Every landscape needs its finishing touches. The same way you decorate the inside of your home you can also add decor to the outside of your home. Seasonal planters are the easiest and most fun way to do this. They can elevate your space by bringing colour to your front porch or by adding life to your deck. If you don’t have space for a garden or only have a balcony, planters can provide the much needed green your space craves.
If you set up your planter correctly, it can be left out year round and updated with the changing seasons. Check out the following tips for the perfect seasonal planter:
A Solid Foundation- The Pot and the Soil
Getting the right pot ensures you will have enough space for your plants to thrive. The right soil mixture will increase the success and longevity of your planter.
Getting the right size
Keep in mind the size of the planter you have when you start to pick your plants. You want to have ample space for your plants and their roots to flourish. Check out these suggestions below for plant quantity:
Small Planter (10-12”): 6-8 plants
Medium Planters (14-16”): 8-12 plants
Large Planters (16-20”): 12-16 plants
If your plants start to overcrowd one another, trim them back to maintain overall health.
A Good Soil Mixture
It may be tempting to use whatever soil you have on hand as the base of your planter. However, to set yourself up for success, we recommend using a potting soil mix to ensure plants are getting the nutrients they need.
Different types of planters
There are many different types of planters you can pick from. While design and colour are important, there are benefits from some planters that can make caring for your plants a lot easier.
Weather proof: If you are wanting to keep your planters out year round, you will want to look for a planter that is weatherproof. Check that your planter will resist cracking in winter weather and won’t fade in the summer sun.
Self watering: These planters have a reservoir for water that releases into the soil to keep your plants properly watered. Self-watering planters and container systems can go without watering for 2-6 weeks and are an ideal system for those new to gardening.
A Recipe for the Perfect Plant Blend
The recipe for a perfect planter includes a variety of plants that have different purposes but all work together in harmony. The best way to achieve this is a combination of thrillers, fillers and spillers.
Thrillers are the centerpiece and the main attraction of the planter. They provide a base to build everything else around. Thrillers are almost always your tallest and largest plant material.
Fillers are the plants that surround the thriller. These plants should complement the centerpiece but not steal the spotlight. Fillers should be subtle but play around with different textures to achieve the perfect blend.
Spillers are your final touch. They are plants that cascade over the side over your planter adding a bit more drama to the overall look.
Keep an eye out for upcoming newsletters that will outline some of our favorite season specific plant choices.
Proper Maintenance
Once you have a beautiful planter established, you want to make sure it stays looking beautiful all year round. There are a couple key areas to consider when maintaining your planters:
Water is one of the most important factors in a healthy lush planter. Make sure your planters are getting watered on a consistent basis as to not dry out. However over watering can cause just as much harm as not watering. Only water when the top of the soil is dry.
Fertilizing your planter will ensure your blooms stay vibrant all summer long. When initially creating your planter use a fertilizer with a slow release technology. Continue to fertilize once a week to help your plants maintain their luster.
Changing seasonal material will help your planters look fresh and in season. If you are keeping any of the material, make sure you prune and deadhead anything that is looking shabby to maintain the health of your planter
Following all these tips will ensure your planters will look their best no matter what the season. Our team of professionals is here to help you! If you have no idea where to start, let us put together a planter that will be sure to have your neighbours doing a double take this season. Planter inquires >>>
