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Winter Wonderland of Garden Containers |
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Right now, the earth is quiet. Winter is upon us and there isn’t much going
on in our yard and garden areas. Let’s
talk about adding some décor to our stark and barren landscape planters. If you think it takes a lot of decorative
talent to create unusual and inexpensive garden containers then you would be
wrong.
Below we are going to show you examples of simple, easy, and
cheap ways to “dress up” your garden pottery that are doable no matter if you
have flower arranging skills or not. So,
let’s dive right in.
One great tip for most of these planters is the word “stuff”. We recommend that this not be the time you
skimp on materials. When you are filling
empty planters for winter, you need to fill them with as many decorative items
as you can. The more the merrier is
really germane here. So, stuff them up!

Berry Branches: A
natural yet simple terracotta garden pot is crammed with all kinds of assorted
plant materials. The main theme is dark
green and red. Fill the pot with
branches of assorted conifers, graceful cedar, spiky holly, and juniper. Drape limp branches over the sides and stand
stiff sticks in the center to create height and flow. Once finished with all the greens, place the
berry branches with emphasis on different heights. You don’t need a lot here just splats of
color nestled among the branches.
Simple, natural and truly superb.

Feathers & Pods: A small low-profile
planter is filled with all kinds of fun objects with very little emphasis on
greens. The evergreens are almost an afterthought. Place bundles of cinnamon sticks, pinecones,
moss balls, quail feathers inside the garden bowl till it is filled. Add bundles of dried pots and curly willow
around the bundles. Finish by adding a
sprig or two of limp cedar and eucalyptus in and around the bundles. Just push anything you can find laying in the
yard or around the patio into and between the bigger items. This is planter arrangement is perfect for a
patio table or porch area.

Wire Sphere & Twinkle Lights: This winter garden urn is for the person who
wants elegance for little fuss. Any
empty planter works great for this look.
Purchase a wire sphere from any craft store. String little twinkle lights around it and
that is pretty much it. Make sure the
home and garden urns are placed near an electrical outlet or that one is
located close by. Plug it in and you
have an imaginative, impressive and really inexpensive decorative vase.

Winter Window Box Planter:
Another really easy idea to copy.
Take green spruce or graceful cedar branches and start on the outside
and front first. Place the branches
inside the planter with the ends sticking out the side and draping over the
front of the window. Then add the top and
center, following the same thing. Just
keep sticking branches in until you get the look you want. Once all branches are mixed together, they
will create a woven pattern which helps to keep them all from moving. Then top them off with a few branches of
pussy willow. It adds softness and texture to the overall window box.
We hope these few ideas can help you to create artistic
garden planters for your porch, patio, home or garden areas. Just because it’s pretty sparse outside
doesn’t mean you can’t dress it up a bit!
Share your thoughts below. We love to hear from you!
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[Read More] 3 Reasons Your Containers Might Fail. |
[Read More] Cleaning Tips For Terracotta Pots. |
winter garden containers, planters, pottery, window boxes, diy, easy, inexpensive planters, pots, arizonapottery |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 1/7/2020 10:30:37 AM |
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Prep Tips For Fall Containers |
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How to prep your garden containers for Fall
It’s much easier to turn a spent Summer garden container
into a Fall planter than you think. Just
follow some easy tips provided below and create wonderful Fall planters.

Don’t leave your entryway garden containers empty this time
of year. Now is perfect for seasonal
color and rust grasses. Evergreen
foliage will add life to any type or style of landscape container. When you visit your local garden center you
should see lots of Fall colored mums.
Bright yellow, orange and reds, deep burgundy, purple and gold.

Simply by adding a center mum and surrounding it with
pumpkins, gourds and succulents you can create a wonderful Fall planter that
will take you into winter and welcome your guest with warmth and beauty. Plant rustic grass in the center of a
terracotta planter then surround it with ornamental kale and cabbage with dark
deep greens and purple leaves.

Instead of just planting typical green houseplants in your
entryway planters how about herbs like cilantro, thyme and oregano? They can all handle the cooler weather. Plant trailing ivy, gold mums and red flowers
in your garden container of choice and then set pumpkins and gourds around the
outside of the pot. You don’t even have
to plant anything.

Try mixing dark purple and deep green of kale and cabbage
and fill around the outside of the pot with mini WHITE pumpkins and create a
purple and white display of color. Stunning & elegant!
One tip that you can never fail at it to over stuff your
pottery. Mix lots of plants, greens and ornamental items without space between
them. This creates a full and colorful
display. By using a neutral based color
planter like terracotta or taupe you can mix tons of colors in the pot and they
will all look grand.
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[Read More] Front Door Suggestions |
[Read More] Keep Your Potted Mums Fresh |
fall containers, home and garden for fall, fall pottery, fall planters |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 10/24/2018 1:25:26 PM |
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Potted Wheatgrass |
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You have seen more than enough articles and blog posts on
how to grow herbs, veggies and succulents.
Now that the public is becoming more health aware they are potting up
and growing their own food and edibles.
Here are some easy and fun tips for growing Wheat grass.
Wheat grass is a flavorful way to get more greens into your
diet. By planting a tray of it you will
always have this healthy option close at hand.
Here’s how…

Start by selecting a shallow container.
Bonsai dishes, oval and square garden planters, garden bowls and wok
planters all work with great success.
You don’t need a deep flowerpot or tray to grow wheat grass since the
seeds are not buried but lay on top of the soil to grow.

