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The dos and don'ts of visiting Russia for the first time

Sep 24, 2021 • 6 min read

These top tips can help you make the most of your visit to Russia MarinaDa / Shutterstock

The world’s largest country beguiles and fascinates with its world-class art, epic landscapes and multifaceted society. You may also find that perseverance  and a sense of humour will go a long way in enriching your first-time Russian travel experience. From the things you absolutely must do before you travel to the things we recommend that you steer clear of once you're there, here are some top tips for avoiding common pitfalls when visiting  Russia .

DO apply for a visa early and register on arrival

Visas must be applied for in advance by all visitors. How you do that varies depending on your nationality and where in Russia you are traveling to. Travelers from many countries, including the UK and US, need to apply in-person at an embassy or consulate and provide biometric data. An e-visa may be an option for passport-holders from 52 countries, which include many EU travelers, as well as those from China, India, Japan, Singapore, and some Middle Eastern countries. However these are temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.  Check with your local Russian embassy or consulate for confirmation, or get up-to-date information here . 

You can apply at the last moment, but it may cost you a fortune. Start the application process at least a month before your trip and consider using a specialist travel agency to arrange visas and make key transport bookings. Every visitor to Russia should have their visa registered within seven days of arrival, excluding weekends and public holidays. The obligation to register is with your hotel or hostel, or landlord, friend or family if you’re staying in a private residence. Also keep in mind that your visa entry and exit dates will be written according to European calendar convention (day/month/year) as opposed to the American style, so don't get mixed up or over-stay your visa. 

DO check the events calendar

During major holidays – the first week in January (between New Year’s Day and Orthodox Christmas) and the first week or two of May (around Labour Day, or May Day, and Victory Day) – Moscow and St Petersburg empty out. Despite this, both cities are festive during these times, with parades, concerts and other events, but museums and other institutions may have shortened hours or be shut altogether. May to September is the best time to visit St Petersburg but mid-June is when the city is irresistible, with the White Nights revelry at its peak.

DO dress up for a night out

We can’t guarantee you’ll make it past Moscow’s "face control" (the term comes from clubs trying to "save face" by only letting in patrons who meet their image standards) but you can better your chances of getting in to the top clubs by making a sartorial effort – high heels and skirts for women, all black for men. Russians also make an effort when they go to the theater or a posh restaurant – you should do likewise to fit in.

DO learn the Cyrillic alphabet

Making an effort to familiarize yourself with the Cyrillic alphabet repays tenfold. It will help you decode street and metro signs, maps, timetables and menus, even if you don't know many Russian phrases. While digital tools like the Russian Metro app  and Google Translate make it easier than ever to visit countries where you don't speak or read the language, brushing up beforehand can reduce frustration and endear you to the locals.

Rideshare options such as Taxovichkoff and Yandex Taxi upended the taxi industry in Russia as much as anywhere else. That means less pressure to know the Russian phrases you'd need to hails cabs in the streets, but it still is wise to learn key phrases in case there's a navigation mixup, like the address of your hotel or intersection of your short-term apartment rental. 

DO expect to spend your money

Moscow is one of the most expensive cities in the world and St Petersburg is not a cheap destination either; wallet-thinning shock is common at many restaurants and hotels. As a foreigner you’ll also find yourself paying more than a Russian for some museums – often as much as 10 times the price Russians pay. If you’re a student, flashing your ID can save you money at museums and other institutions.

You can save on dining out a few different ways. Many restaurants offer "business lunches" that are great value and very filling. Several years ago the trend for " anti-cafes " cropped up in larger Russian cities, and there are still a few where you pay by the minute for coffee, biscuits, and a little wi-fi time. 

Food markets  that blend farmers markets and food halls are popular, and are often found in architecturally significant vintage buildings. You can shop for ingredients to cook yourself or sample cuisines from around the world from dozens of  vendor stalls. Many food markets are less expensive than sit-down restaurants and let you try a wider variety of local and international dishes. 

DON’T ask for a mixer with your vodka

Few traditions in Russia are as sacrosanct as the drinking of vodka , and any foreign notions of drinking it with orange juice or tonic are anathema to your average Russian. If you need something to wash it down, you can chase it with a lemon, a pickle or, perhaps, a separate glass of water. Vodka is drunk in swift shots, not sipped. It’s traditional (and good sense) to eat a little something after each shot, so order some vodka snacks too.

DON’T be disrespectful in a church

Working churches are open to everyone, but as a visitor you should take care not to disturb any devotions or offend sensibilities. There's no face control, but women should cover their heads and bare shoulders when entering a church. In some monasteries and churches it’s also required for a woman to wear a skirt – wraps are usually available at the door. Men should remove their hats in church and not wear shorts.

DON’T take photos of government buildings

Be very careful about photographing stations, official-looking buildings and any type of military-security structure – if in doubt, don’t snap! Travelers have been arrested and fined for such innocent behaviour.

DON’T be surprised if you’re stopped by the police

Although new laws were passed in 2011 that ostensibly reconfigured Russia's police and their interactions with the public, it's still wise to carry a photocopy of your passport, visa and registration – not to mention travel documents that indicate how and when you'll return home – and present them when an officer demands to see your documents. You may also see special tourist police near major attractions like the Red Square , who have special training and language skills to assist travelers.

If you're issued a fine, Russian authorities might expect an "unofficial payment" to expedite their service on the spot, as opposed to handling the matter later at the station. Either way, always ask for an official receipt, and consider carrying the phone number for your country's embassy in case matters get more complicated. 

You might also like: How to spend a perfect weekend in Moscow    How to plan and pack for the Trans-Siberian Railway    Beyond the Trans-Siberian: travelling Russia's unexplored northwest by train   

This article was originally published in August 2009.

This article was first published Oct 30, 2019 and updated Sep 24, 2021.

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How to get to Russia in 2024 (INFOGRAPHIC)

For citizens of 65 countries, a visa is not even required to enter Russia. For the majority of these countries, the length of stay without a visa is up to 90 days; however, for some, it’s shorter, so be sure to check.

In 55 more countries – including countries in Europe and Asia, such as Germany, Denmark, Japan, China – you can apply for an electronic visa to enter Russia. In this case, the length of stay in the country is up to 16 days. We addressed all queries regarding how to do it in detail here and you can find the full list with all countries here .

