September always gets me excited. You walk outside, the days are getting a little longer, there’s new growth everywhere and suddenly you want to plant everything. But before you rush off to the nursery and come home with a boot full of seedlings — go and have a look at your containers first. Because if your pots have been sitting through winter, the soil is probably tired, compacted and possibly full of old roots. And just like our veggie beds, containers need a little spring reset too.

This is exactly what I’m doing with mine now.

First, empty out the old

I start by going through my containers one by one. Anything that is finished, struggling or clearly not coming back gets removed. Old tomato roots, dead herbs, weeds — out they come. But I don’t automatically throw all the soil away. Good potting soil is expensive, guys! If the soil still looks and smells healthy, I reuse it. I loosen it up, remove the bigger old roots and give it a good refresh. If a plant was badly diseased, though, I’m much more careful about reusing that soil for the same type of crop.

Now feed that tired soil

This is probably the most important job. A container is a very different environment from a garden bed. Your plant only has access to what is inside that pot, and after a whole season of growing and watering, many of those nutrients have been used up or washed out. So don’t just pop a new seedling into old soil and expect miracles. I like adding a generous amount of good-quality compost and working it through the top section of the container.

If the soil has become very hard and dense, I’ll also add something to improve the structure and drainage. You want soil that feels loose and alive — not something that comes out of the pot like a brick! And while you are there, fill the container back up. Soil settles over time and you might be surprised by how much the level has dropped.

I like to add a slow-release organic fertiliser like Talborne Organics when I prepare the soil. Because nutrients wash out of containers much faster than they do in garden beds, this gives the plants a steady supply of food as they grow, rather than one big feed all at once. I simply mix it into the soil according to the recommended application rate, and then I know my plants have a good start for the season.

Check your drainage before planting

This takes two minutes and can save you a lot of frustration later. Lift the pot if you can and check those drainage holes. Roots, soil and debris can block them over winter. When we start watering more regularly again, blocked drainage holes can quickly mean waterlogged soil and unhappy roots. Give the pot a good watering before you plant and make sure that water can actually escape from the bottom.

Move your containers around

This is something we sometimes forget. The sun is changing. A spot that worked beautifully during winter might become absolutely baking hot as we move towards summer. Before I plant, I look at where the sun is now and, more importantly, where it is going to be in November and December. Leafy greens can handle a little protection from that harsh afternoon sun, while tomatoes, peppers, chillies and aubergines will want plenty of light. This is one of the big advantages of container gardening — you can move your garden!

Use that to your advantage.

What can we plant in containers now?

This is where the fun starts. September is a wonderful month to start filling those pots again, but remember that South Africa has very different climates. What I’m planting here in the Western Cape may be slightly different from what you should be planting in colder areas where frost is still a possibility.

For us, I’m starting to think about things like:

• Tomatoes — especially compact or patio varieties if you don’t have a huge pot.
• Peppers and chillies — brilliant container plants, but give them enough room.
• Bush beans — one of my favourites for pots because you don’t need a massive structure.
• Lettuce and leafy greens — perfect for shallower containers and you can succession sow them.
• Spring onions — tuck them into gaps.
• Radishes — quick, easy and perfect if you’re impatient like me.
• Herbs — basil, parsley, coriander, thyme, oregano and chives are all incredibly useful to have close to the kitchen.

You can even grow cucumbers in containers, but give them a decent-sized pot and something to climb.

Don’t overcrowd your pots

I know. There is always that temptation. You look at this enormous container and think, Surely I can fit another tomato in there? And then maybe a basil, lettuce, and perhaps just one little pepper. Before you know it, you have created a small jungle. Remember that those tiny seedlings are going to grow. They are going to compete for water, nutrients, light and root space. Plant for the size they are going to become, not the size they are today. One healthy tomato plant in a good-sized container will usually give you far more than three stressed tomato plants fighting for survival.

Get your supports in NOW

If you’re planting tomatoes, cucumbers or anything that will need support later, put that support in when you plant. Don’t wait until your tomato is falling across the patio and then try to shove a stake through a container full of roots. Been there. Done that. Put your stakes, trellis or small climbing frame in now. Your future self will thank you.

And then… mulch

Yes, even your containers. People often think mulch is only for big veggie gardens, but I use it in pots too. As the weather gets warmer, containers can dry out incredibly quickly — especially terracotta pots, smaller pots and anything sitting in full sun. A layer of mulch over the soil helps reduce evaporation, keeps the root zone cooler and stops that top layer from drying out quite so quickly. Just keep the mulch slightly away from the stem of your plant.

Start thinking about watering now

September is also the time when I start changing my watering habits. During winter, some containers barely need attention. That changes very quickly once we get warmer days, wind and actively growing plants. Don’t water according to a rigid schedule. Stick your finger into the soil. If it is still moist a few centimetres down, leave it. If it’s dry, water properly. And when you do water, don’t just give the top of the soil a little sprinkle. Water deeply until you see water coming through the drainage holes. Then you know the whole root zone has received water.

One last September job: look at the actual container

While you’re doing your spring clean, check the pot itself. Is it cracked? Has the plant completely outgrown it? Are roots coming through the bottom? Has a wooden planter started deteriorating? Is the pot too small for what you want to plant in it? September is the perfect time to fix these things before you plant.

So this week, don’t overthink it

Grab a bucket of compost, your gloves and a cup of coffee and go and spend an hour with your containers. Clear them out, refresh the soil, check the drainage, move them into the right position, add your supports and then start planting. You don’t need a huge veggie garden to grow food. You don’t need raised beds or hundreds of square metres. Sometimes all you need is one sunny corner and a few good containers. And that is exactly why I love container gardening. Start with one pot. Grow something you actually eat. Learn from it. And then, knowing us gardeners, somehow one pot will become ten before Christmas.

And guys, if you’re reading this thinking, Okay Tash, but I need more than just containers — I need someone to tell me what to plant, how to prepare my soil, how to start seeds, when to transplant, how much to plant and what on earth to do when things start going wrong… that is exactly why we created the VanZylStead Guide to Growing Veggies. We’ve taken what we’ve learnt from years of growing food at home — including plenty of mistakes along the way — and put it all together in one practical guide that you can keep coming back to throughout the season. Whether you’re growing in one container, a few raised beds or an entire veggie garden, this is the guide I wish I had when we started. Less guessing. More growing. And hopefully a LOT more food coming out of your garden this season.

Grab your VanZylStead Guide to Growing Veggies and let’s grow together.

Happy September planting!

Tash en die Familie