Canux : Home Sweet Home

Archive for the ‘Flower Pots & Planters’ Category

Imagine opening your window to let in some morning rays and being greeted by a punch of color and the sweet smell of summer. Or perhaps you would prefer to have some fresh basil and oregano at your fingertips while you’re making gazpacho with vegetables from the garden. All you need are a few wooden window planter boxes filled with bright blooms or fresh green herbs.

Sure they come in plastic, metal or fiberglass, but the classic look of a wooden window box has timeless style and will work with any patio d

Garden Planters aren’t just for flowers and herbs (though they work great for both). Vegetables can also grow extremely well in these confined spaces, so long as a few simple steps are followed. Depending on the planter size, most anything can be planted, especially is care is taken to choose more dwarf or bush varieties, which take up even less space than full-size plants.

Where
When deciding where to plant, take into consideration the space needs of different plants and their roots, along with what amount of sunlight certain plants require. For example, tomatoes, cucumbers and green onions have about equal watering requirements and sunlight exposure. Also, some plants, like tomatoes, will continue growing after other vegetables have ceased to yield their harvest for the season.

What
Choosing which garden planters to use is a matter of personal taste. Many people opt for the classic wooden garden planters because they are natural looking and attractive, hold up well outdoors, and are relatively easy to build by hand. Some other materials found in garden planters include metal, fiberglass and stone, each of which has its various advantages and disadvantages. When considering planters, one must also note that some planters are free-standing, whereas others are mounted or attach to window sills. If you have limited space or reside in an urban setting, you prefer the latter type.

Regardless of which material or model you choose, there are some basic things to take into consideration. All garden planters should come equipped with some sort of drainage system, which is usually as simple as holes on the bottom out of which water can exit. Excess water, especially in the case of strong rains, can easily kill a plant, especially those varieties prone to drier environments. If your planter does not have drainage, it is usually pretty easy to drill a few holes into the bottom of your vegetable garden planter. Another concern for planters is color. Not simply an aesthetic consideration, darker colored containers are apt to absorb more sunlight than light containers, the result of which is more heat. Too high of a temperature can damage a plant’s roots. If you already have decided on a dark container, consider keeping it in the shade and planting vegetables there that also do not require direct sunlight.

Care
Aside from picking and arranging the planters themselves, soil and water are the other key elements. Using regular soil will work, especially when paired with a fertilizer of some sort, but pre-mixed synthetic soils, like peat-based mixtures, tend to work even better. Space permitted, starting your own compost pile can also add valuable nutrients to the soil. Finally, watering is obviously of the utmost importance, but too much watering can have the opposite effect. Vegetables in garden planters require more frequent watering than ground planted vegetables, especially once the plants have begun to mature and the roots expand. Check the moisture content of the soil using your fingers to really get an idea of how plants are doing. Also remember to adjust your watering schedule in light of temperature and weather changes.

Plants
Some of the best vegetables for garden planters include the following:
Tomatoes (Small Fry, Saladette, Toy Boy, Spring Giant, Pixie, Tiny Tim) Radishes (Scarlet Globe, White Icicle, Cherry Belle) Cucumbers (Spacemaster, Salad Bush Hybrid, Bush Pickle) Green Beans (Kentucky Wonder, French Dwarf, Blue Lake) Green Onions (Beltsville Bunching, Evergreen Bunching, Crystal Wax) Eggplant (Bambino, Slim Jim) Leaf Lettuce (Bibb, Salad Bowl, Buttercrunch) Peppers (Banana, Red Cherry, Jalapeno, Chipotle, Habanero, Cubanelle, Frigitello) Squash (Gold Rush, Ronde de Nice)

Setting up your very own Tipsy Planter can be an enjoyable and rewarding day project for any back yard adventurer. Plus if you have kids like me then you can share in the fun with them as this is a fairly kid friendly garden project. One of the advantages to having a Tipsy Planter is being able to place a variety of smaller plants within a much smaller space than normal, as each pot is able to hold a separate plant.

First lets go over the list of items you will need before starting this project;

1 – 6′ Garden Stake
1 – 15″-20″ pot with drainage holes in base
5 – 6″ Terracotta pots
1 – Bag of flower soil, i recommend Miracle-Gro potting soil
1 – Hammer (to drive stake, if you have a rubber mallet that may work better and do less damage to the stake)

Find a suitable location in your yard or garden, try to pick tough to mow locations or anywhere the final product can be easily viewed. Preferably somewhere with level ground and depending on the types of plants you want to use some shade if appropriate.

Make sure the ground is level and place your base pot in location, using your hands start pushing the stake down and into the dirt through one of the drainage holes. Once you get about half a foot or so of the stake drove down, fill the base pot up with dirt leaving a 1″ space at the top. Now go ahead and put one of the terracotta pots down the stake and into place. At this point make sure that everything is sitting how you like and the fixture is in a pleasing location.

Go ahead and start running the terracotta pots down the stake alternating them back and forth to create a “Tipsy” effect. If you find that they are not leaning properly remove all but one terracotta pot and then push the lone pot down into the dirt at an angle. Basically the bottom 6″ pot needs to be semi in the dirt so that it leans. As the rest of the pots are being placed they should lay in a natural zig zag.

