Just Ask Marianne Binetti: Container tips to help get beginners started

Here are the top five questions that beginning gardeners ask about gardening in containers:

Q.: Do you recommend putting rocks in the bottoms of pots for better drainage?

M.B.: No. Rocky bottoms not only make the pots too heavy but this practice has not been proven to improve drainage.

Q.: If I plant a really big pot that is 3 feet tall, must I fill the whole thing with potting soil?

M.B.: No. To keep the pot light -- and to recycle as well -- you can use crushed aluminum cans or plastic nursery six packs that annual flowers come in.

Q.: What is the minimum amount of soil I need to use to grow flowers in pots?

M.B.: At least 8 inches of potting soil, and 12 inches is better. Trees and shrubs and perennials in containers need even more room for their roots.

Q.: How often should I water my potted plants?

M.B.: When the top one inch feels dry to the touch. Poke your finger into the soil to see if it feels dry. Got a new manicure? Use a pencil. If a pencil inserted into the side of the pot comes up clean and dry, you need to water.

Q. What is the biggest mistake beginners make when it comes to container gardening?

M.B.: Watering too much in the spring and not enough in the summer. Potted plants need more water in late summer when their mature roots fill up the pots and the days are warmer. When the weather is cool in May and June, newly planted annuals with short, young roots can wilt and die from too much water.