The months of July and August bring about some of our hottest, driest weather. Our natural tendency is to water, water, water our potted plants. Waterlogged soil can cause fungus to grow or the plants’ roots to start rotting. You may notice yellowing leaves, brown spots on leaves or really soggy soil before you become aware of how the overwatering is damaging the plant’s roots.
Always make sure you have proper drainage holes at the bottom of each pot or container. Next, purchase a good commercial potting soil that will have the best drainage qualities for the plant in that container. A general-purpose mix is appropriate for most plants but you may want to look into specialty mixes for flowers like Orchids or African Violets.
If you’re not able to find just the right soil for your plants, you can consider incorporating a material to enhance drainage, like activated charcoal. This also deters fungal and bacterial infections.
You can also add something like a coffee filter to the bottom of the pot to avoid the soil falling through the drainage holes.
With proper watering and drainage your potted plants will flourish!