Remember That Pot?

In my May 17th post, I had a picture of a beautiful, square, Italian terracotta pot.  Here's what I planted in it:

• Ivy Geranium ("Contessa Burgundy Bicolor" and "Precision Blue")
• Purple Sage
• English Thyme
• Salvia ("Wild Thing")
• Hypericum Calycinum ("Brigadoon")
• Heuchera Coral Bells ("Obsidian")
• Alpine Geranium

I've listed these to point out that you can put more plants than you think in one container as long  as they all have similar sun and water requirements.  

Here's how the pot looked soon after I planted it.  I'll do my best to remember to take a picture at the end of the season.  

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

My Lucky Day

You know that saying:  "The best camera is the one you have with you." It was definitely true today. My little hummingbird friend showed up today and I happened to have had my cell phone in hand. I quickly clicked the Instagram video button and started shooting. I thought I had missed him but then a split second later, he flew right up to the glass door and started rooting around in the Belamcanda (Blackberry Lily).
Belamcanda is easy to grow. It's in the Iris family and produces star-shaped flowers with six petals. The blooms close at night by twisting. It requires sun to light shade and is hardy to zone 5. I'm going on my third year with these in the same pot. I like them and apparently my hummingbird does too.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Rain, Rain, and More Rain

It has been raining for nearly a week straight. I had hoped to get the last of my planting done but that was not the weather's plan for me. Things started to clear up late this evening so I decided rather than plant the last few things, my time would be better spent arranging the pots on the deck. I had too much stuff everywhere and I was tripping over everything. So I spent an hour and half finding a place for (almost) everything. This little guy hung on for dear life as I moved from one corner to another the huge (and heavy) hydrangea that he apparently has made home.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Let's Review: Read the Label

Read the label.

Wherever you buy your plant, it will likely have a plant tag or a label stuck in the soil. This is not for decoration. It's important to pay attention to the information on it. It can be the difference between your delight or your disappointment. I'll tell you why. That tag lets you know under what conditions your plant will thrive such as full sun (6 or more hours of sun) or full shade. This is probably the most important fact on the label because if you put a shade plant (such as a fern) in the full sun, it will die a miserable death. And if you put a tomato plant in full shade, you'll go all summer without a single piece of fruit.  

The label will also tell you the dimensions of the plant when it reaches full size, which can guide you in selecting the proper size pot. It will also tell you the plant's hardiness zone. If it's a perennial and you have hopes of it surviving the winter, be sure it's hardy to your zone. I usually subtract two zones because plants in pots are more exposed to the elements. Here in Virginia, it's zone 7 so if I have any hopes for a plant to return the following year, I look for those that have a zone of 5.  

There's good information here.

Finally, if it's a flowering plant you're looking at, the tag will tell you its bloom season. With annuals, you can rely on blooms the entire season. But with perennials, you'll want to read the label closely. Most (not all) perennials will only bloom for a couple months--it might be spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer, or fall. You can plan accordingly and buy different types of flowering perennials so that you can have staggered blooms. I often mix flowering perennials with annuals so that I'll always have something in bloom.  But keep in mind, flowers aren't everything. I've learned to appreciate interesting foliage, which can often be beautiful all on its own.

So read that label and give your plant the best possible chance to thrive.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Let's Review: Pots

Terracotta pots are beautiful but require more frequent watering.

I've always said that you can grow almost anything in a pot.  At various times over the years I've grown trees (a Japanese maple that I've had for eight years--maybe longer), shrubs, vegetables, perennials flowers, annuals, and herbs.  The pot you choose has to be large enough to accommodate its contents. For example, my Japanese maple is in a huge container, which is only problematic when I need to move it, or should I say, when my husband needs to move it for me.  

My garden has an array of containers--from terracotta pots (see photo) to wine crates to pots made of lightweight composite materials. You should consider several things including aesthetics, weight, and size. I prefer an eclectic mix of pots, which is why you'll see such a variety in my pictures. It's part aesthetic preference and part experiment.  

Pot feet allow for drainage and air circulation

But if you remember nothing else, remember this: no matter what container you use, you must have good drainage. You accomplish this three ways. First, be sure that your container has holes at the bottom. If it doesn't, don't buy it, or be prepared to drill the holes yourself. Depending on the type of material, you may not want to risk it. At the very least, use an appropriate drill bit. Second, use potting mix not garden soil. Potting mix is formulated to facilitate drainage and allow for root growth. Garden soil is too heavy to use in containers and your roots will suffocate. Finally, elevate your pots. I use pot feet (see photo). On a round pot, you can get by with three; on a square pot, use four.  

