Potting Up Made Easy

Dracaena 'Lemon Lime'

Planting a container is a dirty business. By the time I am done, potting up my plants, there is soil on the floor, soil on my hands, soil on the new plants, sometimes even soil in my hair. One way to keep from making a mess all over the plants, is this trick that makes potting them up easier. The other benefit is being able to get the soil between multitudes of plants without having to contend with their foliage hiding their roots.

Before getting started make sure your plants have been well watered and have drained the excess out.

Gather everything you need for the task—potting soil, container, trowel and plant(s).

Fill potting soil up to where the bottom of the pots will be. I gently push soil down, to settle it.

If you are planting more than one plant in one container, you might want to arrange the pots ahead of time to see how you want them. Once positioned, take them out and arrange them in the same pattern on your bench.

Carefully take your plants out of the pots, so their root-ball stays intact. Set them aside.

Place all the empty pots inside your container so they rest on the soil and are at the height in the container where the plants need to be .

Fill in the area around the pots with soil. Leveling it to approximately the level the plants were in the pots. Most plants are resting just below the rim, so adjust accordingly. Lightly tamp down soil around the pots and keep filling until the soil surrounds all the pots. Don't worry if soil falls inside the empty pots. Tamp down enough so that when the pot is lifted the depression remains.

Gently lift the empty pot(s) out of the container and replace with the plant(s).

When all plants are in place gently push the soil in around the roots, and water well.

Photographed in author's greenhouse.

by Debbie Teashon

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Potting Up Made Easy

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