When starting out pot gardening there are some fundamental tools that are essential to start with and those are a garden trowel, garden fork and hoe. Once you have these you will be ready to get started. You will want to prepare the area where you will be performing your potting work as described in the next section.
Before you begin your potting work, clear away as much debris as possible from the area where you will be performing your potting work. Then you will want to line the bottom of the pot with a layer of sand. Do not use gravel or topsoil. The reason for this is that the bottom of the pot will be getting direct sun light, therefore the soil should be filled with light sand. For containers that are going outside, it is important that the soil is very light and moist because it will help the plant to survive. If the soil is too heavy, the plant can break down.
When placing your container of choice in the ground it is important that it is level. It is important that the soil is leveled so that it will not settle into the pot or grow around the sides and weigh down your plants. Once the pot has been placed in the hole, make sure to weigh down both sides with gravel or something equally firm, then put dirt in the bottom of the container.
To prepare the soil, place one-fourth of a cup of perlite into your container. This will ensure that it is nice and even all around. Now place your container on a potting bench, but do not lay the container on the ground. Cover the container with the soil mix. The top of the pot should have about a quarter inch of soil. This is all you need to do to prepare the soil.
Now that you have your prepared soil, place your plant in the potting bench. Do not water the plants until they have been about one to two inches deep. This will allow the roots to grow comfortably. After the plants have grown well in the pot, remove them. Place the container of your choice in the hole provided with your potting soil. Water well and return to your plants.
If you have seedlings or seeds you are growing that you want to propagate, you can use these too. To do this, place your potted plants in the potting bench and then place the pot over the seeds or plant seeds. Then after the seeds have sprouted, water them well. If you do not want your plants to grow towards the sunlight, place your potted plants against the window. The sunlight will dry out the soil and will also heat up the plants.
Once your garden has been planted and it is producing fruits or vegetables, the best thing that you can do is to keep them healthy by giving them the proper potting materials and water. It may take a few years for your plants to grow well. But when they do, you will be rewarded by a bountiful garden full of sweet fruits and vegetables.