From here drive the stake down until there is roughly 2 – 2 1/2 foot of the garden stake in the ground. This will help to ensure that everything stays in place. I left just about 4″ of stake above the top pot.

Tips:

Leave yourself at least one inch of clearance in all the pots, when you go to water them because of the angle the water will want to run over the sides. To help hold the water in the pot and give it time to run through and soak in leave a little gap between the lip of the pot and the top of the soil.

Do not be afraid to start over, I went through a couple different locations before ultimately deciding on its present location.

Re-bar, I live in hurricane alley North Carolina, so come hurricane season I am not sure if the garden stake is going to hold up. I may end up getting a 10′ section of rebar and cutting it down to replace the garden stake if it looks like things wont hold together. Price wise the rebar is cheaper, however since it is solid steel cutting it presents some other problems.

Most people think that planting their own flower garden is difficult. Well if you learn how to do container flower gardening right, it does not have to be time consuming and difficult. It can be pleasant and an enjoyable experience.

Container flower gardening allows you to express your own creativity with the choice of flowers you like and the type of container you want. With some learning and experience, anyone can put together a beautiful flower gardening container which you can then put on your patio or balcony.

First Step To Container Flower Gardening

The first step to container flower gardening is of course deciding the type of container to use. In order to determine which container you want to use, you need to decide where you are going to hang your container flower garden. Common types includes pots, hanging basket and window box.

You then need to decide the material of the flower container. Common types include ceramic pots which are easily available and wooden barrels. Other types include plastic or terra cotta flower containers.

Regardless of which type of container you choose, make sure there is sufficient drainage to avoid over watering. The correct flower container can make it a lot simpler and easier to grow flower gardens.

Second Step To Container Flower Gardening

The next step is to choose the soil for your flowers. I recommend a high quality potting soil preferably with vermiculite added. This will ensure good proper drainage and maintains the moisture levels needed for the flowers. For planting young flowers in the container, I recommend to use granular fertilizer as it can help to grow the young flowers better.

Third Step To Container Flower Gardening

The last step is of course the flowers. I recommend to use varying heights and colors of different flowers to add depth and contrast. Do not be afraid to experiment since you are the designer and it’s up to you how you want the flowers to be arranged.

There are also other factors when growing your flower container such as the amount of sunlight it needs as well as how often to water the flowers.

Container flower gardening is simple and easy to do and is a suitable hobby for everyone who lives in homes which have limited space.

Window boxes can add some much needed gardening space to small homes or perk up a window in any size house. They give the apartment dweller with no deck a place to garden and give the illusion of bringing the outdoors inside. Choosing what type of flowers to plant in your window box really depends on where your box is located and the type of blooms that you want. Take a look at where your window box is, or where you would like it to be and note how much sun it gets. This will help you determine which flowers to plant.

Size Matters

When you are plant shopping for your window box, you want to look for any type of plant that does not grow very tall so that you don’t obstruct the view from the window. Decide if you want to place new flowers in the box with each season or have leaves that look good all year round and choose your foliage accordingly. Try and stay away from plants that need a large root base because in a window box, these types can become easily root bound and either take over other plants or die.

Building Depth

When you are planting your box, try and build some depth in it by planting vine type plants such as ivy that spill out of the box and hang down. Behind these types of foliage, plant the lowest type plants and build your way up to the taller plants in the back. This will create a look that is 3 dimensional and give it a more professional feel.

The Best Flower Options

Some of the more popular types of blooms for window boxes include marigolds, petunias, pansies, geraniums and begonias. These are very seasonal however, and need to be replaced in the winter with greenery such as green hydrangea and bittersweet to keep the planters looking fresh and alive. Other popular plants include herbs, basil, chives, mint and thyme are all good ones which can be planted in a kitchen window box for a quick and flavorful addition to any meal.

Essentially, you want seedlings that will stay fairly small, so as not to outgrow the space. It’s also important to look for an abundance of color and long lasting blooms so you will have plenty of bright petals to enjoy throughout the season. Some blossoms come and go so quickly that it’s not even worth having them in your window.

For the lowest maintenance look while still enjoying a beautiful window, mix and match your choices. Pick some plants that have beautiful foliage that stands on its own and add in some long lasting flowers like marigolds or forget-me-nots for a splash of color. This will let you have a pretty planter even when the blooming season is over.

Window boxes offer a simple way to get into gardening no matter where you live and can add a homey touch to an otherwise dull room simply by including some beautiful flowers.

As a group,flower bulbs are outstanding plants–colorful, showy, and generally easy to grow for container gardening. Many have evergreen foliage; with others, the leaves ripen after flowering and the bulbs are stored and started again, year after year. Some flower bulbs are hardy, others, tender, though what is, and is not hardy, in a particular area is a matter of winter temperature averages. In cold regions, tender types–tuberous begonias, gloxinias, and calla lilies–can be treated like summer in container gardens. This gives the gardener a wide variety to grow from earliest spring to late fall.

