Protect Your Container Garden!
In this article, we looked into the finest techniques to safeguard your container garden. The advantage of growing plants in pots is that pests are less of an issue. However, it remains a concern that we must be aware of. Pests can be kept out of your container garden if you keep them from assaulting your plants. This can be accomplished by monitoring your plants daily, ensuring that they are clean and healthy, intercropping plants, and eliminating pests as soon as they appear.
Make Sure You Buy The Healthy Plants
It’s critical to inspect plants purchased from a garden shop or farmer’s market to ensure they’re healthy. On a plant, I would look for common pest indicators. Examine the area around the plant for pests. Look for evidence of pests or disease on the leaves, including the underside. Check for wilting, browning, or yellowing of the leaves. Verify that the stem is free of pests and disease. I’d even recommend removing the plant from the container and inspecting the roots. When a plant becomes root-bound, it is indicating that it is in distress. Examine the plant for any signs of root rot. There’s virtually little possibility of attracting pests into your container garden if you keep the plants healthy.
Choose Native Plants
It’s a well-known fact that native plants are pest and disease resistant in the areas where they grow. Plants grown from other places are more sensitive to such issues. As a result, growing as many native plants as possible is the best strategy. You will need to do some study on the native flora in your area before purchasing some. However, this does not imply that you must exclusively employ native plants. Other plants can be grown in your container garden as well, but it’s a good idea to vary them up. Beneficial insects are also attracted to native plants in the garden.
Grow Your Container Garden In Many Varieties
Plants growing in clusters are more likely to be attacked by pests. This is because pests can easily pick up on signals about where the plants are growing. Diversifying what you cultivate is the greatest approach to protect your plants. In your container garden, mix different sorts of plants such as herbs, leafy vegetables, flowers, fruit veggies, and root vegetables. This makes it difficult for pests to determine which plants they wish to attack. Pests are less likely to reach your containers if you grow fragrant herbs and flowers. In your container garden, include a selection of native plants that are resistant to a number of native pests.
Clean Your Container Garden Before Planting
It’s time to plant your plants or seeds in a container once you have them ready. You might have bought new ones, repurposed old ones, or gotten some for free. Because the containers may contain bugs and diseases from previous use, it’s a good idea to thoroughly clean them before using them. I recommend soaking them for at least an hour in a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. After that, give them a good rinse in water and let them air dry.
Don’t Reuse Potting Soil
You won’t have to worry about reusing potting soil if you’re starting a new container garden because you’ll be purchasing new bags. However, if you’ve been container gardening for a long, you’ll already have potting soil in your containers. I wouldn’t recommend reusing this potting soil because it could contain bugs or diseases that could infect your new plants. Such potting soil, in my opinion, should be discarded. If you’re generating your own compost, you can add it to the pile. The theory is that the compost’s high temperature will kill bugs and pathogens. However, I would not advise taking the risk.
Sum Up
Plant with a container garden is fun. Just try at your home now!