Planters and Hanging Baskets

Planters Tips & Ideas

Old Adage

When creating a container garden, use 3 types of plants: “thrillers, spillers and fillers”.
 

Roses in Containers

Don’t forget that roses do well in containers. They make a great impact on patios and decks. Tree roses can be underplanted with blooming annuals for continuous color. Planted in an urn type planter, this would be a very elegant look.
 

TIPS

If you want to attract hummingbirds, remember they love Fuchsia baskets -especially the orange to red trumpet bloom varieties. Hummingbird feeders are designed with this in mind.
 
For best blooming, fertilize your planters every 5-7 days.
 
Deadheading is the term used for grooming annuals by removing the spent blooms before they go to seed.
 
Hanging baskets don’t always have to hang. They look fabulous on a pedestal.
 

Planting spectacular container gardens is simply a matter of combining three elements: great plant material, quality soil and amendments – our beautiful Northwest summer will take care of the rest.
 
Start with a good organic potting soil. Soil from your yard will be too heavy; it won’t allow air and water to flow in the container correctly. Add an organic starter fertilizer and a time-released fertilizer such as Osmocote. These will be a steady slow diet for your plants all summer however you will still want to use a good water soluble fertilizer throughout the growing season, especially if the temperatures are cool.
 
When choosing plant material, look for a combination of different plant shapes, color, leaf texture and size that will compliment each other. Start with 1 larger vertical plant for the center of attention. Fill in around it with plants that grow upright in a compact area like geraniums or heliotrope. Tuck in some trailing foliage, like sweet potato vine or vinca to create visual interest with your flowering varieties. You’ll need enough plants to fill the entire surface of the container. This is an instance when more is better.
 
The more you feed your annual container garden, the more it will reward your efforts with bountiful beauty. All soils and fertilizers are not created equal, so ask our nursery professionals for their recommendations. Remember, your nurseryman/woman is a gardener just like you. Years of successful container planting yields experienced and professional advice.