by MARIE
(PGH PA)
Camouflage Pots on parade
we have a deck behind our cottage, it gets afternoon sun, I was planting carnations and marigolds and some ferns.. when we leave on the weekend we water them well, but if it doesn’t rain during the week we are pulling out and replanting. help!! mmarino
Well, as you know, I’m a firm believer in planting succulents – everywhere. If there is a challenging site that needs color and texture, put in some hardy succulents which need virtually no care.
In your situation, I would plant several kinds of Sempervivum (hens and chicks) together in a big pot, with some Sedum to drape over the sides and fill in amongst the plants.
Some of my most successful containers (and the most fun) have been some that I painted in camouflage paint, and then used for some of my mixed Sempervivum stock plants. The secret to their lovely growth is that I added some steer manure to the usual soil that I use, Sunshine Mix #4.
The difference with this mix is that it contains a water holding polymer; not only does it hold moisture to release it slowly over several weeks, it also is easy to re-wet.
If you’ve ever stood there with a garden hose and flooded your containers for twenty minutes while it runs out the bottom, only to find that an inch down, the soil is still bone dry, then you’ll love this stuff.
These containers get watered about twice a month, and don’t ever seem to get totally dry (which of course, is what succulents like – to have a dry soil in between waterings) but so far, they don’t seem to be complaining.
They were out under a foot of snow all winter, and emerged perky and ready to go early in the spring.
The cute part of my containers is that I found small flat rocks and made a forest trail, winding through the containers. This is like a miniature garden, with some of my favorite plants.
See more about the Camouflage Planters here.
Hope that gives your creative urge a nudge!
Jacki
