At the end of the gardening season, discard the entire contents of each container or add them to the compost pile. More often than not, the growing mix is not suitable for reuse the following season as it is deprived of all nutrients and plant roots present in the mix need time to decompose. In addition, you do not want to run the risk of spreading diseases that may be present in the mix, so it is usually best to start with a fresh batch.
Wash each container to remove any fertilizer salts and disinfect it with a 10 percent chlorine bleach solution if needed. Non-porous containers (plastic) may be left outside over the winter. Porous containers retain moisture and should be brought inside to prevent them from freezing and cracking. Now is also a good time to inspect your containers and perform any necessary maintenance.
If your container garden is planted with perennials and you want to leave it outdoors over the winter months, extra care must be taken to protect your plants. Container-grown garden plants are more susceptible to freezing and must be protected from the cold; how much protection is required depends on just how cold your area gets (see the Plant Hardiness map). Snow will generally offer some insulation but mulching with leaf mold or straw works well too. Using wind screens or burying the container in the ground is also very effective. Some experimentation may be required to find the optimal solution for your climate but it is well worth the effort and will end up saving you money over time.
Vegetable Growing Sheet
Herbs Growing Sheet
We are Garden365 and we love gardening. We hope sharing our tips and ideas will help you on your journey of becoming a better gardener.
*Please note, when you buy products through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This helps to keep the website free for our readers. Thanks for your support!