Outdoor potted plants are exposed to the elements of nature in a way that indoor plants aren’t. They withstand the sun and shade in full force or somewhere between the intensity of heat and cool.
If lucky, they get to sit in spots where they receive rain as it falls. If unlucky, they get to feel the brunt of wind whipping through leaves and snapping off limbs.
Windy conditions can knock a planted pot soil. At times the plant may be completely thrown out of its pot the instant it hits the ground with roots still entangled in the dirt. Other times the pot may simply tip over with the plant lying on its side.
How to Keep Outdoor Potted Plants From Falling Over When It’s Windy
What can be done to help keep outside potted plants from being completely at the mercy of the wind? How can the potted plants become more stable in an upright position for added protection against falling over or crashing to the ground when the wind blows?
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- How to Care for Potted Plants
Sit outside potted plants up next to the house instead of sitting them in the open or even better sit them under the porch and avoid sitting them in tiers or on ledges. Also don’t sit them next to the edge of the porch or on steps or anything where they can easily fall off.
If you have room in the garage you can temporarily sit plants there when strong winds began to blow. Sitting plants up close to the house or under the porch will help to block wind from hitting them as bad and gives them partial protection.
Make sure that the plants are not half full or less of dirt. Make sure the roots are completely covered and keep the pot as full of dirt as possible without burying the leaves of the plant. Why? Pots should have at least one hole in the center of the bottom or several holes around the sides of the bottom to help protect the plant from drowning or root rotting because of too much water.
Because of these holes dirt can escape out the bottom of the pot every time the plant is watered. Loss of dirt can make the pot lighter causing it to become more top heavy with the weight of the plant. This makes it easier for the plant to tip or fall over when the wind blows.
Another way to add weight to the pot is by using marbles or those glass rocks/stones that are round and have a flat bottom. The glass rocks/stones are usually found in the arts & crafts section in stores and they can be used in fish bowls. They also come in beautiful colors.
Take the marbles or glass rocks/stones and sit them on top of the dirt inside the pot where they are touching its edge and lay them all around the side in a complete circle. You can make a second or third circle following the path of the first by sitting the second and third marbles or glass rocks/stones beside the first and going all the way around the inside of the pot.
This will add a touch of beauty and color to the pot that can be seen when viewed from above if the plant is small. If you have a larger plant with lots of leaves you may not be able to see anything.