Dutch flower bulbs include crocus, snowdrops, eranthis or winter aconites, chionodoxas, scillas, grape hyacinths, leucojums or snowflakes, Dutch hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips, the pride of northern spring gardens. Though hardy, they are not adapted to garden containers outdoors where temperatures drop much below freezing. They require the protection of a shed, unheated cellar or cold frame. Gardening Pots can also be dug into a trench in the ground for the winter and covered with a thick blanket of marsh hay or straw. Where temperatures do not go below freezing, Dutch flower bulbs can be left outdoors in gardening pots over the winter.

For best results in a container garden, start with fresh, firm, large-sized flower bulbs each fall. Insure good drainage in the bottom of each garden pot and use a light soil with bone meal added. If in clay pots, plunge during the rooting period in damp peat moss to prevent rapid drying out. If this occurs too often, roots will be injured and flowers will be poor. When weather permits, after the danger of freezing passes, put your container garden outside where they are to flower or in a nursery row until they reach the bud stage. After blooming, move your container garden where foliage can ripen unseen.

For fragrance, concentrate on Dutch hyacinths, excellent for bedding large planter boxes or raised beds. Daffodils look well grouped around trees or large shrubs, as birches and forsythias. Tulips, formal in character, combine delightfully with pansies, violas, wall flowers, forget-me-nots, marguerites, English daisies, and annual candytuft in container gardens.

As already indicated, in cold areas, Dutch flower bulbs cannot be potted or planted in small window boxes and left outdoors unprotected for the winter. They can, however, be set out in large planters and boxes, deep and wide enough to contain plenty of soil. The garden pots should be one and a half to two feet deep and about two feet wide. Set flower bulbs, with at least six inches of soil above them, planting them early enough in the fall so that they can make root growth before soil freezes hard. In penthouse gardens in New York City, Dutch bulbs have been grown successfully in this way, but it is always a risk. It makes no difference whether garden pots are made of wood, concrete, or other material; it is the amount of soil they hold that counts.

Actually, it is not the freezing of the soil that injures flower bulbs (this occurs in open ground), but it is the pressure and counter pressure exerted by frost on the sides of containers, which are firm and do not give. As a result, flower bulbs are bruised and thrust out of the soil, their roots torn. Where there is no hard freeze, but sufficient cold weather, hardy flower bulbs can be grown successfully in garden containers of small size.

Here is a partial list of flower bulbs that thrive in container gardens. They will help you with your container garden design

Achimenes are warmth-loving trailing plants with neat leaves and tubular flowers in blue, lavender, red and white. Related to gloxinias and African violets, they are nice in hanging baskets and window boxes or in garden pots on tables, shelves, or wall brackets. Start the small tubers indoors and give plants a sheltered spot with protection from strong sun and wind. Achimenes, an old standby in the South, is worthy of more frequent planting.

Agapanthus or Blue Lily of the Nile is a fleshy-rooted evergreen plant, with strap leaves, often grown in tubs and urns on terraces and steps during the summer, when the tall blue spikes unfold. Culture is easy, but plants require a well-lighted, frost proof room or greenhouse in winter. This is an old-time favorite, often seen in the gardens of Europe. It is a perfect flower bulb for container gardening.

The Calla Lily is Showy, and outdoors in warmer regions, but a tender pot plant in the North. Most familiar is the white one with large, shiny, heart-shaped leaves. Start bulbs indoors in February or March in rich soil and, when weather settles, transfer to large gardening pots and take outdoors. Calla lilies do well in full sun or part shade, are heavy feeders and need much water. There is also a dainty yellow one with white-spotted leaves. Rest your flower bulbs after foliage ripens and grow again.

Colorful and free-flowering Dahlias provide bounteous cut blooms. Tall, large-flowering kinds can be grown only in large planters and boxes, but the dwarfs, even freer flowering, are excellent in small garden containers. Attaining one to two feet tall, they grow easily from tubers in average soil in sun or part shade. They may also be raised from seed sown indoors in February. If tubers are stored in peat or sand in a cool, frost proof place, they can be grown for years. Check bulbs during winter, and if shriveling, sprinkle lightly.

Gladiolus, the summer-flowering plant has spear like leaves and many hued spikes. Corms can be planted in garden containers outdoors after danger of frost is passed. Set them six inches apart and four to six inches deep. The best way to use these in container gardening is to planting a few every two to three weeks, giving you a succession of bloom in your container garden. Stake stems before flowers open. After the leaves turn brown, or there is a frost, lift corms, cut off foliage and dust with DDT to control the tiny sucking thrips. After dusting, store corms in a dry place at 45 to 55 degrees F for future planting.

Gloxinias, another Summer-flowering plant and tender with large, tubular blooms of red, pink, lavender, purple, or white, and broad velvety rosettes of leaves. Start tubers indoors and don’t take outside until weather is warm. Since the leaves are easily broken or injured by wind or rain, put plants in a sheltered spot. The low broad eaves of contemporary houses, with restricted sun, offer an appropriate setting for rows of pots or window boxes filled with gay gloxinias.

Now you have some great ideas for your container garden design. It’s time now to start planting your flower bulbs.

Happy Container Gardening!

Copyright