Taking a Break

I am taking a break for a few days to attend the Free the Children Me to We Conference in Vancouver. We will have an opportunity to be inspired by speakers like the Dalai Lama and see what a difference just one person can make in the world. There will be thousands of youth at the conference seeking how they too can make a difference in their community and world today.

"Create a world of change through your daily choices"

Container Garden Tools

We don’t talk much about tools, however, they are most important and now is the time of year to check to see that they are all in good condition, well cleaned and ready for the next season of container gardening.

Plant Sale Time

This is the time of year for local plant sales. Take some of those wonderful container plants and split them up for your donation, or replace one of the plants for something new for the Season. Everyone loves seeing what everyone else is growing and you are supporting a worthy cause along the way.

Garden Planter Trio

Use three garden pots or planters to create a beautiful display or just use one container for all – both suggestions work so well. If you don’t have any very large planters or urns three small pots will do. Plant Superbells (calibrachoa) in one pot, with Heuchera or coral bells in the second one and complete with Diascia.

Spring Bulb Planters

Now is the time to pot up some spring flowering bulbs in your planters for indoor color during the Winter season. Place the containers in a cool, dark place, until you can see new growth emerging from the soil, and then move them to a bright window to enjoy.

Container Foliage Combination

It is always fun to try a couple of new container combinations in the Fall – here is one that is very attractive and adds interest to any setting. In your 14” pot, plant a Black Scallop Ajuga together with Helen’s Blush Euphorbia and Key Lime Pie Heuchera. Simple and unique.

Outdoor Containers For Fall

Now is the time to enjoy all those brilliant colors that only the Fall season can inspire. Start with Black Eyed Susan, Flowering Kale and then complete your Planter with an ornamental grass. Simple and so attractive.

Late Fall Container Gardens

Replant your garden pots and containers for every season – now going into Fall, consider celebrating with orange – start with celosia for height and then add your ornamental cabbage, golden Hypericum and end of with bring orange-yellow mums. Quite spectacular for Fall!

Over Wintering Mandevilla

Yes, we are now talking about over wintering – time to think about getting the containers and planters ready for a cooler (cold) season. For the Mandevilla, just cut off the vines to a manageable length. Keep the plant in its pot and water sparingly for the winter, don’t fertilize until ready to place outdoors in the Spring again.

Soil Key to Good Container Gardening

Soil is the key to successful gardening in containers. The plants are at the mercy of what you put in the flower pots, they are isolated and cannot get nourishment from the soil around them if needed. The roots penetrate deep so make sure that you have a nice large planter to allow your plants to grow healthy and strong.

Garden Planters with Gaura

Now that summer is fading, the Gaura in our garden planters is going strong. The slender stems float over the garden container and extend out like wands in the breeze. It thrives in full sun and adds movement and grace to those garden pots, urns and window boxes.

Fresh Fall Container Additions

To keep garden planters and containers fresh looking into the Fall season, just add a branch of bittersweet to the pot, or perhaps a cluster of red maple leaves or even a tall corn stock . You are now up to date and in keeping with the changing seasons.

Herb Cubes the Answer

What to do with all those herbs that we have grown so successfully over the summer – you can only make so much bruchetta and mint tea! Just take a few minutes and chop up the herbs, place in cube containers and fill with water with touch of oil. Then freeze, place the cubes in storage bags. They will be ready and easily accessible when needed.