The right pot and proper drainage are the foundations of successful container gardening. There are other considerations of course, which I've talked about in the past and will review in future posts.  

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

In the beginning...

One carton of many filled with plants

This is the weekend that I typically do my big shopping for the garden. I bought more than I have in past years because we had a bitter winter, which killed some of the plants that typically survive the season.  Well, that's how it goes. I just scrubbed out those pots and readied them for something new and interesting.

In the beginning it's chaos

So here's what things look like in the beginning. It's sort of chaotic. I have plants everywhere, dirt everywhere, water everywhere, everything everywhere. And don't even ask me how many times I tripped over the water hose today.

Stay tuned. I'll continue to post on the weekends as I document my progress. Meanwhile, go buy some plants.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

A Huge Thank You!

No pictures for this post--just a huge thank you to The Washington Post for featuring my garden and two other beautiful DC gardens in today's issue of The Washington Post magazine.  Thanks to Jennifer Barger, whose skill with words I very much appreciate, and to April Greer, who clearly knows how to capture a beautiful photograph.

Starting Lineup

Starting Lineup

Welcome back to container planting season!  I spent last weekend scrubbing out pots and I'm not quite finished yet.  Unfortunately, I lost a couple of perennials over the unusually bitter Virginia winter.  That's all the more reason to pay attention to the hardiness zone information on plant tags. When I plant perennials, my rule of thumb is to plant those with a hardiness zone that is two zones lower than the official zone I live in.  For example, in my area of Virginia, the hardiness zone is 7.  Remember that plants in containers are more exposed than plants in the ground. So to be safe, I choose perennials that have a hardiness zone of 5, that is, if I want a fighting chance that they'll return the following year.  I planted a beautiful Butterfly Bush last year.  I took a risk knowing that the hardiness zone was 6. It did not end well.  Of course, I can always look at the bright side and remember how much I enjoyed having it in the garden last year.  

So get ready to start planting your containers.  I usually wait until Mothers' Day weekend. By that time, most of the cold nights are behind us so I don't have to worry about bringing plants inside--that's a lot of trouble and I really don't have the space for them anyway.  

Now that the season is underway, I'll be posting on weekends (occasionally more often).  I'll show you what I'm planting and offer helpful hints and lessons learned.  It's time to get dirty!

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

October Surprise

 It's mid-October and things are looking better than I thought they would.  I still see a few bees here and there and the occasional butterfly.  This one really seemed to like the purple coneflower.  It stayed long enough for me to take about a dozen or more pictures at fairly close range.  I did a little reading and apparently purple coneflower is one of the top butterfly-attracting flowers.  Others are phlox, verbena, and the aptly named butterfly bush.  Purple coneflower is perennial and likes full sun.  You can get it in a dwarf size, like this one, that's best suited for containers. It's not too late to plant perennials here in zone 7, in fact, you might still find some good deals at your nursery or local big box store.  Just make sure your container is large enough because perennials multiply in their second and third years.  You don't want to have to repot too soon. 

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Little Lime

Hydrangea "Little Lime"

Little Lime is the name of my newest hydrangea.  I've always been a hydrangea fan; their blooms make fantastic focal points for flower arrangements.  And there are all different types, including those well suited for containers.  Little Lime is one of them.  It's a dwarf version of a plant the produces lime green colored blooms that gradually turn pinkish as the cooler temperatures of fall arrive.  It's hardy to zone 4, grows 3 to 5 feet tall, blooms from July through September, and flowers on current year's growth.  

I bought this hydrangea at my local nursery.  I also know it's available by mail order through White Flower Farm (and probably plenty of other online plant retailers).  

Little Lime with Xanthosoma in back

I'm going the conservative route and won't prune it until the spring when new growth starts to sprout so I can really see what survived the winter and what didn't.  With hydrangeas, if you get too aggressive with the pruners, you may prune yourself right out of blooms the next year.  That would be a shame.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

More Visitors

Visiting Finch

It's been a great summer so far and a good season for Flat Bottom Flowers.  The bees were in abundance this year, which is always a good sign.  I had a couple of other frequent visitors as well including hummingbirds and finches.  The finch shown here took a liking to my basil.  I had to shoot it through the glass door because I knew if I opened the door, it would fly away.

I had another visitor as well though finding himself in my garden was probably never part of his plan.  I went to the garden center last weekend and bought some onions, lettuce, and a few cool weather annuals.  I also bought a couple of pots (like I need more--but there are worse habits; that's what I tell myself anyway).  I got home and put everything out on the deck.  A while later I went to sort everything out and found this guy in one of my newly purchased pots; he must have hitched a ride back with me.  I keep calling him a frog but I guess he's really a toad because he has a dry appearance.  The difference is that frogs have a wet, slimy appearance. Whatever.  Welcome to your new home.

