Don't use garden soil! Even the best garden soil is not the right choice for container growing. Though it may seem nutrient-rich and wellbalanced garden soil is always a problem. It will not provide adequate drainage and usually contains disease organisms, bacteria, and weed seeds. No matter how well it performs in the ground over the growing season, normal garden soil will soon form a compacted heavy mass, preventing root respiration and fertilizer absorption, resulting in stressed and hungry plants.
Each plant should get enough water to moisten the entire container. You'll know soil is saturated when water runs freely out the drainag holes. Poke a sharp stick into drainage holes occasionally to make sure they are working and be sure to empty any saucers you may use. If you find by testing with your fingers that the water is actually running down the sides of the container without wetting its contents, the soil mix has become compacted or overdry and water is unable to penetrate. Remedy this situation by poking many holes in the soil surface with a pencil or sharp thin stick to allow better drainage and then set a hose near the plant's base and let it trickle very lightly for several hours. If the container is not too heavy, you can also submerge it in a tub of water until it stops bubbling out air. Be careful; it will be heavy with water when lifted out!
Mulching is good strategy; when plants are 4-6 inches tall, cover container surface with a thick layer of sphagnum moss, pea gravel, or compost. If a large soil surface is exposed, you can plant a shallowgrowing ground cover such as alyssum. (Peat is not a good mulch as it is difficult to moisten.)
All containers must have adequate unblocked drainage holes. If you cannot drill holes, be sure to put a layer of broken pottery, aquarium charcoal, small pebbles or styrofoam packing peanuts several inches thick in the bottom of each container.
.To ensure good air circulation and discourage rot, elevate your containers an inch or two above the ground on bricks or casterwheeled plant stands. This will also avoid stains on decks. If you use plant saucers, be careful to empty them after each watering or drill holes in them and elevate above the ground for drainage. Using wheeled dollies also adds flexibility so that you can move containers around as light patterns shift to take advantage of sun or shade as your plants require. For example, pansies can be moved into cooler filtered shade in hot summer weather, or a salvia put in fron of a south-facing wall in cooler autumn weather. It is fun to "redecorate" and change the look of your garden by moving plants around
. If you use unglazed clay pots, soak them in water first so they absorb moisture and do not wick it from the soil. If reusing older containers, be sure to scrub them out with a brush and vinegar and water solution to remove debris and scaly deposits, finishing with a mild bleach and water solution (rinse with clear water).This prevents disease, "damping off," and mold problems.
Direct-sown seeds must be kept evenly moist but not soggy while awaiting germination. When seedlings are an inch or so high, be sure to thin them carefully and thoroughly to the spacing suggested on the packet. Proper thinning will ensure healthy and productive plants and cannot be neglected. Plant culinary herbs as close to the kitchen as possible so you'll find them convenient to use in everyday cooking, but note that they will usually not do well in tiny pots on a windowsill because there is not enough light or soil. If you want to grow them indoors, use good-sized pots, and well-drained soil mix. Herb seeds often take several seeks to germinate, so keep the seed bed evenly moist while waiting for emergence. If you harvest your herb plants frequently, be sure to feed and water them well to encourage more growth. Pinch off flowers as they appear to encourage leaf production for harvest.
