I absolutely love the metal hanging baskets, deck and patio planters that I keep seeing in all the garden centers. They're simple, classic yet modern and elegant. You just add a woven liner, dirt and then plan your favorite flowers. I bought a bunch of them on sale a the end of the growing season last year so this spring I as ready to rock some awesome flower decor on my deck.
However, I quickly realized when you water your flowers in these woven lined planters, the water rushes right out the bottom. In Colorado, it's so dry that the dirt needs a way to absorb the water easier or the plants won't grow well. Since the liners don't come with watering instructions I had to get a little creative to help conserve water in these planters.
Easy enough – the fix is really simple. Just line the bottom of each woven liner with plastic wrap before adding your dirt. A single layer of plastic wrap is plenty. If you add too much plastic, you could end up with some gross moldy mess after a bit. I also found, you really don't need to line the sides as the planters do need a bit of room to breath.
Plant your seeds or plants as usual and you're set.
Next I'm working on a mini sprinkler system for the deck so that I don't have to water my plants every day and they'll survive the hot summer weather.
Do you have any summer gardening tricks or tips you'd like to share?
