Bright, colorful containers of wonderful flowers
Spring is finally here! Time to start dreaming of bright, colorful containers of wonderful flowers. We have some of the best annuals for containers, but don’t limit yourself to annuals. For a shady spot, combine a perennial Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’ with Calibrachoa ‘Noa™ Amber Star’ and some trailing Dichondra or Ipomoea and a nice spiky Dracaena for a great spotlight to brighten a porch. Or several Hostas in a pot make a great accent, plus they can be moved around as the summer progresses and you need a spot of color in a different part of the garden or patio. Mixing perennials and annuals is a great way to bring continuous blooms and interesting leaf textures together. Just remember to choose plants with similar requirements—combining all sun or shade lovers, and similar water needs. Choose plants that spill over the container edge, tall ones for height at the back and one that stays more compact to fill the middle. Anything that can hold dirt and has a hole for drainage can be a container. Just remember: smaller pots will dry out quickly when temperatures reach 90+ degrees. Large containers get really heavy so we recommend that you use PRO-MIX® Ultimate Container Mix. This peat-based growing mixture is ideal for containers, formulated to have a good ratio of water-holding capacity and air space (roots need air space to be happy). Leave about two inches of space above the top of the soil so ample water can drain through and not just run off. When filling your pot with soil, do not pat it down; instead, water it down to settle it. Patting compresses the soil too much. And during the growing season don’t forget to feed your live plants to keep them blooming and growing, using something like Espoma Flower-tone 3-5-7 Plant Food. It’s a great choice because it is a rich organic fertilizer and cannot harm or burn the plants if you happen to give them a bit too much. Remember, for blooming plants you want a fertilizer with a higher middle number; for just foliage plants the higher first number works best. Happy planting!