Purchase seeds from your local garden center. Fill the garden pot with soil mix about 1”
deep. Gently compress the soil mix in
the planter. Water soil till moist but
not dripping wet. Cover about half the
planting area with seeds but try to make sure they don’t touch. Lightly compress the seeds into the soil. Cover the pot with a lid or upturned plant
saucer.
Check the potted seeds and moisture twice a day. When seeds germinate, remove lid and place
the flowerpot in a warm indoors area where there is sun. Check daily for water moisture. Harvest with scissors any wheat grass that is
6’ high. The wheat grass will grow back a
second time after harvesting.
When spent, toss everything into the compost pile and start over with a
cleaned out flowerpot.
Suggestions: Juice
the grass, blend the whole grass in a smoothie, add to a salad mix or to any
soup dish.
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[Read More] Pot Tips You Can Use Everyday |
[Read More] October Around The House |
wheatgrass in flowerpots, pottery, planters, pots, arizonapottery, |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 10/16/2018 2:52:30 PM |
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Eggshell Powder for Bugs |
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Eggshells as pest control by GetBusyGardening.com
Saw this and thought it was a great tip for gardening. Everyone knows how to use egg shells crushed
up and mixed into potting mix as a natural fertilizer. The nutrients in the shells act like a
natural fertilizer for your garden pottery and planters.

Well if you have ever had issues with flea beetles eating
your growth then here is a natural and simple way to stop them. Diatomaceous earth is a known organic
pesticide which is basically fossilized remains of creatures that are ground
into a fine powder. It gets under the
shells of beetles and acts like bits of glass to cut them up and kill them.

Ground egg shells work the same way. If you eat lots of eggs and most folks do,
this should be an easy DIY garden project.
Prepare shells by cleaning them if they are dirty. If not dirty then
don’t bother. Make sure they are dry and
don’t skip this step. Just lay them out
on a paper towel for a few days.
Once completely dry, ground them into a powder using a
coffee grinder. Once ground use the
powder right away. Store the remaining eggshells or ground shells in a
Tupperware container in the garage or a cool dark place. Sprinkle the powder directly onto the leaves
and pests. The bugs may not die away but
they will eventually so don’t worry if they fly away.

It is recommended that you don’t sprinkle all over your
garden. This avoids killing all the
beetles even the good ones. This is
where potted plants come in. You can
also sprinkle on the tops of your garden planters surrounding the potted plants
and keep the plant healthy without spreading the egg shells all over the
garden. Perfect!
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[Read More] A Tower of Herbs |
[Read More] Great Fall Pottery Decorating |
eggshell powder for potted plants. pottery, planters, gardening, |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 10/24/2018 2:18:16 PM |
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Grow Ginger In Flowerpots |
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If you read any health or cooking magazine, you have read
how healthy Ginger is and how everyone should be using it. At Arizona Pottery we think you should grow
your own in decorative flowerpots and garden containers. It’s easy and fun to do, so here are some
tips.
With your life so busy, you may ask “Why would I want to grow
my own Ginger?” Well, by potting up your
own you are sure there are no pesticides or other harmful ingredients added to
the potting soil or water. And, it saves
money. If you start using more ginger
then you can save some real money by growing your own in flowerpots.

First thing is to select a garden container or planter to
use for potting. Since Ginger grows
horizonally we suggest a wide pot. Garden
Bowls or wok styles are perfect. Just
make sure the planter is wider then deeper and has good drainage. Use rich potting mix that allows good
drainage. This is not the time for heavy soil that will cause root rot.

Next go to the store and find ginger pieces that have new
growth buds on them if possible. This
little bud will grow between the large arms.
If there aren’t any then buy what the store offers anyway. Once you get it home, soak in water for 24
hrs to remove growth inhibitor, and dirt.

If no buds on the ginger, place in a window until buds start
sprouting. Could take a couple of
days. Then place the piece of ginger in
potting soil and cover with an inch of soil.
You don’t need to pack it all the way to the top of the planter. Leave some room for watering.
Place the garden container in indirect sunlight indoors
because it doesn’t like wind or direct sun.
Water regularly, making sure soil is damp but never soggy. It takes months to grow so be patient. It ranges from 3 to 8 months where you can
start to pull of sections of the plant to use.
And if you want you can even transplant them into other garden planters
and give as gifts, to neighbors or co-workers.

Ginger is so healthy.
Just google it and you will be amazed at the healing properties. Use in smoothies, tea, oatmeal and on most
food where it adds a delightful taste.
Ginger can be grated, sauteed, sliced, julienned and used on most all
food groups.
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[Read More] Container Gardening For Food. |
[Read More] How to Grow A Potted Cactus |
diy ginger in flowerpots, potted ginger, planters, garden, pottery, pots |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 10/24/2018 2:17:50 PM |
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Turn Baskets Into Garden Planters |
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We love to see baskets used as garden planters. Any type of container that can be reused,
recycled or re-purposed is a plus for us, for you and for the environment. A basket container adds so much texture, and
interest to your porch or patio that it has to be encouraged and
implemented.

If you don’t have a favorite basket that you no longer want
indoors or if you need to purchase baskets to turn into garden planters, then
look no further than a thrift store or garage sale. Most folks have them already laying around
because they make the most wonderful ways to organize all kinds of household
items.

Like with any flowerpot start by thinking about what you
want to pot. Are you into houseplants or
colorful flowers. Do you need a small
basket planter for a table-scape or will this stand alone holding a large tree
or shrub? Is the baskets pretty worn
looking and could use a touch of color or is the beauty of the rattan lovely in
it’s natural state?

Start by painting it or not. