• Gardening in Container Tips!

  • 1. Start with a theme

  • A cold tolerant combination of Chic Primroses in Red and Yellow, accented with the purple foliage of Amethyst Myst Coral Bells, Kalipso Wood Spurge and grassy sprigs of Ogon Golden Variegated Sweet Flag, all from Proven Winners. Think like a painter composing a picture. Consider color, shape and style. For instance, you might decide on plants in dark tones, chosen for their variety of textures and leaf shapes, to complement a modern Asian-influenced arrangement.
  • Don’t stop at just flowers in a container. Good looking vegetable plants can be mixed with herbs for a container garden that’s as good smelling and tasting as it is striking. Shrubs and perennials are great for year-round container interest. Other unusual container themes include: Window boxes with long, draping plants Miniature perennials for a bonsai-like effect Plants chosen to epitomize the season Plants that love extremes: shade-lovers or hot, tropical plants

  • 2. Choose your container

  • Soft Polar Pink English Daisies and Pagoda White Hybrid Columbine are set off by vivid Chic Primroses in Pink and Ribbon Grass, all by Proven Winners.Size You don’t need to spend a lot to fill a big space — opt for one or two large containers, each planted with a single shrub that cuts an elegant and dramatic profile. Cluster smaller containers together in uneven numbers for visual interest. Stack a few on upended terracotta pots to create an arrangement of various heights. Bigger pots are easier to care for because large volumes of soil retain moisture longer so you water them less frequently.
  • You’ll find an enormous range of containers in-store, including moss-filled hanging baskets, deck rail planters, window boxes and pots and urns of all shapes, sizes and colors.
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    • 3. Start plants off right

  • This basket mixes Rasberry Blast Supertunia with punchy Dark Blue Superbena, topped off with a soft spray of Diamond Frost Euphorbia, all by Proven Winners. Don’t reuse last year’s soil for your containers. Try quality brands like Miracle-Gro which use new technology that holds 33 percent more water then ordinary soils, and release it to the roots as needed.
  • Pour or scoop soil around the roots of your plant to the top of the pot but don’t pat it down. Add water to settle the soil so it’s no more than an inch below the rim. Scotts slow-release fertilizer gives newly potted plants all the nutrients they need to get established in their first month. A thin layer of mulch on top helps soil retain moisture and fends off weeds. You can plant warm-season, tropical flowers before your last frost date in southern regions, if you’re prepared to protect them during a late cold snap. If temperatures drop below 30 F, shelter containers in your garage or cover them with burlap or recycled fabric.
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