Soil: For plants to stay healthy, the soil in containers needs to stay moist and drain quickly. You'll get the right mix if you buy potting soil that is formulated specifically for containers. Eddison says that Pro-Mix and Fafard both manufacture suitable container soils.

Containers: Make sure each container drains; otherwise plants will drown. “Holes are vital,” says Eddison. Look at the bottom of your pot: A lot of plastic containers need to be drilled with a hand drill. But with proper drainage guaranteed, just about anything can hold a plant, even an old shoe!

Water: “This is the chore,” says Eddison, because you really need to water potted plants daily in the heat of the summer. Make sure that the whole pot is damp (water should drip out of the bottom). Eddison recommends using a hose nozzle that can deliver a gentle flow of water.

Food: “Here is the key to my jungle,” confides Eddison. Regular feeding with a water-soluble plant fertilizer helps your plants grow luscious and tall. Give newly potted plants a couple of weeks to establish themselves in their new homes, then start feeding them every week until the middle of August, tapering off to every couple of weeks through September. If it stays hot, continue to feed them until the temperature begins to drop.

Attention: It pays to “deadhead” your annuals and tender perennials: Simply remove any dead flowers from the plants. Not only will your pots look better, but deadheading keeps them flowering instead of turning to seed.

10 Plants Most Likely to Succeed in Containers
"Everyday plants are not to be sneezed at," says Eddison. There’s a reason they’re so prevalent — they’re easy to grow!

• Petunias
• Cannas
• Sweet potato vines
• Dahlias
• Profusion zinnias
• Marigolds
• Wax begonias
• Coleus
• Impatiens
• Geraniums