If you want to grow a container garden, you need to have containers. Whether you’ve dabbled in houseplants before or been the recipient of a few potted beauties, every home gardener is bound to have a few old containers somewhere, just waiting to be potted up again. Or maybe you’d prefer to start your container gardening adventure with new planters, so a trip to the garden center is in order. Either way, the first step in container gardening is properly cleaning containers before planting.
Beautiful, healthy plantings start with clean, sanitized pots.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Whether old or new, it’s vital to thoroughly sanitize all planting containers. Even new pots – especially those made from synthetic materials – can contain some chemical residue. Dust, dirt, old root stems, mold, fungus and other potential contaminants are often invited to settle in while the pots are sitting out in the nursery yard or garden center. And before old pots are used again, they need a good scrubbing and sanitizing to wash away any lingering diseases or other problems that could hinder the healthy growth of your new plantings.
Start by immersing your containers in cold, clean water for a few hours to loosen up any debris. Then scrub them inside and out with a stiff brush and some liquid detergent. Apply a mild bleach solution to sterilize the containers to rid them of any fungus spores or latent bacterial matter. Finally, dunk them again in clean water to wash off any residue from the cleansers. (If you plan on adding gravel or bits of broken clay pots to the bottom of your containers as drainage media, this same cleaning process should be done to them as well.)
If you’ve selected some containers that don’t have drainage holes, now’s the time to add them. The easiest method for making drainage holes is to use an electric drill fitted with a sharp carbide metal bit measuring about 5⁄8 an inch in diameter. To avoid cracking or breaking the container, apply masking tape where you want to drill the holes. (It’s always a good idea to practice on a scrap piece of similar material first.)
Because of their porosity, unglazed terra-cotta and wood pots are especially susceptible to water damage from wet soil and evaporation through the container. Waterproofing containers with common water-resistant compounds is an easy and affordable way to maintain the pots’ viability as adequate planters. One caveat: Altering the porosity of a container also means altering your watering schedule for the plant it holds.
For a little guidance in cleaning containers, as well as sanitizing and waterproofing them, take the steps shown in the following pictures and described in their captions. When your pots are all dry, you’ll be ready to move onto the best part of container gardening – planting!
Container Preparation
Container Preparation - Step 1
Fill a clean 2-gallon bucket with tap water and a ½ cup of bleach. (Protect your hands by wearing gloves, and wear a waterproof apron to prevent staining your clothes.)
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Container Preparation - Step 2
Gently wash the entire container, removing any dirt inside and out, then gently scrub the pot in the bleach solution. Rinse in clean water.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Container Preparation - Step 3
Invert the sterilized container on a drying rack. Allow the container to dry completely before waterproofing.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Waterproofing Containers
Waterproofing Containers - Step 1
Once your container has been properly cleaned/sterilized and thoroughly dried, gather your waterproofing materials: protective gloves, a drop cloth, paintbrush and latex waterproofing compound (available at garden centers and most hobby stores).
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Waterproofing Containers - Step 2
Treat only the inside surface of your container. Apply the latex compound evenly with your brush. Avoid top-to-bottom brush strokes – instead, begin at the bottom of the pot and overlap horizontal strokes to ensure a complete seal.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Waterproofing Containers - Step 3
Assuming your planter was first thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, pour the excess waterproofing solution back into its container, and seal the lid tightly. (Don’t pour the solution back into its container if you didn’t clean and sanitize the pot first, otherwise you’ll contaminate the rest of your waterproofing compound.) Let pot thoroughly dry before planting.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
