QUESTION: How deep should the pots I use in a container garden be to grow healthy plants? Does it matter whether I’m planting flowers, herbs, fruit, or vegetables? — Becky K.
ANSWER: The pots in a container garden should be different sizes depending on which plants the containers will hold. We will list the best container sizes to use for many plants gardeners commonly grow. However, there are some guidelines you can use to determine the size your containers should be if your plant isn’t covered by our lists. You’ll find those at the end of this article.
Getting the right size of container for each plant you’ll grow is the first step toward a beautiful garden. The right container depth ensures your plants will have room for their root systems to spread out. If a plant’s container is too small, it may not be supported securely, which can lead to damage. Cramped containers also won’t hold as much water. Hanging baskets get more air circulation, making them especially prone to getting parched when the weather is hot. When a container is too large, it’s difficult for the soil to retain moisture. For all these reasons, you may notice wilting, stress, and poor health in plants that need to be relocated to containers of another size.
Don’t be confused by the fact that plant pots don’t have an industry sizing standard. You’ll find that some containers are measured in gallons while others are measured in inches. The measurements given in inches are telling you the diameter across the opening of the container at the top. You’ll see us discussing container size in volume, depth, and diameter across the top. We’ll be sure to specify which measurement we’re giving every time.
Regardless of what you’re growing and the size of the containers, you’ll need to make sure there are holes in the bottom for drainage. Despite the myths about pebbles or broken pottery to fix pots without drainage, they’re really inappropriate for gardening. Also make sure to leave one inch of empty space between the surface of the soil in each container and the top of the pot. That way there will be plenty of room for water to soak into the soil when you give the plants in your container gardening a deep watering.
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