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Container gardening is a wonderful way to add color to a porch, deck
or patio. It's also a great way to fill in bare spots in the garden by
placing a fully blooming container of flowers in the middle of a garden
bed that may be lacking in color or that might be between bloom
cycles.
The easiest way to do this is to go to the store and buy a bunch of
pots you like. You could coordinate them and get the same color in
different styles or choose three coordinating colors and scatter them
around the landscape.
But, that's just not me, and maybe it's not you either. I'm hear to say
that anything that can hold soil and has good drainage can be a
container for growing flowers, vegetables and herbs. So think outside
the pot when it comes to container plantings. Use your imagination.
or patio. It's also a great way to fill in bare spots in the garden by
placing a fully blooming container of flowers in the middle of a garden
bed that may be lacking in color or that might be between bloom
cycles.
The easiest way to do this is to go to the store and buy a bunch of
pots you like. You could coordinate them and get the same color in
different styles or choose three coordinating colors and scatter them
around the landscape.
But, that's just not me, and maybe it's not you either. I'm hear to say
that anything that can hold soil and has good drainage can be a
container for growing flowers, vegetables and herbs. So think outside
the pot when it comes to container plantings. Use your imagination.
| Last Updated on March 6, 2010 |
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| Think Outside the Pot |
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Over the years I have planted in all kinds of containers, from milk cans and milk pails, to wicker baskets and kitchen colanders.
Here are a few pictures of what I've done and maybe they will spark your imagination so you can try your own unconventional
container plantings.
Here are a few pictures of what I've done and maybe they will spark your imagination so you can try your own unconventional
container plantings.
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I love planting in
baskets. I'm a bit of a
collector so this is a
They also last longer
than you think (3-4
years) and provide
really good drainage.
Line the baskets with
newspaper to prevent
the soil from coming out
the bottom.
baskets. I'm a bit of a
collector so this is a
They also last longer
than you think (3-4
years) and provide
really good drainage.
Line the baskets with
newspaper to prevent
the soil from coming out
the bottom.
I apologize for the poor quality of this photo. I know I
have better photos somewhere, but could not locate them
in time to publish this article. I will replace them as soon as
I can.
One year I decided to plant directly in a birdbath. This
works great if the birdbath is cracked and won't hold water
or if it's chipped, then the foliage can hide that. Impatiens
worked really well in the shade garden and petunias
worked well in the sunnier parts of the yard.
have better photos somewhere, but could not locate them
in time to publish this article. I will replace them as soon as
I can.
One year I decided to plant directly in a birdbath. This
works great if the birdbath is cracked and won't hold water
or if it's chipped, then the foliage can hide that. Impatiens
worked really well in the shade garden and petunias
worked well in the sunnier parts of the yard.
Most garden junkers have planted a chair or two in their day. You
can get as elaborate as removing the seat and inserting a pot or pot
right on top of an old chair.
You can see step by step instructions on how to create your own
chair planter here.
It's also very easy to change up the chair for the season and pot
sitters can be purchased to hang from the chair backs for added
interest.
can get as elaborate as removing the seat and inserting a pot or pot
right on top of an old chair.
You can see step by step instructions on how to create your own
chair planter here.
It's also very easy to change up the chair for the season and pot
sitters can be purchased to hang from the chair backs for added
interest.
Sometimes the best planter is already meant
to be a planter but is in a fun theme like this
bicycle I found at a flea market.
I put rocks in the bottom of this picture for
drainage and used a moisture loving coleus
as the focal point. I moved it indoors when
we were getting a lot of rain.
to be a planter but is in a fun theme like this
bicycle I found at a flea market.
I put rocks in the bottom of this picture for
drainage and used a moisture loving coleus
as the focal point. I moved it indoors when
we were getting a lot of rain.
Terrariums were real popular in
the 60s and 70s, but there is no
reason why you can't plant one
today.
the 60s and 70s, but there is no
reason why you can't plant one
today.
I love old stoves. The one on
step-father before he passed
away. I'm sure it had been in
the family for years. When
my mother decided to move
into an apartment, I had to a
have it for my junky garden.
The one on the right was
recently acquired at a flea
market. I believe it was once
used for coal. I packed the
stove well with soil, allowed it
to settle after watering and
kept adding soil until it
stopped settling before
planting it.
step-father before he passed
away. I'm sure it had been in
the family for years. When
my mother decided to move
into an apartment, I had to a
have it for my junky garden.
The one on the right was
recently acquired at a flea
market. I believe it was once
used for coal. I packed the
stove well with soil, allowed it
to settle after watering and
kept adding soil until it
stopped settling before
planting it.
Gary grew up on a dairy farm, so we have a
good supply of milk cans and pails around the
house.
They are perfect to plant in because they hold an
8" nursery pot perfectly. You can change the
pots out for the season or even monthly
depending on your mood. Heck, you can
change them out every week if you are so
inclined.
good supply of milk cans and pails around the
house.
They are perfect to plant in because they hold an
8" nursery pot perfectly. You can change the
pots out for the season or even monthly
depending on your mood. Heck, you can
change them out every week if you are so
inclined.
There is actually a kitty litter
pail inside this planter that
Gary made. We made it to
match the new shed.
If you don't have kitty litter
to fit a five gallon bucket that
is large enough to grow
tomatoes or a dwarf shrub.
pail inside this planter that
Gary made. We made it to
match the new shed.
If you don't have kitty litter
to fit a five gallon bucket that
is large enough to grow
tomatoes or a dwarf shrub.
lined with a store bought
liner designed for hanging
wire baskets and the urn
was lined with sphagnum
moss.
liner designed for hanging
wire baskets and the urn
was lined with sphagnum
moss.