How do you give pots an overhaul?

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

I just wing it each year usually by tidying them up and removing obvious weeds and dead bits on the plant. (I have a couple of perennial dianthus and some mixed pots). But I never know what to do with the thick layers of moss which cover the soil surface. I usually just remove as much as I can but never know how thorough I need to be about getting rid of every last bit of it.

I have a lot of planters in my courtyard, I’m a bit like you when tidying. It depends on the plant for roses, I tidy up, feed and top dress with compost. The Azaleas and Acers get the same, but with ericaceous compost and feed after flowering.
Some other pots often have seedlings that have settled there from previous years, so I leave them as a pretty addition to the permanent plant.

I usually just remove as much as I can but never know how thorough I need to be about getting rid of every last bit of it. No point in worrying. Moss spores are tiny and very light, so you can assume that if you provide the conditions, the species of moss that can utilise the space will already be present in the form of spores.

It is however worth getting rid of the bulk of the moss growth, because moss helps to catch dust and seeds that are blown across, and what is a lovely moss carpet this year, next year will have bitter cress, willowherb and annual meadow grass growing in it.

I had never thought of moss as being a nice bed for weed seedlings before, but you’re right. I’ve got rid of it all! Will make it easier to dig out any seedlings which do appear too

How often do you replace compost in your pots? Change to a size up? I'll admit I'm always moving things about, I tend to change pots at least every two years. Never had any issues with loss

Ha! Moss