There are several basic things that every gardener should know: how to pinch a plant, how to water a pot, how to keep dirt out of your fingernails, etc. In this animated video series, we’ll teach you the easiest way that we know of to execute these gardening basics with grace.

First up is how to water a pot. This may seem like a simple undertaking, but there is an art to watering container plants. First, you need to know whether it’s time to water or not. Plants don’t like to receive too much or too little water. Next, you need to be sure that you’ve thoroughly watered the container. Plants don’t like to be watered lightly; they generally like a deep, thorough soaking so that all of their roots are moistened. Finally, you need to be sure that the container is draining properly. Any container that doesn’t have a drainage hole can mean instant death for your container plants.

Regular, thorough watering could possibly be the most important factor in a container planting’s success. A container that isn’t watered enough will limp along in survival mode. Water your containers whenever the soil feels dry to the touch and until water comes out of the pot’s drainage holes. If this happens instantly, don’t be fooled. This means that your pot is bone dry and needs an even longer soaking.

More tips
Tip: How to Pinch a Plant
Tip: Keep Dirt Out of Your Fingernails
The Basics of Soil Biology

Container gardening is an art and a science. Sure, you need to know what plants will look good together, but you also need to know how to install those plants and care for them over time. It may seem simple: Pick a pot, fill it with soil, then add plants. But there is a lot more nuance to it. Our Container Gardening Project Guide shows you how to go about planting a container, how to water it properly so it lives beyond a few weeks, and how to revitalize it if things don’t go according to plan (and they seldom do in gardening).