This past weekend many of you know that Mom and I went to Haven Blogging Conference. We took so many classes that were very informative and helpful! One of our favorite classes was taught by the amazingly talented Southern Living Magazine’s Plant and Flower Expert, Carmen Johnston. This is us at the Nashville Influencers launch party… (more on that later).
And guess who got to be Carmen’s assistant? That’s right… ME! She wanted someone with a black thumb to give her help in an easy planting demonstration. I fit that description perfectly since I manage to kill plants in pots . Carmen gave us some great tips on container gardening which is her specialty! Here are her top tips:
10 Tips For Container Gardening
- Have 3 T’s when planting a container garden (Tall, Trailing, and Thick)
- Add a bright green plant and a white flowering plant for an elegant look
- Proper drainage is essential ( no one likes being held under water.. not even plants)
- Use really good soil (see her recommendation below)
- Plant 3 inches below the rim of your container
- Plant in a triangle (more details below)
- Invest in big containers
- White roots are a sign of a healthy plant
- Plant fall containers in August
- Herbs add great texture to container gardens and can smell amazing too
Now it’s my turn. Carmen gave me the plant, but it had to be re-potted. The two plants we are working with here are shade plants, perfect for a shady front porch. The tall plant is Anygostar and the short fern looking plants are Soft Caress Mahonia.
Take a look again at the demonstration picture above. What I am doing there is taping the Anygostar to 3 bamboo stakes. You will want to do this to create the height. Use floral tape for the best adhesion.
I wanted to do this right. I’ve had enough dead plants. I asked Carmen lots of questions like, “What type of soil to use?” She suggested Miracle Gro potting mix. It’s very important to use a potting mix in pots and a top soil mix for planting in the ground.
I have prepared roots before when I planted my evergreen trees but I didn’t realize you needed to do this when you planted small plants. If you are unsure it’s very simple. You take the bottom of the root ball and rip it off. It’s just that simple.
Next cram all the plants in to your planter. Plant them in a triangle shape. Your tall plants in the back, your trailing on one side in the front and your thick plant on the opposite side in the front.
Fill the pot with soil. This is such a fun activity for kids…. and pets? Here are more tips for gardening with kids … not pets, just kids!
I added Lantana as my trailing plant. Here in Tennessee it does pretty well anywhere you plant it.
I have to admit once I got it all planted it was heavy. Go figure, container gardens can be quite heavy! But nothing a DIYer can’t handle.
Jude’s little Buzz Lightyear scooter worked perfectly for transporting our container garden to the front porch. By the look of his face I’m not sure he approves. But it worked!
Carmen suggests this container garden for shady porches! She says it’s a great alternative for what most of us southern girls like to put on our porch…. FERNS. That made me laugh because guess what I finally planted on my porch… Yep, that’s right, I had finally given up and just went with ferns. And guess what they are dying… why… I don’t have proper drainage… Darn it! The poor things are drowning.
Lilly loves the shade of the front porch and so far our new container garden loves it as well! I feel like this time I got it right, but stay tuned to see if I can keep it alive. If it dies after I have had a personal lesson from Carmen then I just don’t know what I’ll do. Cry.. probably!
Thanks so much for stopping by and if you have any specific questions for Carmen please stop by her facebook page or ask in the comments below and I will be sure to get you that info.
Now…off to water my new plant but first…
What are your favorite plants to use in container gardens?
What tips do you have to share with us?
Or What questions do you have for Carmen?
Great tips! I wasn’t able to attend Carmen’s session but really wanted to! What kind of drainage should go in the bottom of the pot? Rocks?
Beth, She didn’t say to use anything in the bottom of the pots for drainage. Instead she explained that anything you pot in has to have a hole. I have several of those huge planters I guess they are made out of some sort of poly anyways they have no hole in the bottom so now I will have to take the plants on and drill a hole. I’ve tried rocks with no hole and they still drown.
To add.. she drills holes in everything she plants in
Your container looks awesome! I never would have guessed that you had a black thumb. Loved Carmen’s class…and meeting you at Haven!
You too! Wasn’t her class amazing. She is like the Rachel Ray of Plants!
Great recap- I was sorry to miss that session…my favorite combination to plant in the summer is geraniums, petunias, and bacopa-it always turns out well!
Good to know Melissa I need as many container ideas as possible!
Thank you for the tips! I brought home one of the Anygostar’s from Haven and had no idea it was a shade plant. Moving to the front porch immediately! … after I acquire a big pot and a couple of other plants to add to it. Thanks for the great tips!
Lani, Yes it is a shade plant. I have asked Carmen about a hundred question to insure that I do not kill it. And just in case you were wondering don’t bring it inside for the winter, cover it when it begins to freeze. Good luck and let me see pictures when you plant.
If the bottom doesn’t have a hole I fill several inches with packing peanuts. It helps the drainage and doesn’t make it heavy like rocks do. If the pot is really big I add some plastic containers..like water bottles to fill up space so I don’t use so much dirt.
LOL no seriously I am Laughing out loud. So I went to repot the plant and there were like 3 plastic containers shushed up and in the bottom of the plant. I thought hmm she must not have a trash can handy. So that’s why they were in there! Great idea.
When transplanting, you pull apart the root ball. How do you know you’re not ripping/cutting important roots, which will damage the plant and not allow it to regrow in its new home?
Hi!
I had a heck of time locating that plant, until I smacked my forehead after thinking Southern Living has a plants website!! And Voila! There it is:
‘Angyo Star’ Fatshedera
x Fatshedera lizei ‘Angyo Star’
Making it one word “Anygostar” is fail search on the Intertubes. 😉
Your container planting looks wonderful. I have not looked at your current posts yet, so I really hope it made it. =)
PS Holes in pots. Even with holes in pots, I can kill an evergreen.
Nice pot, put a deep watering PVC pipe thing in a corner. I am trying that from Pinterest.