Hitchhiking Toad

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

The Big Picture

These pictures don't show my entire container garden, but about two-thirds of it is captured here.  It's difficult to get everything in the frame and I didn't want to lug heavy pots from one end of the deck to the other just to get it all in one picture.  What's missing here is a huge Japanese Maple and a rose bush that gets bigger every year.  Also one of my most prolific cherry tomato plants is not shown--neither are various mixed plantings.  But you get the idea.  It's been a good season so far and I'm not finished yet.  I just planted some onions today as well as lettuce and annuals that grow well after the dog days of summer are behind us.  

Now is a good time to be on the lookout for perennials that might go on sale at your local nursery or big box store.  You can get them potted well before frost and while they may not look like much now, you'll be rewarded next season.  Just be sure you know what hardiness zone you're in and choose accordingly.  

Still lots of planting days ahead if you live in a milder climate.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

A Delightful Little Rose

Jean Mermoz

I lost two roses over the winter and decided not to replace them.  Roses in general are just too high maintenance for me; I'm a carefree type of gardener.  I don't like all of the attention roses demand especially when, in the end, they often disappoint you.  But this little rose has not been a disappointment at all this year, in fact, it's been just the opposite. I bought Jean Mermoz 5 years ago from Antique Rose Emporium and I think this has been its best year yet.  It's been in the same pot the entire time and I dig a couple of annuals into the soil surrounding it just fill out the space.  Jean started blooming in May and has not stopped.  In fact, today, I counted at least 25 buds ready to open up at any minute. 

Jean Mermoz has a low-growing, compact habit and likes full sun.  The bloom is less than 2 inches across and the plant is hardy to zone 5.  

Jean Mermoz

I'd say that if you want to take a chance on a rose, this one is probably worth the risk.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Thanks for Stopping By

Hummingbird and Agastache "Bolero"

My garden gets great visitors of the nonhuman kind.  Butterflies, bees, ladybugs, praying mantis, and on rare and special occasions, a hummingbird.  I think this one lives nearby.  Actually, his (or her) visits might not be so rare, it's just that they likely occur mostly when we're not home.

Anyone who's ever tried to take pictures of hummingbirds knows they can be elusive.  This one is no exception.  Plus, you've got to be fast with a camera at the ready.  With wings that flap an average of 50 times per second (and up to 200 times) and flight speed that can top 34 mph (forward, backward, and upside down, by the way), the hummingbird is not going to hang around for some slowpoke photographer.  

Summer visitor

I tried to plant a few things that hummingbirds like but it seems that this one is especially attracted to Agastache "Bolero."  I've planted Agastache before, but not this particular one so we'll see how it does over the winter.  It grows to about 16" high, likes full sun, blooms July-October and is supposed to be hardy to zone 6.  Because I have it in a pot, that might not be good enough--usually I'm safe with zone 5. But we'll see.

Meanwhile, this hummer is enjoying what Bolero has to offer right now.


Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Summer Harvest

Get a load of these.  They're Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes and they're ripening (almost) faster than we can eat them.  Once you try one of these, you'll never go back to those insipid looking tomatoes at the supermarket that taste like cardboard.  The Sweet 100s are like a taste explosion--you won't even want to take the time that's required to make a salad.  You'll just pop them in your mouth one after another like I do.  And I only share with people who are really (and I mean really) nice to me.

I bought these as tiny little plants online at White Flower Farm; however, I also saw them at the local nursery.  I ordered them because my mom gave me a White Flower Farm gift certificate for Christmas--this has been a gift that keeps on giving.  I have three plants in total--two red and one yellow (though more like gold). They're in rather large pots with tomato cages.  They grow FAST and need lots of support.  We even had to lash the cages to the deck railing when a couple of windstorms came through.  Mine are now 5 feet tall and the fruit is about 1-inch around.  They require full sun and are disease resistant.  Some of the leaves are turning a bit yellow though I don't see signs of pests or fungus.  They also get plenty of water.  I think that because they are in pots, the nutrients in the soil get washed away with practically every watering.  So even though I don't usually use much fertilizer, these plants demand it.  So I use Espoma Tomato-tone.  

Put Sweet 100s on your list for next year--and put people on notice that they better be nice.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Bug Repellent Imposter

Bug repeller or nice smelling plant?

