Make a plan: February is a great time to research your planting zone and map out a planting schedule, Hooper says. Check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for suggested dates in your region. Drainage is key: Make sure the container has enough holes at the bottom. Then fill the pot about a fifth of the way with pebbles for a drainage layer, followed by lightly pressed soil, leaving about 2 inches to the rim once the plant is placed. Try a basket: A great low-cost option for herbs or salad greens, baskets can be prepared with moss to retain water or lined with a lightweight plastic bag with holes cut into it. Calculate your light: People tend to overestimate the amount of sun their containers get. Before choosing plants, time the sun exposure in your chosen pot location. Sizing and soil: Hooper stresses consulting with your local nursery about the right-size container (so roots can develop properly) and the best soil mix for each plant. When you’re ready to get started, here are a few gardening tools and supplies that will help when you’re planting your first seeds all the way until you collect your first harvest. Hide and seed the easy way with peat-made Jiffy-Pots indoors. When the time is right, move the plant in its pot right into your outdoor container. Six for $4, amazon.com Update a classic with Studio Planters in a variety of sizes. They’re made of terra-cotta clay, which is porous and great for plants that need moisture and air to pass through. Starting at $20, bloomist.com Label your plants with these custom Ceramic Garden Labels from Clovers and Clay. Six for$42, etsy.com Dig deep the way Martha Stewart does with her classic JapaneseHori Hori Knife. Its serrated edge and inch markings make it great for prepping roots, planting, digging holes and even measuring. $40, martha.com Water in style, thanks to Swedish brand Garden Glory’s Rusty Rose Garden Hose. $129, gardenglory.com Prune smartwith the Darlac Expert Bypass Pruner, which uses a scissorlike action for a clean cut. $41, bigamart.com Protect your hands with puncture- and cut-resistant NoCry Leather Gardening Gloves. They’ll make rose trimming a breeze. $17, nocry.com Get inspired with Containers in the Garden (March 15, Cool Springs Press) by acclaimed gardener Claus Dalby (called the Scandinavian Martha Stewart). Next, Garden Jargon: A Dictionary of Gardening Terms
