You can also use a water-soluble fertilizer and apply it according to the label directions during the season. Mulch can be applied over the container mix to conserve moisture and moderate summer temperatures. Apply about one inch deep. Depending on the plants you are growing, you will need to deadhead and prune as needed through the season. Monitor frequently for pests such as spider mites.
Pests usually build up rapidly in containers.
At the end of the growing season after a killing frost, annual flowers and vegetables can be removed from their containers. It is recommended that the potting soil be added to the compost pile or to native garden soil and not reused in containers the following season. This is because the mix may be harboring fungal pathogens and because it loses its structure over the season with repeated waterings. Containers should be cleaned at the end of the season to rid them of pathogens before storing. Store clay containers indoors over winter where temperatures will not fall below freezing.