2. Transport

As of January 2024, 36 countries have direct flights to Russia, among which are Israel, China, Turkey and many others. The majority of European countries, however, are not on this list; they prohibited their airlines from conducting passenger flights to the territory of the Russian Federation. The only European country from where you can board a direct flight to Russia is Serbia.

Three other most popular hubs, from which you can come to Russia on a direct flight:

• Istanbul, Turkey
• Yerevan, Armenia
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Aside from that, you can reach Russia also on land transport – with a car, bus or train. However, in 2024, the checkpoint on the border with Finland is currently closed, which was a convenient route for the residents of the Scandinavian nations, while Finland itself is, as of right now, unavailable. 

Several other countries – Estonia, Latvia and Norway – are also contemplating the possibility of closing their borders with Russia, but, for now, this hasn’t happened and the passage is open (we advise you to follow developments closely, however). The route from Georgia to Russia via Vladikavkaz remains one of the most popular land routes, due to which there are still hour-long waiting lines at the border.

3. COVID restrictions, vaccinations & quarantine

In 2022, the government of Russia canceled all restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic; in 2023, it allowed foreign tourists to enter the country without a negative PCR test.

However, there are still occasional random COVID-19 checks at airports, so don’t be surprised if you are asked to get tested.

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European Russia stretches from the borders of Belarus and Ukraine to the Ural mountains, over 1000km east of Moscow; even without the rest of the vast Russian Federation, it constitutes by far the largest country in Europe. Formerly a powerful tsarist empire and a Communist superpower, Russia continues to be a source of fascination for travellers. While access is still made relatively difficult by lingering Soviet-style bureaucracy – visas are obligatory and accommodation usually has to be booked in advance – independent travel is increasing every year, and visitors are doubly rewarded by the cultural riches of the country and the warmth of the Russian people.

Where to go in Russia

Russian for beginners, russian red tape.

Moscow, Russia’s bustling capital, combines the frenetic energy of an Eastern city with the cosmopolitan feel of a Western one. With its show-stopping architecture – from the tsarist palaces of the Kremlin and the onion domes of St Basil’s Cathedral, through the monumental relics of the Communist years, to the massive building projects of today – and the impersonal human tide that packs its streets and subways, the metropolis can feel rather overwhelming. By contrast, St Petersburg, Russia’s second city, is Europe at its most gracious, an attempt by the eighteenth-century tsar Peter the Great to emulate the best of Western European elegance in what was then a far-flung outpost. Its people are more relaxed and friendly, and its position in the delta of the River Neva is unparalleled, giving it endless watery vistas. Visible – often ostentatious – but uneven wealth creation in both cities has made them twin figureheads for Russia’s recent high-speed renaissance.

Top image © Grisha Bruev/Shutterstock

Travel advice for Russia

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Russia

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the ultimate travel guide to Russia

Awe-inspiriting architecture, free-flowing vodka, hearty cuisine and fairy-tale castles. Sprawling expanses of forest and icy planes. Hip bars, opulent cathedrals and high-end shopping precincts. There’s a reason travellers are becoming increasingly intrigued by a trip to Russia. Welcome to our Russia travel guide.

One of the world’s most mysterious destinations (thanks to that impenetrable Iron Curtain), Russia is starting to pop up on many a travel hot list.

The nation’s capital, Moscow is one of Europe’s great cultural destinations. Among the many drawcards are the magnificent historical and contemporary art galleries, the picturesque Red Square, The Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theatre. On top of that are the incredible parks and churches.

The variety of food on offer in Moscow is also worthy of note. Feast on traditional Russian soups, stews, pelmeni (dumplings), filled pancakes and caviar.

For more than 100 years Hotel National Moscow has witnessed the country’s political transformation, from imperial reign through to communist rule and the fall of the Soviet Union.

It’s a hotel that perfectly matches the city’s fascinating history.

St Petersburg is a culture capital as riddled with tales of Russia’s turbulent history as it is with artworks and canals.

Thanks to its extreme northerly position, from 11 June to 2 July St Petersburg becomes an insomniac’s dream as the sun never sets. Known as the season of the midnight sun, it’s celebrated with the White Nights Festival. This showcases classical ballet and opera and culminates in the traditional Scarlet Sails celebration.

St Petersburg’s legendary State Hermitage Museum or the Winter Palace, was historically the main residence of the Russian Tsars. Today it presents something of a quandary – do you view the three million (no, that’s not a typo) artworks spanning the Paleolithic to the present day, or the grand architecture housing the art – the splendid confection of the Winter Palace with swathes of gold on walls, columns and ceilings?

According to those in the know, if you spent a minute looking at each exhibit, you would need 11 years to see them all.

Part of the Golden Ring of quaint towns some 200km north-east of Moscow, Suzdal was the capital of the Rostov-Suzdal principality in the 12th century. It’s a quaint little town with a very rich history. Having avoided the industrialisation that blighted much of Russia during the Soviet era (it was bypassed by the Trans-Siberian railways in the 19th century despite lobbying by locals), the town is dotted with stunning historic Russian architecture, including blue-domed churches (the Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral), monasteries, and its very own 10th-century Kremlin.

You may like to venture further afield and explore the icy beauty and rambling forests of Siberia .

Perhaps a trip on the iconic Trans-Siberian railway appeals. It’s the longest railway line in the world (9289 kilometres of track) travelling through the wilds of Siberia taking six nights to travel from Moscow to Vladivostok, and also branching off along the way into the Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian railways from where you can travel to Beijing, China, and then by connecting train to Vietnam and even Singapore if you are patient.

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How to Go to Russia – How Do I Get to Russia?

 yulenochekk / Getty Images

Russia is an amazing place to visit , and lots of people have wistfully said to me “I would love to go to Russia one day”. But it can seem a bit daunting to actually plan the trip, and thus for many people going to Russia remains just a wish and not a reality. The truth is, however, that it’s actually not difficult to go to Russia, or at least not nearly as difficult as you think. Here is your complete guide to an easy and safe trip to Russia:

Before You Go

Before you go to Russia, find out where you would like to go and for how long. Then find yourself a reputable travel agent and get started on getting a Russian visa. This is the most important, and often, the most daunting step to visiting Russia and thus it’s crucial to get it over with as soon as possible. Once you have your visa application in process (it’s really not that scary), you can go ahead with all your other travel planning.

