How To: Container Gardening

It is growing season and garden nurseries are overflowing with plants. I have been spending a great deal of time outdoors sprucing up my back porch and planning for my vegetable / herb gardening bed. One of my to-do list items for my back porch was to create a shade loving planter. My back porch has a roof over it so not much sun light gets back there.

Container gardening is a fun way of bringing instant impact to your space that will add living pops of color and texture. If you live in an apartment or don't have much space to garden, container gardening is a way of dealing with this. Here are some tips that will give you an professional looking planter every time.

Tip 1

For starters, it is extremely important to use a good quality soil. Many nurseries will be able to guide you in choosing a good quality soil. I use Miracle Grow Organic Choice which is good to use with vegetables  fruits, flowers and herbs. I have noticed a big difference in my plants since I switched to this soil vs the top soil I was using before.

Tip 2

Add about an inch or so of rock to the bottom of your pots to insure proper drainage.

Tip 3 

Do not fill to the top of your pot with soil, leave the soil level at least an inch or two lower than the top of your pot.

Tip 4

Now, the fun part, plant it up with a tall, dramatic thriller plant, a hardworking filler and a trailing spiller.

Here is the anatomy of my 'made for the shade' planter:

Thriller - Coleus Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Vino' / Maidenhair Fern

Filler - Begonia (bronze leaf pink) / Alyssum (white)

Spiller - Glacier Ivy Hedera helix

I chose two thrillers, I just couldn't pass up that fern. I had never seen anything like it. It is so soft to the touch and airy in appearance. This is my first shade loving planter and I can't wait to see my plants grow and fill out.

My back porch to-do list is almost complete. I have done everything on the list that I wanted to complete for this year! I have installed my outdoor curtains, we actually hung them early last month, but I haven't gotten around to taking any pictures. :( Lets revisit my to-do list, shall we.

Back Porch To-Do List

Purchase an outdoor rug

Add vibrate fluffy cushions and pillows

Plant some shade loving plants in colorful planters

Hang outdoor curtains - need to take pictures

Paint concrete

Install a ceiling fan

If you want to create instant impact on your porch, patio or deck, follow these simple planting tips and you will have a lush, gorgeous, professional looking planter in no time flat! Have you planted anything lately? Do tell! See ya soon!

Linking up with Our Fifth House!