Where to put your Big Planter

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Where to put your Big Planter
The position of your Big Planter will make a big difference to the types of plants you will be able to grow. If you have a choice, try to put it in a sheltered place in full sun or somewhere it will receive as much sunshine as possible during the main growing season (March to October).

Most flowers and vegetables are sun lovers and your crop or flowers will be significantly reduced if you can only grow in shade. However, if shade is your only option, there are still some attractive foliage plants such as Hostas and ferns that thrive in the shade.

Don't forget that a Big Planter in full sun will require regular watering so it makes sense to place it near a tap or water butt, if you can, to reduce the amount of water carrying involved! Some shelter (without shade) will protect the plants and prevent wind drying the soil and plants out.

Installing your Big Planter
Once you have decided where to place your Big Planter, you need to decide which type of soil to fill it with. Remember to fill it up in situ otherwise it will be far too heavy to move!

1. Drainage
To ensure that excess water will drain away from the planter, make a few slits carefully in the plastic lining the Big Planter (if not already done). Before you fill the planter with soil, cover the bottom of the planter with a coarse layer of rubble or other large stones, being careful not to damage the liner (see picture?). This will ensure that the roots of your plants will not sit in water and will be much healthier.

2. Soil
Your plants will depend entirely on the soil you chose for all their basic needs so it makes sense to use the best quality compost you can afford. A mixture of multi-purpose peat free and loam based (John Innes type) composts will provide a good balance for most flowers. Special composts are now available for vegetable growing which will ensure your vegetables receive a good range of nutrients throughout the season. Large specimen trees, fruit trees or shrubs also benefit from a good quality soil because they will be in the planter for a long time - a loam based compost (John Innes type) is ideal. Some plants, such as magnolia or rhododendron, prefer acid soil conditions and should always be planted in ericaceous soil and watered with rain water, because tap water is usually too alkaline (chalky). Ask for advice at your local garden centre if you are not sure about the right soil for your type of planting.

At this stage, it is also a good idea to mix in some fine horticultural grit or sand into the compost to further improve the drainage.

Depending on the plants you will be using, you may need to refresh some of the soil from time to time to keep the plants growing strongly.

You may be tempted to firm down the soil in the planter to squeeze more in, but don't forget that plants need a free draining soil and will not thrive in compost that is compacted. The texture you are aiming for is "light airy sponge cake" rather than "soggy suet pudding"!

3. Fertiliser
In the main growing season, nutrients in the compost will have been used up by the plants after a while and you may need to start feeding them with a suitable plant food. This will ensure you get healthy happy plants over a long period. Slow release fertilisers which are readily available are an easy way to ensure that your plants are fed with minimal fuss. Particular crops, such as tomatoes, often require special liquid feeds to boost their productivity.

4. Top Dressing or Mulch
Once you have planted your chosen plants, you might like to cover the surface of any bare compost between the plants with a protective layer (or "mulch"). This could be fine gravel, wood chip, compost or a decorative topping and will help to prevent the soil from drying out. A top layer of mulch will also help to protect your plants from hungry slugs or snails, which do not like crossing rough surfaces. Mulches usually work best with ornamental plantings rather than vegetables and also prevent rain splashing soil onto your plants. Do not use a layer of mulch if you are planning to sow seeds directly into your Big Planter.

5. Mind the Gap
Don't forget to leave a gap between the top of the soil and the planter to enable you to water without washing all the soil over the edge!

 

Posted: 1st September 2009

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