my brain seems to be messed up; i see all these gorgeous containers
and i WONT do them with multiple plants....part of me thinks that
it is not conducive to plant well being ....the other part of me
just wont do it....instead i do vignettes of 1000 containers...
does that make any sense at all?
this is my pink pot vignette....all my pink pots reside
here ...i feel a little sacreligious adding a couple
of non pink pot....but frankly i can't find the 'right'
pink pot to continue adding to my collection
alright so i was able to put several coleus together
more coleus
vanilla container arrangements....or should i say 'safe' ...not
really dual container planting....just lotsa containers.
If you think of the earth as one big pot.....all the plants are mixed together anyway.
But your plants are lovely....I love the coleus all together!!!!
Sticks...It really is fun to "expand out of the box".
However..."each to their own" and your plants look lovely!
Sticks,
I am just curious, are you a mathematician? It seems you are structured and orderly in your grouping of plants... This is not a criticism!!! It just might explain your brain...
Hahahahahahahahaha!
I LOVE your groupings. Sometimes it makes sense to have one variety to a pot. Although I do have a number of mixed containers the plants rarely grow at the same rate and I am about to tear up a beautiful planter because one plant is taking over. If only these naughty plants would behave and grow like the label says they are supposed to. LOL
Sticks, really love your containers and groupings. I also have a few pots with just one kind of plant in them. Nothing wrong with that. I really like your pink pot collection. Makes a very pretty presentation.
yardqueen...actually my brain got warped in retail....merchandising....balance balance balance....pop pop pop; colorize colorize colorize....its engrained in my brain; i think that is where it started....no math for me....(grin); sometimes i will accidently put a pot where it doesn't belong when i am fertilizing, deadheading etc....and all of a sudden i am like.....hey i like that combination....and then i am off on another tanget.....he he
ardesia...that is what i hate about multiple plantings in containers....one always grows differently....then...bam...off balance...then it has to be ripped apart....also, i hate it when you plant 3 full sun things together only to have 2 of them do great and one start dying....i hate that....maybe that is why i play safe...
this is making me laugh....maybe i can look at an area as a HUGE container with multiple containers in it??
another??
Very lovely... And it does have the effect of a mixed container.
I also used to do one plant per container until I saw the gorgeous combinations on this forum! I am actually doing them for the 1st time this year... I will post pictures as soo as it stops raining around here!
sticks,
These are 1 plant containers I planted long before I started doing combo's
http://davesgarden.com/mail/pmailpic.php?pid=891789
yardqueen...it sez file not found
Proven WInners has a free booklet showing some wonderful combinations. Not the usual fillers, spillers and thrillers stuff. They also show lots of different types/shapes of containers and I got some good ideas about what kinds of plants look best with different pots. Go to their website:
www.provenwinners.com
The free offer is about half way down on the right hand side of the page. It says something like Garden (maybe container) Ideas.
Sorry !!! Here it is
yardqueen i love it...
ardesia...i have seen those...but i still can't bring myself to do them.....:)
Lord Almighty! How do you keep all them pots watered!
Big pots here so they don't get root bound and water deprived. Saves me the trouble and I can even go on vacation with less worries...
(but confessing, I am not a good plant mixer either...)
pod....it takes about an hour everyday to water....hopefully one day i will get it in gear and just have large pots...
sticks and others: have any of you heard of or used a product called Fertisorb?
www.fertisorb.com
is it kinda like water crystals?
What a great idea! Next year I'm going to get some for all my containers.
Direct from the site:
"FertiSorb is a 12-12-12 general purpose plant nutrient containing secondary and micronutrients, all embedded into the structure of a super-absorbent polymer. This unique combination, which both feeds and holds water in one, easy-to-use product, feeds plants for up to 4 months. It's ideal for indoor and outdoor plants and for containers and hanging baskets......"
Sounds like a Snake Oil Sales pitch ~ anyone you know ever used this?????
You may want to check the Garden Watchdog before you call something "snake oil"
Whoa ~ no offense meant. So, does anyone here use this? How does it perform in the southern (read hot & humid) climates?
I'll be trying it soon and intend to do two exact same containers as a test: one with the product and one without.
I've heard the man interviewed on my radio gardening show (Ralph Snodsmith's "Garden Hotline") and I'm eager to try it.
Sticks,
Maybe single plant containers are a "POW" and multi-plant containers are a ".....w-o-w....". Both wonderful in their own way. I have both. (Lots of new pictures, lots and lots and lots, being developed, or I'd attach one.) But, I agree that lots of small plants, grouped, combine to create the effect of one big container.
xxx, Carrie
Such beautiful colors, Carrie!
Each container has its own beauty - just like people.
even the rotting begonia? -C
Sure! Look at the bright side of it: now you have room for something else. You've also learned what doesn't work.
Learning from our mistakes, whether it's overwatering or not watering enough, too much sun, etc. teaches us all more than anything we just read and haven't experienced. Just my opinion.
Pessimism has never had a place in my life. Yes, I've lost a lot of plants, just in case you think I haven't.
pirl...let is know about the side by side experiment you do?? thanks for mentioning it...
I certainly will. I find it great fun.
Me too.
The renewed interest in gardening these past few years have given growers and horticulturists the incentive to find new ways of doing things and new products to help grow healthier plants. I try them all and some work for me and others do not but they may well do fine for someone with different growing conditions. There was a time when I thought SuperThrive was hokey but after seeing a major grower and a top notch nurseryman using it and swearing by it, I tried it and wouldn't be without it now. You never know what might be your magic bullet.
ardesia, say more about the top notch nurseryman and major grower using Super Thrive. I used it for years, but quit using it this year when I couldn't find it on my side of town. Maybe I should rustle up some ST for the rest of the summer.
Without naming names and giving away any proprietary secrets, (I want to be invited back) the folks at a large orchid growing facility were using it to soak divisions (or whatever they are called?) prior to planting. A behind the scenes visit at the nursery I learned that they use ST to revive container plants that were accidentally neglected and got too dry. A good soak in a ST solution brought them back to health and saleability.
