Hi Friends…..today I wanted to share with you what I have been doing for several years now when it comes to container planting.
This tip is a money saver because it will save you 50 % on what you would normally have to spend on potting soil.
2nd…..it will help save your back. You may ask how is that?
Because the pots will be lighter and easier to move once filled. WooHoo!
Painting
First I did paint my terra cotta pots white.
To plant my containers I always have a layer of rocks/gravel to give the plants good drainage.
Filler
I put my empty plant containers and my used water bottles to the pots and fill with potting soil. I put 2 more in this container.
Sorry for some reason I didn’t get a photo of all the containers I added. DUH!
Potting Soil
Now fill the pot with your potting soil as you normally would.
The pot will take 50% less soil than if you did not use the plastic containers. Add your plants.
You can also consider adding a little fertilizer if you want, but it’s best to wait between 2 to 6 weeks after planting, depending on the type of pot you use and your watering schedule. There are many options of fertilizer options available for potted plants, but it’s best to stick with organic options. For example, you can consider using poultry litter fertilizer which actively supports biodiversity and sustainable agriculture.
I filled 6 pots. Here is one of the plants when first planted.
Looking Forward
Fast forward to 4 weeks to today. They have filled out nicely, a little miracle grow helps too!
Conclusion
Do you have container plants? I would love to hear from you in the comments. Let me know what you have in your garden or yard.
I hope your plants and garden are having a great summer. See you soon!
Love your ideas…… I just planted a pot and instead of the empty plant containers or plastic bottles, I used empty aluminum soda cans….same principle, but it works great….so light.
Do you have any ideas on how to hydrate containers without the daily watering that takes so much time. I guess I just have way too many potted containers. SMILE
Hi Michie, At the moment I do not have a hydrating system figured out for my containers….boy I need to. Like you I have a lot that I have to water and I agree with you that it takes a lot of time……I have tried a couple of self watering ideas but I didn’t really like them. I need to work on that again…..Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your day!
Hi, I really appreciate the helpful tip to reduce the bagged soil expense for potted plants. Great post and makes me happy anytime I can save money. Happy Spring and many blessings.