Getting There

By Air: You can fly to Moscow and St. Petersburg from most major airports. Getting to other Russian cities is not always as easy; however, even if there isn’t a direct flight from your closest airport (like, for example, to Murmansk ), you can usually fly to Moscow and from there take a connecting flight. If you are going to do this, however, don’t forget to check the airports you are flying from – getting from one to another in Moscow can be difficult.

Hint: If you are going to be traveling through Europe anyway, don’t forget to check out small local airlines such as Germanwings and Rossiya Airlines, which sometimes have very cheap flights to Russia. You can also consider the following options if you are on a budget...

By Train: Two trains (one day train and one overnight) run from Vilnius, Lithuania to St. Petersburg. You can also catch a train to St. Petersburg from Helsinki, Finland. You can get to Moscow by train from Riga, Latvia.

Within Russia, you can (and should, unless you’re very tight on time) travel anywhere by train. If you’re going to Siberia in the east, you may even have no other choice, as flights can be rare and prohibitively expensive.

By Bus: From Riga (Latvia), you can take a cheap bus to St. Petersburg. It takes about 11 hours.

Staying There:

When booking a hotel, keep in mind these tips for Eastern European hotel bookings. If you’re on a budget, or just feeling up for an adventure, consider choosing a hotel alternative instead.

Where to Go

Give some thought to where you want to go to Russia and why. While Moscow and St. Petersburg are the obvious options, there are so many other places you can discover if you take a bit more time to find them. If you’re traveling in the winter, consider going to a warmer area of Russia , unless you truly believe you’re ready to battle the famous Russian winter.

Survival Tips

Budget Travel: Budget travel can be more difficult than the kind where you can buy convenience and simplicity. The good news, however, is that it is very possible to travel through Russia on a budget.

Language: One of the best ways to make your trip to Russia (or anywhere, really) easier is to learn some Russian words and phrases before you go. If you want to travel in Russia longer, go to remote regions, or just get to know the country & culture better, you may want to learn the alphabet and taking some additional Russian language lessons.

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What we know about CrowdStrike’s update fail that’s causing global outages and travel chaos

A faulty software update issued by security giant CrowdStrike has resulted in a massive overnight outage that’s affected Windows computers around the world , disrupting businesses, airports, train stations, banks, broadcasters and the healthcare sector.

CrowdStrike said the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, but was the result of a “defect” in a software update for its flagship security product, Falcon Sensor. The defect caused any Windows computers that Falcon is installed on to crash without fully loading.

“The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” said CrowdStrike in a statement on Friday . Some businesses and organizations are beginning to recover, but many expect the outages to drag on into the weekend or next week given the complexity of the fix. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz told NBC News that it may take “some time for some systems that just automatically won’t recover.” In a later tweet , Kurtz apologized for the disruption.

Here’s everything you need to know about the outages.

What happened?

Late Thursday into Friday, reports began to emerge of IT problems wherein Windows computers were getting stuck with the infamous “blue screen of death” — a bright blue error screen with a message that displays when Windows encounters a critical failure, crashes or cannot load.

The outages were first noticed in Australia early on Friday, and reports quickly came in from the rest of Asia and Europe as the regions began their day, as well as the United States.

Within a short time, CrowdStrike confirmed that a software update for Falcon had malfunctioned and was causing Windows computers that had the software installed to crash. Falcon lets CrowdStrike remotely analyze and check for malicious threats and malware on installed computers.

At around the same time, Microsoft reported a significant outage at one of its most used Azure cloud regions covering much of the central United States. A spokesperson for Microsoft told TechCrunch that its outage was unrelated to CrowdStrike’s incident .

Around Friday noon (Eastern time), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella posted on X saying the company is aware of the CrowdStrike botched update and is “working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online.”

What is CrowdStrike and what does Falcon Sensor do?

CrowdStrike, founded in 2011, has quickly grown into a cybersecurity giant. Today the company provides software and services to 29,000 corporate customers, including around half of Fortune 500 companies, 43 out of 50 U.S. states and eight out of the top 10 tech firms, according to its website .

The company’s cybersecurity software, Falcon, is used by enterprises to manage security on millions of computers around the world. These businesses include large corporations, hospitals, transportation hubs and government departments. Most consumer devices do not run Falcon and are unaffected by this outage.

One of the company’s biggest recent claims to fame was when it caught a group of Russian government hackers breaking into the Democratic National Committee ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. CrowdStrike is also known for using memorable animal-themed names for the hacking groups it tracks based on their nationality, such as: Fancy Bear , believed to be part of Russia’s General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU; Cozy Bear , believed to be part of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR; Gothic Panda , believed to be a Chinese government group; and Charming Kitten , believed to be an Iranian state-backed group. The company even makes action figures to represent these groups, which it sells as swag .

CrowdStrike is so big it’s one of the sponsors of the Mercedes F1 team , and this year even aired a Super Bowl ad — a first for a cybersecurity company. 

Who are the outages affecting?

Practically anyone who during their everyday life interacts with a computer system running software from CrowdStrike is affected, even if the computer isn’t theirs. 

These devices include the cash registers at grocery stores, departure boards at airports and train stations, school computers, your work-issued laptops and desktops, airport check-in systems, airlines’ own ticketing and scheduling platforms, healthcare networks and many more. Because CrowdStrike’s software is so ubiquitous, the outages are causing chaos around the world in a variety of ways. A single affected Windows computer in a fleet of systems could be enough to disrupt the network. 

TechCrunch reporters around the world are seeing and experiencing outages, including at points of travel, doctors’ offices and online. Early on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration put in effect a ground stop, effectively grounding flights across the United States, citing the disruption. It looks like so far the national Amtrak rail network is functioning as normal. 

What is the U.S. government doing so far?

Given that the problem stems from a company, there isn’t much that the U.S. federal government can do. According to a pool report, President Biden was briefed on the CrowdStrike outage, and “his team is in touch with CrowdStrike and impacted entities.” That’s in large part because the federal government is a customer of CrowdStrike and also affected.

