Everyone wants to be the envy of the neighborhood with gorgeous planters adorning their front porch. Here are some simple tips to create that fabulous planter you have always dreamed of.
Start with a new or cleaned, sanitized container. Old potting soil should be removed, as it may be contaminated by what grew in it previously. No container is too large or too small, but ideally, it should have good drainage.
Fill the Container with a quality soil-less potting mix, preferably one containing slow-release fertilizer.
We highly recommend our Wilson’s Container Mix, the same mix we use to grow all of our great-looking plants in the garden center.
Cheap potting soils are very costly in the long run, as the plants will never be as beautiful as they could be and will require extra fertilizer and care. We want you to have maximum success for your efforts.
Use the proper ratio of plants in proportion to pot size. Some suggested guidelines (depending on the size of the plants)
- Small Container (8-10” size): 3 plants
- Medium Container (12-14″): 5 plants
- Large Container (16-20″): 7 plants or more
After determining the proper number of plants, choose those that require the same growing conditions, i.e., sun/shade and moist/dry.
Use tall “thrillers,” mounding “fillers,” and low or trailing “spillers” to balance out the Container and give it dimension.
Set the plants in the proper locations in your pot before planting to get an idea of the look.
Plant the plants into the potting soil no deeper than the top of their soil line. Planting too deeply can kill many kinds of plants.
Water the Container well and check moisture levels daily. If containers are grown outside in hot, dry weather, they often need to be watered more than once a day. A drip irrigation system with a timer will make your life easier and allow you to be away for extended periods.
Feeding the plants periodically with water-soluble fertilizer will ensure vigorous, healthy growth and more flowers. We highly recommend Bud and Bloom.