Home / Plant care / Outdoor plants

Outdoor plants

How to keep your outdoor plants upright

You might not be able to control the weather, but there are a few easy tricks you can use to control how it affects your plants

Group of outdoor potted plants, included a lemon tree, bay trees, palm trees, a cordyline, a fatsia japonica and a grass, outside next to a wooden fence.

When it comes to keeping your outdoor potted plants upright, prevention is always best. Even the hardiest of plants can become damaged if they’re knocked over and if your plant survives, you’ll probably have some clean up with spilled dirt and broken pots. Here are some easy ways you can keep your outdoor pot plants upright:

A fatsia japonica, a fern and a purple campanula outside in concrete pots
A fatsia japonica, a fern and a purple campanula outside in concrete pots

What to do if your pot plant does blow over

The first thing you need to do is make sure your plant is ok and provide some TLC if it seems to be damaged. Repotting may be your only option, particularly if the original pot broke.

If the pot is intact and the plant seems to be ok, just pick the pot up, cut off any damaged leaves and give your plant a light water.

If the plant has fallen over before, or that spot always gets a bit windy, you might need to consider moving the plant elsewhere, weighing down the pot or supporting the plant.

A person cutting a broken stem off a potted hydrangea
A person cutting a broken stem off a potted hydrangea

What to do if your plant is damaged after a fall

Some plants can come back from damage but it will depend on how severe the injury is.

Plants don’t have the same kind of healing system as people so if you’re dealing with a damaged leaf, you’re often better off removing it completely so the plant can grow a new one in its place.

You can sometimes save bent or damaged stems by creating a splint to provide extra support while your plant heals. Be creative for smaller plants - bamboo stakes pushed into the dirt and attached with tape or twine can work a treat. Keep the plant supported until the stem appears to be “back to normal” and you’re starting to see new growth.

Severed stems can be a little harder to fix and sometimes you need to just prune them back. Give the plant some TLC in a sheltered area with regular water and fertilising, and wait for it to grow back.

A an outdoor young tree attached to a stick for support
A an outdoor young tree attached to a stick for support

You’re never going to be able to stop the wind from blowing, but with a few easy preventative measures you can make sure those gusty days don’t give your garden grief.

Plant tips. Special offers. No spam.

Keep reading

A Patch Plant Doctor on a video call
When you need a human

Still stuck? Talk to a real Plant Doctor

Trained horticulturists, not chatbots. Send a photo and a question for free, or book a one-to-one video consultation for a full diagnosis and care plan.

Ask the Plant Doctor →