Now that it's nearly mid summer, those of us who garden in containers may have noticed that our potted plants look a little care-worn.  A few easy steps can fix this

First, if you haven't mulched your pots with fine bark mulch, pebbles, beach glass or whatever suits your fancy, do so now.  It helps the soil retain moisture.  Second, if your plants look leggy--with long stems and fewer blossoms--they need to be cut back.  Shear annuals back by one third to one half.  Deadhead perennials as well.  The annuals will respond to this by producing new leaves and new blooms in short order. 

Even if annuals aren't leggy, remember to deadhead the flowering varieties regularly.  This convinces them that their primary mission in life continues to be producing new flowers.   

After you cut the plants back, feed with a balanced fertilizer, preferably an organic one.  Annuals in particular are heavy feeders and need this mid-summer nutrition boost to give them the energy to keep producing leaves and flowers. 

If you are growing herbs in the mint family, especially basil, be sure to pinch off any blossoms that appear, and continue to harvest the leaves.  If you let the plants blossom without this intervention, the leaves become bitter.

And finally, if you are lucky enough to be able to take some vacation time, have a neighbor water the plants.  To make things easier, group all the containers together in a semi-shaded location.  That way, if the neighbor forgets them for a day, the plants will be less stressed by the baking sun.