Pots dry out faster than garden beds, especially in a Perth summer, so the mix you put in them does most of the work. A good potting mix holds moisture, drains freely and lets roots breathe.
Look for the Standards Mark
Potting mixes sold in Australia can be tested against Australian Standard AS 3743. Look for the Standards Mark on the bag, and choose a mix labelled premium. It's the quickest way to tell a quality mix from a cheap one.
What a good mix does
- Drains freely, so roots don't sit in water and rot.
- Holds moisture without compacting into a hard block.
- Leaves air gaps so roots can breathe.
- Includes some fertiliser for early growth.
Tips for Perth pots
- Add a slow-release fertiliser when you plant, as the starter nutrients in a mix run out within weeks.
- Use a wetting agent if the mix has dried out and water runs straight through.
- Refresh or re-pot container plants every year or two, as old mix breaks down and stops draining well.
- Avoid cheap, heavy mixes that compact and starve roots of air.
A quality potting mix is one of the simplest changes that makes the biggest difference to potted plants.