While it looks like a designer spent hours getting this container together, it was actually whipped up in minutes! Follow our fool-proof steps to create a gorgeous container. Or, if you’re not feeling DIY-y let us create containers for you to bring home.
Create Gorgeous Containers
Designer Look In A Flash
1. Select Your Container
First choose your container and measure the opening. You can measure the diameter, and follow the general rule that a 10-12″ container needs 3-5 plants, 14-16″ needs 5-7, and 18-20″ needs 7-9. What I like to do, if I can’t take the pot with me, is to tie a string around the top of pot. Then take the string off and bring it with me so I can use it to do a mock-up at the nursery.
2. Select Plants
Next choose your plants. While following the thriller, filler, spiller is a fool-proof way to design mixed containers, I chose not to add any spillers because I wanted to show off the container. Since this is a fall and winter pot I selected some plants that will make it through the winter and beyond, Coral Bell, Kale, and Liriope. Other seasonal plants add color, Celosia, Rudbeckia, and Peppers. The tall spike is a colorful Dracena that can be brought indoors before it gets too cold–it makes a great houseplant. Besides looking for gorgeous flowers, be sure that added foliage has great contrasting color and texture.
3. Fill Container With Soil
Fill your pot with a high quality potting soil. At Sugar Creek we use Pro-Mix. Don’t fill your container to the top. Measure the height of the tallest pot of your chosen plants and keep that much space in your container, usually about 6-8″. If you have a large pot it can be cumbersome to fill the container completely with potting soil. We like to use old empty pots flipped upside down to fill in some space at the bottom. Gumballs or crushed soda cans are other options. Just be sure to use something that will allow water to drain out.
4. Now The Fun - Plant!
Now comes the fun part – planting! Start with your anchor plants, these are usually thrillers and fillers that are the largest in size and usually towards the back of pot, or the center if the container will be viewed from all angles.
5. More Fun - Keep Planting
Add the last of your plants. I placed the plants so that tallest are in the background and shortest in the foreground, so all plants may be viewed at one time. This container was designed to be viewed from one side. This is a great design for a pot that’s against a wall or the edge of patio. If your container will be viewed from more than one angle keep your thriller and filler plants in the center and your spiller plants toward the the outside edges of the pot. Usually you will need more spillers. You may have noticed that I didn’t use all the plants in the wagon in this container. I guessed on container size and overestimated, I should have measured.
6. Fill In And Fertilize
Fill the spaces in between the plants with potting soil. I like to use a smaller sized pot for this, a trowel may also be used. Most potting soils contain fertilizer, but I usually add a little more. Add a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote now. In addition, I recommend fertilizing with Bloom Booster at half strength every two weeks.
7. Water In Well
Be sure to water. Give it a good soaking once it’s planted up. Be sure to keep your container well watered, watering every day to every other day. As the plants get larger they may require water more often.
8. Enjoy!
Done! You’ll create a masterpiece that is uniquely yours.
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