Maintenance The key to successful container gardening is providing sufficient food and water. The stunning appeal of beautiful containers is created by using many plants in a small space. This means that resources in the potting medium such as nutrients and water are quickly used up. The food issue we resolve by mixing sufficient slow-release fertilizer into the plantings to last throughout the season. You don't have to worry about feeding our annual combination plantings, although most will benefit from an additional bi-weekly feed of a water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro. Watering, however, is up to you. Some of our customers love the daily ritual of watering hanging baskets and containers throughout the summer. If you are not one of them, we strongly recommend that you consider one of our small drip irrigation systems. These are inexpensive, simple to install, and can be connected to a timer ensuring that the containers' watering needs are always met. There is nothing more frustrating than leaving for a weekend in the height of summer and losing your baskets and containers to drought. Please contact us for more information. Most plants used in containers also benefit from dead-heading - the removing of faded blooms. This is beneficial for two reasons. First, the plants generally look aesthetically more pleasing if the dead flowers have been removed. Second, some annual flowers will reduce their blooming once they set seed, but will continue to bloom prolifically if the developing seed heads (in the faded flowers) are removed. Many of the newer varieties have specifically been bred to minimize this effect, but generally you will get a better display by regularly removing faded blooms. Occasionally, plants will also benefit from being cut back if they become straggly. This allows them to regenerate from the base, producing lush new growth from an established root system. If you're short on time or inclination, we offer an in-home/business maintenance service which will keep your containers looking beautiful all year. From a single trip to weekly dead-heading and fertilizing, plans are configurable to suit your needs. Visits start at $30 depending on the size of the job and number of containers to maintain. Please contact us for more information.