When it comes to adding big color and interest to your landscape, it’s hard to beat using large planters and containers to bring life to entrances, decks, patios and more – especially when you can plant and create them by potting up perennials in them for a fraction of the cost!
Planters and containers are the perfect way to add a touch of greenery and flowering beauty anywhere. But let’s face it, it can cost a small fortune filling planters each and every season with flowering annuals. And even worse, knowing those same annuals can’t be saved to grow again next year.
But that is exactly where using perennial plants in your pots, containers and baskets can save the day. Not only can they be free if you use plants from your own landscape, they can also be saved to grow again year after year – saving you big money in the process.
We have actually taken the process of using perennials in our containers to a whole new level at our farm. With over 40+ planters to fill every year, it just wouldn’t be feasible to plant them all with annuals. Instead, we plant nearly all of them with a wide range of perennials, and then add in a few annuals to some of them to add an extra splash of color.
With each passing year, we have added more and more perennials in pots and containers to the farm. Not only has it saved a small fortune, it also has become quite the conversation piece with visitors.
The Advantages Of Planting Perennials In Containers
The advantages of planting perennials in containers are many. For starters, they do not require massive amounts of expensive potting soil. In fact, we pot our perennials up with an equal mix of 1/3 garden soil, compost and potting soil. That is a huge savings on filling the pots entirely with pure potting soil.
In addition, they are easier and less costly to care for. There simply isn’t a need for as many nutrients when potting perennials versus annuals. That, of course, means having to fertilize far less often and with far less fertilizer.
Even better, perennials in containers do not require constant watering and are far more forgiving. In fact, unlike our annual baskets that need water nearly every day (sometimes twice during hot weather), our perennial potted plants can usually go two days without any care at all.
But best of all, what makes perennials in pots so amazing is that at the end of the year, you simply plant them down into a flowerbed or into an open garden space to overwinter. And when next spring rolls around, you can easily replant and use them again. All for free – year after year!
Potting Perennials – How To Create Amazing Planters That Last!
When it comes right down to it, there are so many incredible perennials that make for great container plants. Whether you need plants for full sun, partial sun, or for the shadier areas of your landscape, there is a perennial that will fill the need.
We use big hosta plants in large pots on our shady porches. With them, we plant a few red and green coral bell plants in smaller pots next to them. With their bright leafy foliage and wispy blooms, coral bells add all season color and are a great compliment to the tall grasses. They also bring hummingbirds calling too!
Perhaps our favorite of all is using blanketflower in containers. This hardy perennial is a big bloomer. In fact, as long as you regularly deadhead spent blooms, it will keep on flowering for most of the summer. See our article: The Most Incredible, Longest Blooming Perennial We’ve Ever Grown!
Other favorites to pot up are herbs such as mint and chives. Not only do they look and smell great, they also happen to keep a fair amount of pests away. That can really come in handy on patios and decks when trying to keep mosquitoes and flies away too! Product Affiliate Link: Bonnie Plants Sweet Mint Live Edible Aromatic Herb Plant – 4 Pack
Listen In Below To Our Podcast On How To Pot Up Perennials!
Other perennials, such as shasta daisies, sedum and coneflower can be potted up during their 3 to 4 week blooming cycle for even more seasonal color. When they finish blooming, all you need to do is plant them back into the landscape.
How To Pot Up Perennials
Planting perennials in pots couldn’t be easier. As mentioned prior, we use an equal mix of potting soil, garden soil and compost as our soil mix.
In the bottom of each pot, we add in a few inches of shredded hardwood mulch. This keep the soil from compacting around the drainage holes and allows excess water to drain away from plants. We then place in the perennials and pot up as you would with annual plants.
We always leave a few inches of room at the top of our planters to allow for mulch. Mulch not only makes the planters look more attractive, it also has the added benefit of helping to keep moisture in. As for fertilizing, we usually will fertilize our perennial plants once a month with a dose of compost tea to keep them strong all summer long.
Potting Up Perennials – The Endless Possibilities
Potting up perennials has turned into somewhat of a passion for us. In the last few years, we have added to our perennial list of plants we pot up with another cost effective method – purchasing smaller-size perennials at garden centers in the early spring.
Early in the season, perennial plants are everywhere in garden centers. And the smaller-size perennials are usually much more inexpensive. They really make for great first and second year plants for potting up. Even better, they can be split at the end of a year or two’s growth to create even more.
It is an excellent way to start potting up perennials, even if you don’t have many on hand in your beds already. Here is to filling your landscape with perennials in pots! Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary.
Old World Garden
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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