Drought Resistant Potted Plants

Q:  I love my patio pots of summer annuals but I know they need watering often.  How can I keep my pots and still be water conscious?

A:  Plant in large containers (14” diameter and larger) as more soil holds more moisture.  Avoid porous, terra cotta pots. Plant fewer plants in each pot to reduce the competition for the water. Choose lower water varieties like lantana, portulaca, verbena, gazania, cosmos, zinnia, periwinkle, dusty miller, gomphrena, and helichrysum.  Plant more pots for shaded or part sun locations rather than full sun placement. Use a soil polymer in the potting mix like Soil Moist to increase the water holding capacity of the soil.

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Read our Q & As with Keith Funk answering common Colorado gardening questions here. See his website: gardenwiseguy.com and hear him on the Garden Wise Radio Show