Containers That Worked

Believe me I have some that did not work in this summer's heat.

Coleus Redhead, Dichondra and Cordyline

This one never even had a wilt during the intense heat because they are in very large containers, less chance of the soil drying.  I am going to try to invest in a couple more larger containers for next year.

Supertunias Bubblegum and Bordeaux

Not all Supertunias perform like these two!  Even the Supertunias need a little trimming and fertilizer this time of year.

This is a basket that I put together early in the season, never had a chance.  The Japanese beetles ate everything in it, Sweet Caroline sweet potato vine, beautiful geranium and Cranberry Crush superbells.  It is just starting to revive for the fall season.

When I first planted this I did not have much hope for it being a great container.  However, it has become my favorite, Caladium Aaron with Orange Guinea Impatiens.  I really like this caladium, more petite and stronger than many of the other varieties.  It hangs on the fence under my neighbor's old lilac tree.

This is the one hanging basket that I purchased at Home Depot.  Each year I have brought home one of their tuberous begonia baskets and so far they have not disappointed.  Many of the other with overgrown plantings have not been a good investment.

Mystic Illusion Dahlia and Phantom Petunia

I have a couple of other plants in here but I can just imagine how spectacular this would have been in a larger container.  It dried out quickly and needed daily watering, sometimes more.

I love hayracks on a little shed, but oh what a chore it is to keep the plants alive.  The soil dries out too quickly and I had to pull the zinnias and put in the superbells.  I am totally rethinking this one for next year, how about cactus?

These are the nasturtiums in my veggie garden growing up an obliesk.  They are infringing somewhat on my peppers, but I hate to pull them out.

I should have just stuck with the Algerian Ivy, the impatiens hardly bloomed all season.

Rex Begonia

This is a plant that likes the heat, formerly a houseplant but being used more and more in the outside garden.  We wintered this over inside from last year.



Coleus Sedona and Blackheart Sweet Potato Vine

I have kept it pretty simple this year, no more than three types of plants in a container.  We all know that some of those multi-flowered containers begin to show stress half way through the summer.  It is always upsetting to see some of the lovely plants in an expensive container drying up when the rest look fine.  I am almost ready to go to the single plant look if it withstands the high temperatures!

The Last Dance

Can you believe it will be the last time to do certain activities in the garden?  Evergreens should have been trimmed before the end of July because they put out new growth that can be nipped with the first frost.  Frost, what does that mean?  The average first frost for Illinois is the third week of October.

I still have some boxwoods that I am going to take a chance and trim this week because if this weather keeps up we won't have frost until January!  Do not feed any evergreens or shrubs in August in zone 5 or colder - stimulating growth can cause dieback when it turns colder.

Some pretty things to look at as we talk about the end of summer annuals.  This is an unnamed coleus and feathery sweet potato vine.  I wish I had planted this in one of my containers but this was designed for my daughter-in-law for two carefree metal urns by the back door.  They have done great all summer.

My daughter-in-law's front planters are very large 24" cast iron on pedestals, so if your remember the spring plantings, there were lots of plants!

I will feed my roses for the last time within the first two weeks of August.  My Rainbow Knockouts usually bloom until early November.  I do trim all of my roses lightly just to neaten them up, never having a problem with late fall growth.

Annuals still need to be fed every two weeks with a high bloom formula until they succumb to the frost - impatiens, coleus, sweet potato vine, fuchsias and all types of begonias will be the first to go with zinnia, marigolds and dahlias to follow.  Petunias, allysum and geraniums are the last to give up the ghost as they can take some cool temperatures. 

This is Red Velvet Coleus and Yellow Saffron Suberbells and they have not succumbed to our constant heat this summer.

This is Gay's Delight Coleus and it will not hold up to a frost, but in the meantime a great color in the garden.
I will need to bring my tropicals in when the nights begin to drop into the 40's.  I can't believe I am actually saying that temperature.

The red grasses will take over for fall, petunias will hold up to a light frost, sweet potato and coleus will not take a frost, but we will insert some cabbages and decorative pumpkins.

We can make this work into the next season!

Containers - What's Working And What Is Not!

This is the time of year I go into a funk about my garden, but this year it is not so much the garden as it is my containers.  I am not in despair over all of them but some that I thought would be wonderful, like my hayracks on the shed, I have already replanted.

The insects, slugs, japanese beetles and who know what else have really ravaged some of the plants along with the heat and rain.  Well, it kind of gives me a road map as to what I will try next year - not dahlias, the earwigs have had a feast. 

Front Concrete Planters

Those great petunias have weathered the storm and they will definitely have a place in my containers, not bocapa, all green and no flowers.  I can always count on impatiens, no damage, just need lots of water, fibrous begonias a winner, lobelia (laguna), ivy and geraniums all going great.

Bubble Gum Supertunia

Blue Ceramic Containers

I will use more moss next year to protect against evaporation on the top of the containers.  It already seems to be helping on the ones I have recently mossed.

My tropicals have been stunning this year, crotons, sedums, etc., have all put on a show.  The hanging baskets have struggled to stay alive with the heat even though they have been watered every day sometimes even twice.  My hayracks were been planted with dahlias (big mistake) get mushy from rain, dry up from heat. 

Agave, Red Rosie Hens and Chickens, Creeping Jenny and the mystery yellow (also a succulent) plant that I didn't think was going to do much.  Now I wish I knew the name!

The Rooster pot has come back!

 Oh, what would we do if everything was perfect? 

Cast Iron Containers

Irish Pots in the border with Pineapple Coleus

Pink Impatiens and Orange Reiger Begonia on patio

Fushia Autumnale spilling from the cast iron containers.  It is a bronze and green colored leaf and it really blooms.  I think I would pinch it next year to fill out more rather than getting so long.  However, it is lovely!

A Container For All Seasons

I have been on a mission to find every plant I need to fill my daughter-in-law's containers.  My dear friend and I visited three nurseries the other day and I went to a final one yesterday in order to complete the plant list for these large pedestal type cast iron containers.  They are very impressive and lead up to the front door of a Nantucket style home.

I know I said I was going to do a Cezanne arrangement for these pots, lots of color!  I think we have achieved our goal with pinks, whites, blues, yellows, purples, magenta and of course lots of green. 

Our tall background plant is Dracena Bauer, which in the tropics will grow to ten feet, not in our container.  In front of that we will plant Dahlia Mystic Beauty, encircled by Lobelia, petunias, zinnias,  coleus, sweet potato vine, dusty miller and creeping jenny.

What most of us do not realize is that it takes a lot of plants to fill out a container.  They need to be packed tight to make an impact.  You can shake away some of that dirt to squeeze them in. These full pots also need to be fed at least every two weeks and watered daily if necessary.  I am also going to add some water absorbing crystals to the soil and fertilize.

I took a tour one day of the village where I live to really notice how well containers enhanced the homes where they resided.  To my surprise, many of them were too small for the size of the home and so many did not compliment the style of the specific residence.  When you place containers at the entrance of your home or garden, stand back and look at them from the perspective of approaching your entry or passing by from the street.  Containers should be large enough to make an impact but not overpowering.

When choosing plants for containers, take into consideration the style of the home and also the color of the brick/siding, roof and fencing.  I am not a fan of Dusty Miller, but I am going to use it to peek out from this container to pick up the color of the siding and draw your eye from the plantings to the home.