Pirl, a member from DG saw my message that I had posted wanting ideas how to elevate container plants on my breezeway and she came up with these articles written by Steve Silk from Ct. who was an Editor and photographer for Fine Gardening. He has his own blogspot now. Just google his name and you'll find several articles written by him and his blogspot. His idea of how to stage container plants is more on a larger scale than mine would be but one can gear it to your own space confinements. He also wrote an article called Thrillers, fillers and spillers that I found interesting and I think will benefit container gardeners. It certainly gave me inspiration how I could use certain plants in my containers. Hope it will help other gardeners as well. I'm sure there are many other articles he has written for Fine Gardening. I love his use of color in pots and in patio furniture.
This message was edited Feb 5, 2011 2:56 PM
Staging a Container plant display
I just started doing it last year. I love the flexibility and I have bad water pressure and vermin. If I move it is a lot easier on me and the plants to move with me too. It is great to move the pots around to fill in blank areas or areas I have not yet got established so they look like they are.
It's usually not the weight of the container itself that's heavy but when filled with soil, it does get heavy to move. I have been filling in bottom of the container with large nursery pots, turned upside down and that takes up space as well as uses less potting mixture. One year I filled the bottom up with styrofoam peanuts and the next year, I went to change or add to my potting mixture and what a mess those peanuts were. I have seen where people use the foam peanuts but put them inside a plastic bag before adding the potting mix. If another year, they want to change the soil, they don't have to pick the peanuts out singlely..just pull up the bag and throw them away. Why couldn't you use the peanuts, cut a layer of landscape cloth or plastic with lots of drainage holes in it before adding your potting mixture and plants? I think either way would work and makes the containers lighter to move.
Ditto on those peanuts - way too messy!
I use the empty six pack cells from seeds started indoors or purchased at the local nurseries. I also collect my plastic water bottles during the winter and throw bunches of those in. They don't end up at the landfill and the plant roots just grow down and around them...think we've all done the loose packing peanuts thing....once :-)
I tried peanuts, I wasn'y smart enough to put them in a bag. AARRGG!! Never again.
Now I use plastic soda bottles or cans or unside down small nursury pots.
Shucks....I'm getting older and lifting is becoming difficult.
I have used all the above too. The peanuts blow in the wind here, they are a pain. I like the 6 packs from plants too, also sometimes I have used bubble wrap.
Glad I read about the peanuts.
Spring is showing itself slowly.
I topped off containers and filled empty ones.
This piece of driftwood ends up being my annual challenge for staging a container display. I use bricks to hoist plants (in saucers) to the right level. It's always a challenge.
lovely Pirl
Thanks, Jo Ann, but I keep thinking I could do so much better with the driftwood.
Love it.
My containers are ready for May.Can you tell I am impatient?
Some melting but this was yesterday.
I'd cry. I am upset that my WS seedlings are dieing off with all the warm, freezing, warm, freezing nights. GRRR! If I had that I would not be in a good mood.
Things are changing. Temps are warming,I'm smileing but no container planting for 6 weeks. Late May at the latest.
We'll both be doing it at the same time, Jo Ann, unless very early May is exceptionally nice.
Pirl, your driftwood needs some wire vine. I will send you a start. Here it does not freeze. And maybe some baby tears. If you put a little bit of sphagnum moss on the driftwood, the baby tears would attach to it and go to town. When can you plant outside? Or you could keep it inside. Probably in the same pot.
Yesterday we were in the high 80s, tomorrow mid 70s and Friday in the low 60s. Crazy weather. Sharon.
So sweet Sharon
Thanks, Sharon. I'll post photos when it grows. We can plant outside by 4/15.
Do you have sphagnum moss? I think I would mix the sphagnum moss white wet, with a small amount of potting mix. Lots of time with the baby tears, I just place it on the moss and then pat some dirt gently into the mat of baby tears. It is better to cut the baby tears apart than pull. Here it prefers shade but there it will probably grow in full sun because of your humidity. I am up early because I went to bed early and Vern is snoring.
I have finish work to do today and boxes to get ready for mailing. The cannas I dug to give away all dried out. I thought I knew what I was doing but now I am sure I do not. I kept them to dry because I did not want them to rot.
It is amazing how your mind loses track of time and I as a gardener have way to many fingers in the fire always. Later, Have a great day. Sharon.
Yes, I do. I'll follow your advice.
We all get so busy it's amazing we accomplish 75% of what we have on our lists.