How to successfully grow annual plants in containers

SALT LAKE CITY — What do you need to know and do in order to successfully grow annual plants in containers? Brian Lloyd from Olson’s Greenhouse joined Taun and Maria on the latest KSL Greenhouse show to share some tips.

Deciding container size

First off, the bigger the container, the better—if you have enough room. However, small containers can work in smaller spaces. The only thing is you will need to water it more frequently.

“More soil volume means less watering, and in our hot summers that can be an advantage,” Brian said.

“It gives you more rooting space also and makes the plants a little bit more resilient. It holds more nutrition or fertilizer… When in doubt, step it up a size,” Taun said.

Brian likes to get at least 14 inches for his permanent pots, but he recommends getting pots in the 20- to 30-inch range. You can also get 6- or 8-inch pots to use as centerpieces. However, you will likely have to water them two to three times a day.

What kind of soil should you use?

“You’ve got to use potting mix in containers. Potting mix just has more drainage than typical garden soil, whether you buy it in the bag or pull it from your yard,” Brian said.

Maria also pointed out that it gets as hard as a rock.

“The water can’t move through but, even more importantly, air can’t really get to the roots like it needs to,” Brian said.

Whenever you’re growing annual plants in containers, always use potting mix.

Listen to the full segment on our podcast below!

The KSL Greenhouse is on every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. You can follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and on our website.