Friends, the end to flowerpot season is like the ending of a dinner party.
It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter, stories, and delicious food. “Oh my goodness, that was delicious! You are so full.
Then, you enter your kitchen.
Sweet Mother of Lassie
You have dishes all over your counters, empty wine glasses, and serving utensils that you didn’t know you had. There are a variety of caked-on pans hidden in the fridge, stove and other hidden places.
You don’t have any obligation to do anything that you don’t want to!
A little bit of cleaning up can make a big difference in the next season’s flowers.
I used to not clean my flowerpots but after having some problems. Salt residue, for example, can build up inside your pots. This can cause problems for your plants next season. It can cause problems for your plants next season.
These issues can be eliminated with a simple cleaning.
Here are some ideas for what to do when your flowers have died.
Here are some useful tools to help you clean your pots.
Get rid of all dead plants, roots, and potting soil.
I recommend that you set up a trash bag and a compost bin. You can often find compost bags at your local hardware store in the fall.
For dead plants or plants that have become ill, the trash bag can be used. Toss any plants that look diseased at the end of the growing season and all potting soil that was in the flowerpot. (No judgment! These are normal things.
The compost bag can be used for both dead and healthy roots. These can be turned into compost. Take out the dead plants from your flowerpots. All of your healthy plants at the end of the season should be added to the compost bag. You can also make your own compost pile, but that’s another topic.
Clean out your flowerpots
After your flowers have died and your pots are empty:
Clean your pots’ bottom and inside with a soft bristle brush. I use a soft bristle brush that I bought at the hardware store. Brushes that are too stiff can scratch pots. You can scrape the stubborn spots with a plastic puddy knife if you are unable to get rid of the white residue. This works well for the residue on the bottom of your pots. Also, you can soak your flowerpots with a mixture of vinegar and water. Scroll down to find out what the white residue is on your flowerpots.
Wash your flowerpot with water. I prefer to use the “jet” setting for my hose nozzle. It does a great job of removing dirt.
Clear out roots from the bottom of your pot. To ensure water drains freely from your pots, you want to make sure that the holes are clear of debris.
For each pot, repeat these steps
“What is that white stuff on my pots?”
Many people have hard water. This white residue is most likely caused by calcium and salts buildup from fertilizing and watering.
This won’t be good for your plants’ root Next season.
It’s much easier to remove the white residue when it’s still fresh in the fall than it is waiting until spring.
It’s almost like the lasagna pan. It will be easier to remove the cheese residue before it hardens. If possible, clean the cheese residue while it is still fresh.
You don’t have to wait for spring, but it is possible!
Keep your flowerpots warm during winter.
This will help you keep your pots clean, and prevent them from breaking or cracking.
Keep your flowerpots away from the elements It is best to store your flowerpots somewhere that keeps them above freezing, such as an attached garage. Pots that are susceptible to freezing damage and breaking (such as ceramic pots or terracotta pots) will be less likely to crack. If that’s not possible, you can store pots in a shed on a covered porch.
To keep your pots clean and dry, flip them upside down or cover the pots
You might be asking yourself: “Do I need to protect my flowerpots?”
You don’t need to and your flowerpots might be just fine.
However, it is important to understand that freeze damage can occur, depending on the weather.
For an example, see the photo of one of my neighbors’ flowerpots. From one of my first Colorado winters, I still have several cracked terracotta containers. Oops.
I usually stop right here, and it’s good.
You’re awesome if you made it this far!
You are well on your way towards getting next season’s flowers off the ground.
Plant diseases can be passed from one year to the next. This is true for both the soil and the pot. A disease that you had last year could affect next season’s flowers.
It’s a smart idea to sterilize flowerpots
You suspected or had diseased plants.
You have purchased used pots . It is best to clean them before using them.
You want to grow flowers from your seed . For seedlings to thrive, they need a clean environment.
Here are some tips to sterilize flowerpots if any of these apply to your situation.
Are you required to empty and clean flower pots?
Nope, it’s gardening. You can do whatever you like!
It is possible to clean up pots after your flowers have died.
Make sure your plants are healthy and start them off in the spring.
Give you less chores when the next season starts.
Make your pots more attractive and last longer.
You are cleaning up from this year’s flower party so that you can prepare for next year.