Ever walked past a house or garden and seen flowering pot plants? You probably went home and tried to find what plant it was. If it was alyssum, you’ll probably be trying to figure out if you can plant alyssum in pots. That’s if you don’t have space in your garden.
You can plant alyssum in pots with well-draining soil, frequent watering, fertilizing, correct pot, and adequate sunlight.
Why You Can Grow Alyssum in Pots?
Alyssums are easy-going plants that are relatively low-maintenance and don’t need much care and space. Thus, they make appropriate pot plants, indoors or outdoors!
You can plant alyssum in pots as long as you can provide enough sunlight, nutrients, water, and an adequate container for growth.
This plant is best for beautifying hanging baskets or the patio area in pots as they flower well and produce higher flower-to-space ratios.
Factors that Decide if you Can Grow Alyssum in Pots
Alyssum looks quite good in containers, especially the variety that trails over the rim of the container, giving your patio a splash of bright color. You might ask, how does one achieve this? Quite easily actually!
1. Selecting a Pot
To get started, you need to choose an appropriate flower container. Do you know that there is a difference between the words “ pot “ and “ container “?
Pots are usually small and meant for just one plant. Whereas a container is larger, meant for more than one plant, and is best for outdoor gardening. Depending on how many alyssum plants you want to grow, you will have to choose between a pot and a container.
After deciding on a pot or container, positioning is crucial. After that, where you would like your container to be positioned is the next step. They can be made from plastic, terracotta, wood, and ceramics. We will advise you to go with a porous material such as terracotta that dries more evenly.
If you are worried about it being too heavy, you can go with fiberglass containers which are just as strong but almost weightless. Whatever you choose, make sure that there are adequate drainage holes at the bottom.
NOTE: Avoid choosing materials that hold too much water or dry up too fast! Whatever the scenario, your pot/container must have drainage holes at the bottom. Not large enough to let soil through though! Also, you may want to avoid putting a tray beneath the vessel.
2) Use the Right Soil
The best place for you to get your potting soil would be your local flower nursery. However, walking down the potting soil aisle would no doubt have you confused! There are just so many soil mixes to choose from!
Topsoil is unsuitable, as it has little nutritional value, and it may carry disease. It may also hold weeds, unsuitable matter, and may be too heavy!
Potting mix is specifically formulated for container plants. You might find yourself spending more money, but you’ll be rewarded with good quality potting soil. It will be sterile, nutritionally balanced, porous, and lightweight.
You could open a bag of soil to check, or perhaps there are samples of the soil on display. Check for the following:
- The soil should be light, not heavy.
- Must have organic material
- Should have a sweet earthy smell.
- There should not have any bugs flying around inside the bag.
- There should be no weeds growing inside.
- Low concentration of clay
- It should not be too fine like dust or else it will turn to mud
Remember a good soil mix will get you better results always!
3) Planting The Alyssum
Time to begin preparing your container and planting your alyssum.
- Wash your containers or pot thoroughly.
- Dirty containers can be hiding diseases and pests,
- Add some soil into the container, which the root ball will be sitting on.
- There should be a space of one inch from the soil surface to the rim of the container, once the soil is filled in.
- While holding the plant, gently fill in the soil around the plant.
- Take care to press the soil in around the plant as you fill in so that this level does not recede too much after watering.
- Give your Alyssum a good watering, after planting.
4) Fertilizer
Each time you water your plant, nutrients are being washed out by the water. The plant also uses these nutrients too. Thus, container-grown plants need more nutrients. This is why fertilizers are a must, to replenish the nutrients lost in the soil and to keep the plant thriving.
When in the ground, plants can usually source nutrients for themself. However, in the case of alyssum in pots, it’s not the same.
Not to mention the water itself doesn’t stay long! If you plant alyssum in pots, you’ll notice they tend to dry out faster than ground-grown alyssum.
5) Place Alyssum Strategically for Sunlight
Alyssum grows well with full sun, but this is not as necessary as porous soil. Set your container where it receives around 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
Plants that are located in excessively hot and dry climates could do with afternoon shade when the day is at its hottest. Being present in the full sun brings on the best flowers, they flower well too in partial sun but not up to their esteemed reputation!
6) Water them Constantly Enough
Watering your Alyssum depends on many factors, such as:
- Where did you plant it?
- Type of soil
- Full sun or partial sun?
- Age of plant
- Pot or ground planted
A plant that is in full sun will need more water than a plant in shade. Alyssum planted in rock gardens where the “soil” is more grit will need to be watered more than once or twice a week. Container plants need even more water than Alyssum that is grown in the bed.
Then there is the season to take into account, in winter plants will reduce their water intake because of the cold. In summer it is hot and the plants will be actively growing.
Choosing Your Alyssum Cultivar for Planting in Pots
There are many colors and varieties to choose from, have a look at some options available to you.
- Royal Carpet (Purple)
This Alyssum is of a Purple color and named “carpet” because it is used as a ground cover and only grows 2 to 4 inches tall.
- Carpet Of Snow (White)
This variety has a sweet scent which makes it popular for gardens or public areas Plus it can flower within 4 weeks of being planted.! It spreads to 5 to 8 inches long and can grow to 4 inches long.
- Easter Bonnet (Violet)
Comes in various colors, has a strong smell, and spreads across the pot or container. But, it needs full sun.
- Snow Crystals (White)
This is a drought-resistant alyssum which is larger than the other varieties. It has a height of 8 inches and a width of almost 12 inches. It’s better off with partial sun and loamy soil.
- Navy Blue Alyssum
The Navy Blue alyssum is one of the more hardy plants available that can tolerate the cold and challenging conditions that other varieties would not survive. It grows to 4 inches in height and has a spread of 10 inches or slightly more. Grow it in full to partial sun.
- Rosie O’Day
The flowers on this plant are often pink, purple, or white. It does not do well in full sun! Therefore partial sun or shade is necessary for this plant to survive. It grows to a height of 4 inches with a width of 10 inches.
- Tiny Tim Sweet Alyssum
This is a dwarf alyssum that attains a height of only 3 inches. It has a sweet honey-like smell that attracts pollinators. Well-drained soil is essential and germination only takes a week, and it does well in part sun and part shade.
Caring for Your Alyssum in Pots
Make sure your alyssum gets adequate sun every day which is 6 to 8 hours of direct light per day. After planting keep your plant moist until it has an established root system.
Give your plant a water-based fertilizer every other week as it cannot source nutrition from the ground. In severe heat, they might wilt a bit, in this case, cut back or prune, then water diligently and fertilize.
Place in full sun for best flowering and deadhead to get more flowers.
Can you keep Alyssum indoors?
Yes, you can easily grow alyssum indoors in pots. All you have to do is provide them with their core needs to grow adequately. A fertile soil, frequent watering, fertilizing once in a while, and a lot of Sun!
Conclusion
Yes, you sure can grow alyssum in pots. But, you must somewhat mimic the ideal outdoor conditions to make it grow excellently.
To plant alyssum in pots and for them to grow, a few conditions must be taken care of, these are them:
- Soil
- Watering
- Fertilizing
- Correct pot
- Adequate sunlight
If you can provide the best of these conditions to your alyssum. Alyssum will look quite nice when flowering in a pot!
