is a collection of potted herbs that help with indoor pollution, bad odors and help to lower the carbon dioxide around your home naturally. Some will help to repel flies in the kitchen like basil and none will grow too tall if you use smallish sized clay pots.

Rosemary: You all know how great it is to cook with. The needle like leaves when chopped are perfect for cooking or a tea. But did you know that besides it’s pleasant aroma a potted bunch of rosemary, purifies humid winter air! Rosemary breathes carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. Some of the essential oils will exhale into the air so you don’t even need to cook with it.

Basil: A pot full of basil gives off a rich aroma. It will also reduce the carbon dioxide in a room besides repelling flies in the kitchen. It has a wonderful peppery taste that is used in Italian dishes. Pinch off leaves when cooking to add a wonderful fresh taste to a savory dish. The aroma it gives off is heavenly.

Mint: Ok we all know this makes a wonderful hot tea for winter. A flowerpot full of fresh mint makes the air easier to breathe if you have a cold. It has a wonderful soothing aroma. You will rest easier at night with a small pot of mint next to your bed.

Jasmine: Perfect for tea but also when potted and placed around the house will fill the home with fragrance along with purifying the air. A perfect combination! It is an inexpensive for of air freshener and all natural.