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Planters and What to Wash Them With

februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
in Tools and techniques
During the very wet winter, two of the ferns I relocated to planters got waterlogged (they were positioned beside the shed so all of the rain ran off of the roof and straight into them). Unsurprisingly, they didn't grow back. I've finally got some replacements (it took Gardening Express 7 weeks 😠) and want to use the same planters. What should I wash them out with to make sure there's nothing lurking in there that could cause problems for the new ferns? I haven't really done planting in pots before, I'm more of a stick it in the ground and hope for the best type.

Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I don't normally wash mine at all but if you're bothered, just use warm water with a dash of washing up liquid and a squirt of bleach or disinfectant.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    If you know the ferns died of waterlogging,  not something potentially infectious, then just brush them out, or give them a quick swish with some water, so they look a bit cleaner. To be honest, I never bother with my big outdoor pots, or even with my indoor ones most of the time and I don't seem to get any extra problems because of it.
    The important thing, I think, would be to drill some holes for drainage, so that it doesn't happen again :)
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    @Lizzie27 I'll give some washing up liquid a whirl.

    @Buttercupdays I'd say I'm 99% certain it was waterlogging. I mostly leave the garden to its own devices during the winter but one day I went out there and the two pots were full of water :# I've got guttering now for the shed to try to avoid a repeat. The planters each have a large drainage hole and there's slate chippings in the bottom. I don't want to drill any more holes as they're ceramic and knowing me, I'm likely to break them. I may put them on feet though. I'll just have to try to keep a better eye on them next winter.
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