Several federal agencies are affected by the incident, including the Department of Education , and Social Security Administration, which said Friday that it closed its offices as a result of the outage.

The pool report said Biden’s team is “engaged across the interagency to get sector by sector updates throughout the day and is standing by to provide assistance as needed.” 

In a separate tweet, Homeland Security said it was working with its U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA, CrowdStrike and Microsoft — as well as its federal, state, local and critical infrastructure partners — to “fully assess and address system outages.”

There will no doubt be questions for CrowdStrike (and to some extent Microsoft, whose unrelated outage also caused disruption overnight for its customers) from government and congressional investigators. 

For now, the immediate focus will be on the recovery of affected systems.

How do affected customers fix their Windows computers?

The major problem here is that CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor software malfunctioned, causing Windows machines to crash, and there’s no easy way to fix that. 

So far, CrowdStrike has issued a patch, and it has also detailed a workaround that could help affected systems function normally until it has a permanent solution. One option is for users to “reboot the [affected computer] to give it an opportunity to download the reverted channel file,” referring to the fixed file.

In a message to users , CrowdStrike detailed a few steps customers can take, one of which requires physical access to an affected system to remove the defective file. CrowdStrike says users should boot the computer into Safe Mode or Windows Recovery Environment, navigate to the CrowdStrike directory, and delete the faulty file “C-00000291*.sys.”

The wider problem with having to fix the file manually could be a major headache for companies and organizations with large numbers of computers, or Windows-powered servers in datacenters or locations that might be in another region, or an entirely different country.

CISA warns that malicious actors are ‘taking advantage’ of the outage

In a statement on Friday, CISA attributed the outages to the faulty CrowdStrike update and that the issue was not due to a cyberattack. CISA said that it was “working closely with CrowdStrike and federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners, as well as critical infrastructure and international partners to assess impacts and support remediation efforts.”

CISA did note, however, that it has “observed threat actors taking advantage of this incident for phishing and other malicious activity.” The cybersecurity agency did not provide more specifics, but warned organizations to stay vigilant.

Malicious actors can and will exploit confusion and chaos to carry out cyberattacks on their own. Rachel Tobac, a social engineering expert and founder of cybersecurity firm SocialProof Security, said in a series of posts on X to “verify people are who they say they are before taking sensitive actions.”

“Criminals will attempt to use this IT outage to pretend to be IT to you or you to IT to steal access, passwords, codes, etc.,” Tobac said.

What do we know about misinformation so far?

It’s easy to understand why some might have thought that this outage was a cyberattack. Sudden outages, blue screens at airports, office computers filled with error messages, and chaos and confusion. As you might expect, a fair amount of misinformation is already flying around , even as social media sites incorrectly flag trending topics like “cyberattack.”

Remember to check official sources of news and information, and if something seems too good to be true, it might just well be.

TechCrunch will keep this report updated throughout the day.

TechCrunch’s Ram Iyer contributed reporting.

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Democrats Seek Criminal Investigation of Justice Thomas Over Travel and Gifts

The senators said the Supreme Court justice’s failure to disclose lavish gifts and luxury travel showed a “willful pattern of disregard for ethics laws.”

By Maya C. Miller

Reporting from Washington

Two top Democratic senators have asked the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation of Justice Clarence Thomas for possible violations of federal ethics and tax laws.

Senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Ron Wyden of Oregon sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland last week asking that he appoint a special counsel to investigate Justice Thomas’s failure to disclose lavish gifts , luxury travel , a loan for a recreational vehicle and other perks given to him by wealthy friends.

The request further intensified efforts by Senate Democrats to scrutinize Justice Thomas’s conduct at a time when they are trying to force Supreme Court justices to comply with stricter ethics and financial disclosure rules.

“We do not make this request lightly,” the senators wrote in a joint statement. “Supreme Court justices are properly expected to obey laws designed to prevent conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety and to comply with the federal tax code.”

“No government official should be above the law,” they added.

Specifically, the senators asked that a special counsel investigate whether Justice Thomas violated federal ethics and tax laws by failing to disclose as income the $267,000 he received in forgiven debt for a luxury R.V.

The senators wrote that Justice Thomas had “repeated opportunities” to explain his failure to disclose the gifts to the Senate Finance Committee, of which Mr. Wyden is the chairman, as well as the Judiciary Committee’s panel on federal courts, which Mr. Whitehouse leads.

They also accused Justice Thomas of showing a “willful pattern of disregard for ethics laws,” behavior that they said surpassed that of other government officials who have been investigated by the Justice Department for “similar violations.”

A spokeswoman for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Maya C. Miller covers Congress and is a Times Fellow , a program for journalists early in their careers. She is based in Washington. More about Maya C. Miller

Our Coverage of Congress

Here’s the latest news and analysis from capitol hill..

Biden’s Age Concerns: President Biden has yet to do what many Democrats on Capitol Hill said he must to show he is up to remaining in the race. But so far, they are doing nothing to nudge him aside .

The Aging Senate: Senators have had plenty of practice watching colleagues hold stubbornly onto their positions of power as they grow old. None wants to lead a public call  for  Biden to withdraw.

Merrick Garland: The House defeated a Republican measure that would have imposed a $10,000-a-day fine on the attorney general  for refusing to turn over audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with a special counsel.

Justices Alito and Thomas: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, introduced articles of impeachment  against the two justices , accusing them of improperly failing to disclose gifts from wealthy benefactors and to recuse themselves from certain cases.

​​McCarthy’s Revenge Tour: Kevin McCarthy, the former House speaker, has spent much of his time, energy and money since leaving Congress trying to defeat the Republicans who cost him his gavel .

Global IT outage: More than 5,000 flights cancelled; how security 'arms race' led to crash | As it happened

A software update has resulted in worldwide IT chaos, causing cancelled flights, healthcare disruption and potential payroll problems. The firm responsible has apologised, but an industry expert warns it could take weeks to fix "blue screens of death" and endless loops.

