5 Easy Steps to Spectacular Patio Flower Pots
June 06, 2012 at 7:05 AM
by guest blogger and JP&CO contractor extraordinaire Pete Paulson
The introduction of potted plants to your patio adds warmth, beauty, and maybe even a little flavor to your meals in the summer and fall. When considering what to do with your potted plants this year, dare to think beyond the impatiens. Plant water-storing succulents in a shallow pot or fill a large container with hydrangeas for a lush, voluminous, burst of color on your porch.
Another great route to take with patio plants is the edible one—plant herbs to add different shades and textures of greens to your view, and great tastes to your cooking too! Check out Samantha’s Guide to Growing an Herb Garden and her Cooking with Herbs Resource Guide for tips and ideas.
How about growing fresh and delicious fruit right outside your door? Small fruit shrubs and trees such as blueberries, sweet cherries, figs, and strawberries are perfect for potting, and will look great on your porch.
Once you’ve decided what you want to plant, it’s time to make sure that your plants have a chance to flourish. That’s where I come in!
Pete’s 6-Step Guide to Growing Potted Patio Plants
- Buy potting or garden soil WITHOUT fertilizer in it. It is important not to use the wrong kind of fertilizer, or over-fertilize your plant, especially during the first 2-5 weeks after potting, because doing so can burn the plant’s roots and hinder growth.
- Use ROOT STIMULATOR fertilizer for the first 4 weeks of the growing season. Root stimulator is high in phosphorous, potassium, Vitamin B1, and a rooting hormone IBA. The combination of these nutrients promotes the quick root development needed to stabilize the growth and health of your plants. Be sure to follow directions carefully. Do not over fertilize!
- Use a Miracle-Gro type fertilizer in a hose end sprayer after 4 weeks and continuing through Labor Day. Click Here for a List of Organic Alternatives
- Water carefully but completely daily. Don’t beat down your flowers with water spray. Be careful not to overwater your plant, which pushes the oxygen out of the soil and can kill the roots.
- Deadhead blooms in order to promote multiple blooms if appropriate for the plant species. This can be done by trimming off the blooms that have browned, withered, or grown old. If deadheading flowers with tall stems, deadhead from the base of the stem. For a list of which flowers to deadhead, check out this guide.
- Protect your flowing plants from the adverse effects of severe weather (i.e. heavy rain, hail or high wind). Pull pots under the awning of your home or into the shed or garage to ensure that their beautiful blooms aren’t destroyed by the force of mother nature.
ENJOY the bounty and beauty of your spectacular flowering plants.
- Pete
Grose Samantha
Associate AIA, Allied ASID Designer for JP&CO.
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