3 Simple Tips for Outdoor Potted Plants

It's officially "buy all the flowers" season here at The Rural Estate and I wanted to put together a quick and easy list of things to keep in mind when potting all of those gorgeous and colorful annuals this year!

Keeping these simple affordable tips in mind is going to allow your flowers to grow bigger than they ever have before and THRIVE! No need to run back out to the nursery half way through summer to replace those dead plants that burned out! I'd say that makes these easy tips a great way to save money, right?

1. Good Drainage

Before you even think about putting soil into a planter make sure it has proper drainage holes!!! Too much moisture will rot your plants and they will die quickly. If your pot does not have holes on the bottom, you can easily use a hand held drill to make a few holes for water to escape

2. Make your own potting mix

Yes, store bought potting soil has nutrients in it to feed your plant babies for a period of time, but there's a WAY better solution for letting those beauties grow to their full potential.

Here's my dad's special "recipe":

Equal Parts:

• Potting Soil - keeps your soil loose

• Top Soil - keeps your soil moist

• Manure - feeds your plant

Potting soil on its own dries out easily and the fertilizer added to it won't feed your plants for long! All 3 components can be easily found at any plant nursery! Try it and come back and tell me how huge your plants grew!!!

3. Water the soil not the plant

Especially on hot summer days when you're trying to resuscitate those plants you neglected for a few days (guilty as charged) make sure you watch where that water is going! Get your watering can or hose UNDER the plant to water the soil and try to avoid getting moisture on the leaves. Water droplets act the same was a magnifying glass would in direct sunlight, leaving you with burnt leaves and sad plants.

Is there a flower you have to pot every year? For me it's portulaca - drought resistant and gorgeously neon! Leave me a comment and tell me your favorite!

Looking for more simple gardening tips? Star here! And don't miss our top picks for sun and shade loving annuals to pot! Make sure to follow along on Instagram for more simple tips and inspiration!

xoxo, L

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