Fresh Spring Container Garden Tips
It’s true that some six months of the year are cold, snowy and make us want to curl up with some hot cocoa around a warm fire which can be cozy and endearing... But that can get old come early spring. We’ve compiled some tips, tricks, classes, and more to get your container gardens up and running this spring to help kick the cold!
cold-tolerant container gardening
for everybody
for the green-minimalist
Cold-tolerant bushes + evergreens:
TIP: make sure they’re “zone 4” hardy varieties for planting in the ground later or enjoying year-round.
boxwood (pictured)
Juniper
arborvitae
trend alert: trees in containers! just be sure they have lots of room to grow
try dogwood for a tree that you can keep potted year-round
for the vegetable enthusiast
Cruciferous vegetable plants:
Broccoli & Cauliflower
Leafy cold-tolerant vegetable plants:
Kale
For the colorful soul
the obvious (and adorable) choice:
pansies & violas
These little giants are the exact opposite of their names. They mean business and aren’t phased by cold weather and even a quick dusting of snow doesn’t shake them.
tip from a pro: pansies can actually last well into fall if you treat them right. Simply move them to a shaded, cooler location in the hotter months, and maintain regularly for blooms that last and last!
Our office planters were done by the queen of container planting herself, Natalie Quinn!
Client Patio Feature:
tips for your container garden
Check out the following tips from a 10-year pro gardener to help ensure your container gardening success!
Start with the right soil
It’s time to dump out the half-frozen, just a little moldy, old soil from last season. To simply plant in soil who’s nutrients have been excised isn’t the best way to ensure your container gardens bloom prolifically now and later.
If using pots and soil from the year prior: If you have a bit of soil left, empty it onto the ground and lightly scrub the inside of your pot to get rid of any unwelcome microbes. If there are any oddly colored or overly fragrant (if you know what I mean) clumps of soil, it’s best to toss aside for it to help in other ways in your garden or yard. Buy a bit of new soil to mix with the leftovers to replenish nutrients.
The right soil for container gardens depends on what you are planting in them. A one-size fits all solution can work, but only if you are a savvy gardener without killer instincts - kidding, kind of! It is important to use a soil suited for pots and avoiding straight garden soil, also called top soil. This is because top soil is too dense and will not allow a solid root system to establish in a container garden. Without roots that are strong and able to easily navigate around a lightweight soil, you may experience some difficulty keeping your container garden plants alive, finding that you are having to water more or less frequently, or generally not experiencing much “wow-factor” that a container garden should bring when the plants have freedom to grow.
Find a soil that contains perlite (or vermiculite if you have a little more trouble keeping your pots watered).
If the potting soil you have stored away doesn’t have these natural soil aerators, you can always purchase them separately from your local garden store to mix thoroughly with what you have. As any savvy gardener will tell you - there’s always hope.
2. For now - keep your container where the light can see it
The sun in the early spring is notoriously less intense than high-summer. Even if your planter calls for shade, be sure to keep it in a part-sun environment for now and as the sun increases in intensity throughout the spring, adjust as needed.
If you’ve been dabbling in plantings that aren’t cold tolerant: put. down. the. hand shovel. just kidding - again, kind of. Let’s remember that the unofficial start of the planting season really is Mother’s Day weekend for plants that aren’t hardy in cold temps. If you’ve jumped the gun, never fear, you are not alone. It’s tough to wait so long when the weather begins to turn around in the early spring.
If you’ve found yourself amongst the hopeful early planters, be sure to monitor the temps on a day-to-day basis until we are consistently above freezing lows for two full weeks. During this time, keep your planters in part-sun to full-sun environments and if the temp dips below 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s time to pop the planter indoors during these lows. If it’s during the day, leave the planter by a window where it can see the sun. At nighttime? Anywhere insulated and above the lowest tolerance temperature will do.
3. water as needed
Keep an eye on your planters, but nothing will make your plants sadder quicker than over-watering. When you water, the soil should be just a bit dry looking on the top, but not bone-dry.
If your planter doesn’t have drainage: It’s best to add some. If your dealing with a fiberglass or lightweight pot, flip the pot on its head when empty and drill a few small drainage holes into the bottom.
If you can’t or don’t feel comfortable adding drainage holes: Here’s a quick tip - keep a few empty plastic water bottles or cans, or styrofoam from your most recent delivery will do! Add to the bottom of your pots before your soil for some help with drainage.
Cans or bottles: Lightly crunch and place randomly at the bottom of your pots before soil
Styrofoam: break apart at different angles and place at the bottom of your pots before soil
Adding drainage is a surefire way to help avoid over-watering. Place enough bottles/cans or styrofoam to fill 1/5 of a shallow pot, or 1/4 of your deeper pots. This will help the water stay away from the roots when the plants have had enough. When waterlogged, roots suffocate and can’t get big and strong to absorb nutrients throughout the season.
4. Fertilize
Most soils aren’t providing our plants with as many nutrients as they’d like to thrive. Adding a natural fertilizer to your routine should help greatly in avoiding issues such as lack of blooms and root development. Be sure to only use the amount recommended on the package to avoid damage to your plants.
If you’re a natural-product lover: The best solution for you will likely be a natural liquid fertilizer. This type of fertilizer is water-soluble and works best when mixed in a watering can. It’s an additional step about 1x per week, but your plants will love you for it.
If you don’t have time to think about fertilizing every 2 or so weeks with a water-soluble solution: Never fear! There are many time-release products on the market formulated to sit on top of the soil, or just under the surface, and release an appropriate dose of fertilizer when watered.
