• Flower pot with drainage holes in the bottom: There are all sorts of materials available – pick

what you like in a size you can handle (remember that it will be heavy when filled with soil and
watered!). Water must be able to drain out, or your plants will drown. If you want to use a
decorative planter that doesn’t have drainage holes, plant your flowers in an inexpensive pot
that does drain, and sit it in the planter on top of a little gravel.
• Bag of potting mix for containers: Potting mix is lightweight and rich in nutrients, and some
kinds have fertilizer already mixed in. Don’t use soil from your yard – it’s too heavy.
• Piece of screen, shard of pottery, or coffee filter: This is only necessary if the drainage holes
are very large (over 1/2”). Put it over the holes to keep the soil from washing out.
• All-purpose plant food: Optional.
• Flowering Plants: The most important part!

2. Start by covering your drainage holes (if they are large enough that they will allow soil to wash out),
then fill the pot about two-thirds full with potting mix.
• Sit the plants in the container and decide on your arrangement. You can either do a round design
(tallest plants in the center and shorter or trailing plants around the edges), or a front-facing
design (tall plants in back and shorter ones in front).
3. Gently remove your plants from their pots. If the plant is stuck, squeeze the pot a little to help
push it out – never yank on the stem. Disturb the roots as little as possible, but if they are a
hard-packed ball you can loosen them a little with your fingers. Then nestle the plants in the
soil, keeping an eye on the depth to make sure they will be planted at the same level they were
in their original pot.
4. Add soil between the plants, firming it gently with your fingers. Be careful not to press hard
enough to break the plants.
5. Make sure everything is at the same level with no roots showing.
6. Move your container to its chosen spot, and water the plant thoroughly until water runs out the
bottom.
7. Now, step back and admire your handiwork!

Caring for Containers

• Water your container every 2-3 days. In the heat of summer, you may need to water it every day.
• If you want to feed your plants, use an all-purpose or bloom-boosting plant food every couple of
weeks according to package instructions.
• As you water, remove spent blooms to encourage more blooming – a practice called
deadheading. Don’t just pull off the dead petals – actually pinch off the little stem beneath the
flower.
• If your plants are looking spindly, pinch off the tips of the stems to stimulate them to produce
more branches.