Friday 19 July 2024 23:00, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• News roundup as worldwide IT outage hits airports, business, NHS and TV
• CrowdStrike update triggered Microsoft system errors - prompting apology
• More than 5,000 flights cancelled worldwide
• Expert explains how security 'arms race' led to crash
• Could take 'weeks' for systems to recover, expert warns
• Most GPs in England disrupted |' Critical incident' at hospital trust
• In-depth analysis: The firm behind the world's worst IT outage | The costly cautionary tale of how CrowdStrike came to dominate
• Data & Forensics: Search data reveals scale of global IT disruption
• Watch tonight: A Sky News special on the crisis at 8pm

That's it for our live coverage of the global IT outage today.

Services from airlines to healthcare, shipping and finance have been coming back online after computer systems were disrupted for hours.

Even with the glitch fixed, companies were dealing with backlogs of delayed and cancelled flights and medical appointments, missed orders and other issues that could take days to resolve. 

Businesses also face questions about how to avoid future blackouts triggered by technology meant to safeguard their systems. 

An earlier software update by global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, one of the largest operators in the industry, had triggered systems problems that grounded flights, forced broadcasters off air and left customers without access to services such as healthcare or banking.

It was not a security incident or cyber attack, according to the firm and the UK's National Cyber Security Centre.

The outage shone a spotlight on CrowdStrike, an $83bn company that is not a household name but has more than 20,000 subscribers around the world including Amazon and Microsoft.

The UK government responded with its COBRA emergency team.

Here's a look at some of the services affected...

• As of 8pm, more than 5,000 were cancelled across the globe - out 110,000 scheduled;
• There were long queues at multiple UK airports, but Heathrow and Edinburgh say operations are now returning to normal;
• Ryanair told customers whose flights have been cancelled to leave airports;
• Some airlines issued handwritten tickets, while some airports - like Belfast International - are relied on whiteboards to update passengers;
• Many US carriers grounded their planes, while airports worldwide were impacted in Spain, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Germany and elsewhere;
• Train services were also affected - including operators such as Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway, Southern and Thameslink.

Hospitals and emergency services

• Some people were experiencing difficulties booking appointments at GP surgeries, with practices across England affected, according to the NHS;
• Pharmacies warned disruption could continue over the weekend;
• The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust declared a critical incident as IT issues are affecting its services;
• A few hospitals warned of delays and disruption, but others said services were running normally;
• The London Ambulance Service said it experienced "huge increases" in the number of calls to its 999 and 111 services following;
• NHS Blood and Transplant urged people to keep their blood donor appointments, as there remains an "urgent need for O negative blood".
• Major UK supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose reported issues with online services;
• One Waitrose in Hampshire was accepting cash only, in an example of what was thought to be a wider issue;
• Many businesses were left with issues with their payroll software, which could potentially pose problems for companies that pay weekly.

The CEO of CrowdStrike has warned "adversaries and bad actors" will try to exploit the crash.

George Kurtz encouraged "everyone to remain vigilant" and ensure they are engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives.

He promised "full transparency" on how the crash occurred.

The company was working on a technical update and root cause analysis that will be shared with everyone.

The outage was caused by a defect found in a Falcon content update for Windows hosts, he said, meaning Mac and Linux hosts were not impacted.

"All of CrowdStrike understands the gravity and impact of the situation," he said.

"As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps we’re taking to prevent anything like this from happening again."

By Ed Conway , economics and data editor

This wasn’t supposed to happen. 

We were told that as the internet matured, that this kind of thing - a single error causing a domino effect taking out millions of machines - was supposed to become less and less likely. There would be more and more servers and cables distributed in more and more places, making a single point of failure increasingly unlikely. 

Instead, what today’s episode - in which an update from a company called CrowdStrike to customers using its services around the world essentially broke the Windows operating system on their computers - has underlined is that often the more complex a system becomes, the more vulnerable it is to collapse. 

The great irony, of course, is that CrowdStrike’s raison d’être is to prevent moments like this from happening. The company’s Falcon Sensor is a product used to prevent cyber attacks - a complex program best thought of as a kind of super anti-virus package, which, in order to do its job, gets privileged access to more parts of your machine than regular software. 

But it so happens the latest update to Falcon Sensor, uploaded overnight to computers around the world, had a dodgy bit of code in it, which caused Windows machines to crash. 

Right now, it looks as if the only way it can be resolved is by technicians rebooting each machine and manually deleting a particular file (C-00000291*.sys - since you asked). 

In other words, spare a thought for your company’s technicians, because they’re about to have a long weekend. 

The more complex we get, the more vulnerable we are

But perhaps the most striking lesson from the episode is a more ancient one, laid out by historian Joseph Tainter in his 1988 book The Collapse Of Complex Societies. 

The more complex societies and systems become, the more vulnerable they are to collapse. Tainter was referring to examples like the fall of Rome or the collapse of ancient Mesopotamian civilisation, but one could just as easily apply the logic to modern examples. 

Lurking beneath Tainter’s thesis was the point that often in a complex society of organisation actors might make decisions which seem sensible but, due to the complexity of the system and their inability to understand it, could actually make it more vulnerable. 

Consider the subprime crisis which triggered the financial crisis of 2008. Mortgages were packaged and repackaged into assets sold, eventually, to banks - which had little understanding of their actual value and their risks. The more complex the system became, the less able people were to comprehend how exposed they were to a catastrophic failure, and the more vulnerable the entire edifice was to collapse. 

How all roads led to CrowdStrike

Now let’s ponder the current IT malaise. Let’s ask ourselves: how did it come to be that so many companies around the world had the very same bit of software installed on their systems, making them vulnerable to the very same lines of duff code? 

After all, the vast majority of people working at the companies affected will never have heard of CrowdStrike. Like the bankers presiding over the financial crisis, they had no idea of the potential vulnerabilities lying within their systems. 

But in recent years, as businesses have become more and more concerned about the risk of cyber attacks, they have begun to implement cyber security checks and regulations. 

These often took the form of a checklist some poor operative had to fill out: how many computers have you got? What operating system? Are they all online? 

What forms of cyberprotection do they have? And so on. 

Now, this might sound like frustrating red tape to many of you, but the reality is that these days some companies stipulate that anyone doing business with them must have fulfilled all the items on the checklist. 

So all of a sudden, salespeople trying to do a deal would discover that they couldn’t do it without complying with the checklist. The company’s financial survival depended on being able to tick the boxes! 