I think I've been duped.  I bought this plant thinking it was the real deal mosquito repelling citronella plant.  What made me think that?  Only the tag that said "Citronella Plant" with a picture of a mosquito that had a big ol' red "x" through it.  However, I've come to find out that its botanical name is "Pelargonium 'Citrosa,'" which clearly puts it in the geranium family.  Say what?  The real plant that produces the citronella oil commonly thought to repel mosquitoes looks more like a lemongrass shrub.  Well you can see that's not what this looks like.  Repellent or not, I like how it looks and I like how it smells even better.  It's actually a lemon scent that is further enhanced when you brush by it or crush the leaves.  

This plant needs at least six hours of sunlight and will grow 24-36" tall.  It is a tender perennial so that means it won't survive winter in Virginia.  But if you're in zone 9-11, you're in luck.  

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Rootbound Rosemary

Rootbound Rosemary

If you're just getting around to buying some plants--and you wouldn't be the only one judging from the shoppers at Home Depot yesterday--you might want to look out for plants that are rootbound.  It happens when plants have been on the shelves for a while; they start outgrowing their little nursery pots and the roots start twisting all around and getting matted up.  One way to avoid this is to buy your plants earlier in the season, but sometimes that's not possible.  Another thing you can do is while you're at the nursery or local big box store, just dump the plant into your hand and examine the roots.  If it's rootbound, go on to the next one.  However, if you really want that one plant and all the ones like it are in the same condition, don't worry.  It's been my experience that it will end up doing just fine.  

Recovered Rosemary

Take this rosemary for example.  I actually bought it about six weeks ago so there's no excuse for it having been so rootbound.  And, as sometimes happens, I didn't take my own advice--I didn't dump it out to check the roots.  So I got all the way home and was ready to plant only to discover this tangled mess.  Most gardening books will tell you to "shake out the excess soil and tease the roots apart."  These roots were in knots so "teasing" was not an option.  But I didn't just want to stick it in the pot as it was because there's no chance for the roots to spread into the surrounding soil.  So, I just cut into it vertically from the base with gardening scissors and ripped it apart so I could spread out the root base and plant it in the soil.  It was an aggressive approach, but take a look.  My rosemary has not only recovered, it's thriving.  

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

It's About Thyme

Thyme in a mixed herb planting

We cook a lot.  And we use a whole bunch of herbs.  It gets super expensive. Those of you who buy herbs know what I mean.  So that's why I try to grow as many as I can.  I'll have future posts about the other herbs I grow, but today it's about thyme. 

So thyme is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean.  In the Middle Ages, it was thought to bring courage.  Well, it's 2014 and I say, who among us today couldn't do with an extra dose of that?

There are all sorts of thyme so read your plant tag carefully.  If you plan to cook with it, be sure to get "Thymus Vulgaris."  The name "vulgaris" would indicate otherwise, but it really is the kind you put in your food.  It's not to be confused with other types of thyme that you probably shouldn't eat like "woolly thyme" (a great ground cover) and "creeping thyme" (a great ornamental).

I have found that thyme likes full sun, heat, and excellent drainage.  It's perennial in most regions so mine often returns year after year.

I use thyme in my chilis and sauces as well as chicken marinades.  If you're a pork and beef eater, it's a great seasoning for those.  

So grow some thyme.  It's so easy and you'll save yourself some bucks (and add to your courage).

Thyme for cooking ("culinary" thyme)

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Playing Catch Up

It's just dirt

I spent two straight weekends planning, buying, organizing, and planting.  I first had to get the basic supplies:  potting mix, earthworm poo, Osmocote time-release fertilizer, a few pots to replace the ones that were cracked beyond repair from the winter, and a new watering hose. Oh, and another pair of gloves.  The ones shown here keep my palms dry when things start to get messy. 

I'm often astonished at how much I pay for dirt.  It's just dirt.  But be sure not to use soil from your garden when you plant.  First, it's way too heavy and drainage will be a problem.  Second, it might harbor bacteria and fungus that will damage your new plants.

Start scooping

If you haven't started planting your containers, it's really not too late.  Just be sure not to buy anything that would have already bloomed in the spring.  Unless, of course, it's a perennial and you don't mind waiting until next spring.  In that case, make sure it will survive the winter in your pot by checking the hardiness zone.  You can get all of that information by reading the plant tag.

Now get digging.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books

Chaos Now. Order Later.

Temporary chaos

Off to a slow start this year.  The deck was looking pretty shabby by the end of last season.  And parts of the railing were on the wobbly side.  I wouldn't let anyone within three feet of the edge of the deck, which meant they could step to the center of the deck, and then not move one inch in any direction.  So we had some repairs done--and some sprucing up.  I'm still working on getting things in shape.  It's only the beginning of June so there's a long season ahead.  So stay tuned.  I have some things to show you that are new this year.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books