And invariably one of the boxes in those checklists was: do you have an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution? And if you didn’t have an EDR solution (or, more likely, didn’t know what one was) then invariably you googled EDR and looked for the world’s biggest provider, which just so happened to be… CrowdStrike. 

Perhaps you spoke to your IT provider and insisted that you needed an EDR. Perhaps they said: "Oh I wouldn’t do that if I were you” - but then… no EDR no sale. This is a stylised example, of course, but you see how this kind of thing can happen. 

And hence, gradually and imperceptibly, a large proportion of the world’s companies came - mostly unbeknownst to their leaders - to be running the very same piece of software with direct access to the most privileged parts of their computers. 

And then all it took was a few lines of code and all of those machines were instantly dead - or rather, they faced the 'Blue Screen of Death'. 

A costly cautionary tale

So there’s a reminder here about the risks of complexity. It's way too early to put a figure on how much disruption this episode has caused and how much economic damage wrought. The short answer is almost certainly: a lot. 

Millions of people around the world have been unable to travel, to communicate, to transact. It may well transpire that it has put lives at risk, given it has affected many doctors’ ability to do their job. 

Perhaps the best thing that can be taken from today’s chaos is that it might just serve as a cautionary tale which could make our computers that bit safer and more stable in the future. 

It might remind bosses that cyber security decisions are more than box-ticking exercises - and sometimes installing cyber security software can backfire. 

It reminds us how dangerous it is if everyone in the world is relying on the same provider. 

It reminds us about the need for redundancy - to have backup systems. 

It reminds us of the dangers of complexity. 

This probably won’t come as much consolation if you’re one of those people whose holiday plans have been disrupted or your business messed around by the IT outage today. 

But it’s something. 

The National Pharmacy Association has warned disruption is likely to continue through the weekend as outlets deal with a backlog of medicine deliveries.

Pharmacies reported issues with accessing prescriptions from GP surgeries and said this would affect the delivery of medicines to patients.

Patients with "minor ailments" were also being sent to pharmacies from GP surgeries earlier today, according to the Independent Pharmacies Association.

No "serious patient safety issues" have been identified during the outage, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said, urging people to "bear with" GPs after disruption to appointment bookings and other services.

The global IT outage has impacted the EMIS Web system, NHS England says, which is understood to be used by about 60% of practices in England.

The programme enables GP practices to book appointments, examine records and help with admin.

Around 3,700 GP practices may be affected, the Press Association reported.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: "Our members are telling us that today's outage is causing considerable disruption to GP practice bookings and IT systems – practices using EMIS IT systems appear to be particularly affected.

"Outages like this affect our access to important clinical information about our patients, as well as our ability to book tests, make referrals, and inform the most appropriate treatment plan."

There were issues with administrative systems in some hospitals while some ambulance services reported a surge in demand.

The disruption caused by the outage has been truly global - here are just a few examples.

Bradesco, one of the main banks in Brazil, notified its users via its app that digital services were unstable due to a global cyber outage, but its ATMs were working normally. 

Azul Airlines, a Brazilian low-cost airline, said its check-in systems were affected, causing occasional flight delays. 

Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, western Japan, said the global system outage will affect ticket sales at the park over the weekend. The park said its ticket booth sales will not be available on Saturday and Sunday. 

The outage grounded some flights, disrupted hospitals and backed up border crossings in Canada. 

Porter Airlines said it was cancelling its flights for several hours because of the outage. 

Air Canada, Canada's largest airline, said there is no major impact to its operations, adding that it's monitoring the situation closely.

University Health Network, one of Canada's largest hospital networks, said that some of its systems had been impacted by the outage. 

Windsor Police reported long delays at both the Canada-US border crossings at the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor tunnel. 

The National Centre for Cyber Security in Sri Lanka says four information technology companies there have been affected.

Switzerland

Landings at Switzerland's Zurich Airport have returned to normal after being suspended earlier in the day.

A German regional grocery chain, Tegut, temporarily shut its 340 stores in the country this morning due to the impact on cash register systems. By early afternoon, more than half of the stores were open again. 

South Africa

In South Africa, at least two major banks said they experienced service disruptions as customers complained they weren't able to make payments using their bank cards at grocery stores and gas stations or use ATMs. Both said they were able to restore services hours later.  

Baltic Hub, a major container hub in the Baltic port of Gdansk, Poland, says it's battling problems resulting from the global system outage. Entry gates are temporarily closed and business has been suspended, the Baltic Hub said in a statement.  

We have some updated figures now on the number of cancelled flights.

As of 8pm, 167 flights scheduled to depart UK airports have been cancelled, aviation analytics company Cirium said.

This equates to 5.4% of scheduled departures, the firm said.

Some 171 flights due to land in the UK were cancelled.

Globally 5,078 flights, or 4.6% of those scheduled, have been cancelled.

The crash occurred because the wrong file was distributed to computers, says an IT security expert.

Human error will have played a part because the faulty file must have been approved at some stage in the process, says Tim Rawlins, director of the NCC Group, a organisation which secures business data.

CrowdStrike will be "tearing their hair out" trying to find the cause of the crash. Only they will know why the wrong file was uploaded, but it will come out.

"I imagine somebody there is having an extraordinarily bad day," he said.

"It is really unfortunate, but imagine you are the person who is responsible for going: 'Right, here is the file, we have made all the changes, we've done all the testing, push it to the machine to do the distribution [and] the distributor has either grabbed the wrong file or the wrong file has been given to it.'"

Asked if human error was involved, he said: "It is probably a fully automated system but at some stage there will have been a person in the loop. Somebody would have gone 'yes I approve this one to go'.

"Who knows where that mistake is. It will come out. I'm sure CrowdStrike will be tearing their hair out trying to find that issue."

How did the mistake happen?

Mr Rawlins explained software that protects computer systems from threats, named end point detection and response (a more comprehensive package than simple anti-virus), went awry.

Update packages are constantly created and then uploaded and pushed out it out to "endpoints" - the computers - but it appears the distribution system took and pushed out "the wrong file".

"That's the file that is full of zeros, as people describe it - there is noting in there for the system to operate," said Mr Rawlins.

"And that has caused the system to glitch, which has led to this blue screen of death that everyone is talking about."

Constant security updates have to be released "because the bad guys and girls are constantly changing their attacks".

One computer will report a dodgy new file to Crowdstrike, which will then need to tell all it's other computers how to stop it.

"It's this classic arms race," said Mr Rawlins.

The IT crash has been an "early wake-up call" for the prime minister, perhaps damaging his honeymoon period, says chief political correspondent Jon Craig.

The outage overshadowed Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressing the cabinet - the first foreign leader to do so in person since Bill Clinton, he says on our special programme, Crash: The Global IT Outage.

The government will have to take a "very critical look" at precautions for this type of issue.

Craig adds there is every chance there will be a COBRA meeting with ministers over the weekend.

"The prime minister will want to be better prepared for a crisis of this sort or a different sort in the future," he says.

"I'm sure there will be a big inquest after today and the PM will bang a few heads together."

This will happen again,  science and technology editor Tom Clarke   says on our special programme, Crash: The Global IT Outage.

Continual updates and fixes are required to keep systems safe from cyberattacks, he explains.

If they are to work, those updates must be pushed out globally and immediately - or else leave networks vulnerable.

"Really the answer is: People have to rethink the way they are going to manage when they don't have access to their IT."

Much of everyday business needs to be connected, and backup systems are a question of cost, says Clarke.

Many shops and restaurants are cashless, but it may be time to think about "how do we revert to some other form of payment if we lose that".

Tune in soon for a special programme on the global IT outage, including the latest developments and analysis.

Crash: The Global IT Outage  - will air on Sky News at 8pm.

It's free to watch on TV and you can catch it on YouTube as well.

We'll be covering the key moments right here.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Why Zion National Park is so special and what to know before you go

It’s no secret. Zion National Park is one of America’s most spectacular national parks.

It’s also one of the most popular, coming in second or third in visitation each year in recent years, according to National Park Service numbers. And it’s easy to see why.

“Zion National Park encompasses some of the most scenic canyon country in the United States,” said Jorge Hernandez, education supervisor at Zion.

Unlike the Grand Canyon , which most visitors approach at rim level, visitors begin exploring Zion from the canyon floor.

“You look up, and you see these massive Navajo Sandstone cliffs on either side of you. And as you start going into the canyon, you start to see those walls becoming narrower and narrower, which I think is really fascinating,” Hernandez said. “Also, Zion National Park is located in the juncture of the Colorado Plateau , the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin ecoregions, and that creates a very unique environment for a variety of lifeforms and ecosystems here at Zion. Zion also preserves a plethora of human history .”

Here’s what else travelers should know about visiting Zion, the final park in USA TODAY’s yearlong series .

Where is Zion National Park?

Zion is located in southwestern Utah and the most visited of the state's Mighty Five national parks . 

The other four parks are Arches , Bryce Canyon , Canyonlands and Capitol Reef .

The closest airport with commercial service is St. George Regional Airport , but the closest major airport is Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, 176 miles away from Zion Canyon Visitor Center.

How much time do you need to spend at Zion National Park?

Hernandez recommends spending at least a couple hours in the park to take in sights along the free park shuttle and maybe a short hike. However, many visitors choose to spend multiple days exploring Zion.

Do you need a reservation for Zion?

Reservations are not required to enter Zion.

Permits are, however, required to hike popular Angels Landing as well as the 16-mile through hike of the Virgin River Narrows . They’re also required for activities like backcountry camping and technical canyoneering.

Can I take my car into Zion?

Yes, but Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is only open to private vehicles for a few months each winter.

Visitors are prohibited from driving along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive during the Zion Canyon Shuttle ’s operating season, from March through November.

The entry fee is $35 for cars, $30 for motorcycles and $20 for snowmobiles. Entry costs $20 for individuals over age 15 arriving without a vehicle. 

Where to stay in Zion National Park

There is one hotel inside the park, Zion National Park Lodge , which is operated by a third-party concessionaire and open year-round. There are also three campgrounds : Watchman, South and Lava Point. However, South Campground is closed for rehabilitation work. Backcountry camping is also allowed with a permit.

What is the best month to visit Zion National Park?

It depends on what visitors are looking for. For instance, Hernandez said summer offers blue skies and green foliage but also hotter weather and sometimes monsoons.

“Winter offers cold temperatures, of course, but in the winter, when it snows, sometimes you see snow-capped sandstone cliffs, which I think is really beautiful,” he said. “There's no bad time to visit Zion. Depending on the season, you'll see Zion completely different.”

What is the most visited national park? Answers to your biggest park questions

How to avoid crowds at Zion

“Arrive early in the morning or later in the day,” Hernandez said. Parking lots can fill up before 8 a.m. during the summer. 

The park’s main visitor center is open every day, and park rangers can help suggest places to get away from crowds.

“In a very busy place like Zion, there are spaces where one can find solitude and reflect and connect with natural and cultural resources we have here,” Hernandez added, noting that the park is 84% wilderness.

Who are the Native people of Zion?

At least 37 Native tribes and nations have historic ties to the land. Those include but are not limited to:

• Chemehuevi Indian Tribe of the Chemehuevi Reservation, California 
• Confederate Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah 
• Hopi Tribe of Arizona 
• Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona 
• Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, Nevada 
• Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation 
• Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah 
• Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico 
• Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah 
• Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah - Cedar Band 
• Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah - Indian Peaks Band 
• Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah - Kanosh Band 
• Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah - Koosharem Band 
• Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah - Shivwits Band 
• Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico
• Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico (Nanbe Owingeh) 
• Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico
• Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico  
• Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico 
• Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico 
• San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona 
• Santo Domingo Pueblo 
• Skull Valley Goshute General Council 
• Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado 
• Ute Indian Tribe of the Unitah & Ouray Reservation, Utah 
• Ute Mountain Ute Tribe 
• White Mesa Ute 
• Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico 

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How to start a container garden in 5 simple steps

If you've got some containers and some soil, you can easily grow a garden without needing a ton of outdoor space. Here's how to get started.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a lot of land to start a garden. In fact, all you really need are some containers and soil. Container gardens have gained popularity since not only are they easy to start, but they also can enhance a space with additional vibrant colors and pleasant smells.  

“Container gardening is a method of growing plants that allows you to bypass the constraints of limited outdoor space, making it a particularly viable solution for those residing in urban areas,” says Stephanie Elhayani, co-owner and chief floral officer at Seed Floral . “From small pots to larger planters, you can select the right container to fit your space and the specific needs of your plants so you can have a bountiful garden no matter where you live.”

We spoke with expert florists about how to start a container garden, whether you’re looking to grow vegetables, herbs, or classic flowers.  

How to start a container garden step by step

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or need a refresher, we’re going to lay out how to start a container garden step by step with guidance from professional florists.  

Step 1: Get a container with proper drainage

Step 2: gather the soil, gardening tools, flowers, and seeds, step 3: put the plants in the containers.

Step 4: Put the containers in a location with optimal sunlight  

Step 5: Water your plants regularly

How to create a container garden, explained.

As the name suggests, a container garden requires containers. There are a variety of containers available on the market, from those made out of plastic to ceramic.  

“The most common options include terra-cotta, metal , concrete, a food-grade bucket, and grower's pot,” says Elhayani.  

Not sure which to choose? The Outsunny Rectangle Brown Wood Outdoor Raised Planter Box is a solid option as it can blend into nearly any room with its fir wood construction and has a water-resistant paint coat for optimal durability. For individual plants, these minimalist flower pots from Utopia Home work well since they are equipped with drainage holes at the bottom and come with a drip tray to catch excess water.

If the container you choose doesn’t come with drainage holes, Elhayani says you can make your own holes, whether by puncturing the bottom by hand or using a power drill.

Buy it now on Wayfair

Buy it now at Lowe's

Buy it now on Amazon

There’s no way to make a container garden without having the proper tools to get the process started.  

Aside from the container, potting soil should be the next item on your list. “Choose quality soil that is designed for containers or raised beds, not in-ground use,” says Kim Zimmerman, master gardener and head designer for Rowdy Poppy . “A quality soil will have everything you need in there to get your plants going; you can always fertilize for additional support once they are established.”

Whether you’re trying to grow flowers or plants, Miracle-Gro Potting Mix and Burpee Premium Organic Potting Natural Soil Mix are suitable for indoor and outdoor use and can feed for anywhere between three and six months.  

Once you have the soil, you’ll want to have the proper tools to plant correctly and safely. Opt for a pair of gardening gloves like those from Midwest Quality Inc. to keep your hands free from dirt and protected against sharp hand tools , including trowels, transplanters, and cultivators. Plus, don’t forget about a watering can , which can easily be purchased on Amazon, to make sure your plants are getting the proper amount of water as needed.  

Last but not least, you need to get the flowers and seeds you want to grow in your container garden. Without them, you’ll be left with a container of dirt.  

This step is pretty self-explanatory, but your plants won’t grow unless they are properly placed in the soil. In general, the deeper, the better when it comes to planting in your container garden. “Fill around plants with mix, ensuring stems are no deeper than in nursery containers,” says Elhayani.

Step 4: Put the containers in a location with optimal sunlight

The amount of sunlight needed depends on the types of plants you grow. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it’s important to ensure your plants receive six to eight hours of direct sunlight. If access to sunlight is hard to come by in your living space, then you’ll want to consider growing plants that require more shade, such as hostas, herbs, and ferns.  

Similar to traditional plants, it’s important to water the plants in a container garden regularly. This will vary based on the type, however, you’ll want to make sure you’re doing it often enough. That said, the key is to make sure you’re not overwatering them, which can cause them to die.  

Some factors that will dictate how much and how often to water the plants include weather, plant type, and container size.  

Container vegetable garden tips

Having a container garden full of vegetables is a great way to have fresh food grown right at your fingertips. Here are some tips from our gardening experts.  

• Leave ample space in the container: According to Zimmerman, vegetables tend to grow quite large, so make sure to give plenty of space. “This may mean being realistic about how many plants you can fit – you may need to prioritize your favorites,” she adds. “If you are very tight on space, then consider choosing veggies that are bred to have a smaller overall plant size.”
• Plan for the different seasons: Some vegetables thrive in cool weather and will not be happy in the heat of summer, such as broccoli, brussels, carrots, peas and leafy greens. “Warm weather vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers need the heat to thrive,” says Zimmerman.

  Herb garden container tips

A container garden is also a great space for growing herbs to use in the kitchen to add some flavor.  

• Use larger containers: You’ll want to refrain from planting herbs in too-tight vessels as this can restrict growth. “Treat your herbs like your veggies and give them more space or even interplant some within your vegetable containers,” says Zimmerman.
• Do your research: Some herbs can be quite vigorous (some may say aggressive), so consider what you’re planting together. According to Zimmerman, herbs in the mint family tend to spread quickly and may choke out another plant, so you may want to give your mint its own container.  

Container garden ideas

The possibilities are endless when it comes to container gardens, whether you’re interested in planting vibrant flowers or earthy vegetables. Here are some ideas to help get you started:

• Window box flowers: Add a decorative flare to your living space with window box flowers, which are perfect for spring and summer.  
• Tall palms: Make a statement with your container garden by planting tall palms. Place these on a porch, patio, or deck to add some dimension.  
• Indoor herbs: Those interested in cooking can benefit from an indoor herb garden to grow thyme, rosemary, basil, and other aromatic herbs.  
• Pink flowers: Add a pop of color to your living space by growing pink flowers in a container garden.  
• Microgreens: Give your meals a nutrient boost by growing microgreens in containers on your windowsill or outdoor patio.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to make a container garden.

There are a few ways to save money when making a container garden from the products used to what is grown. “Use inexpensive containers, like buckets or dishpans from thrift stores, as gardening planters and add drainage holes,” says Elhayani. Zimmerman adds that it’s a good idea to check out local nurseries and free pages to see if any extras are available.  

What is the most common mistake made with container plants?

According to Zimmerman, the most common mistake made with container plants is not giving plants enough space to grow. “This shows up in both choosing too-small containers and planting things too closely together,” she adds.

How deep should a container garden be?

Container gardens should be pretty deep to provide optimal growing conditions. “Generally speaking, the deeper the better here, especially if you’re growing vegetables,” says Zimmerman. “Roughly 18 inches is my minimum recommended depth, 30” is even better.”

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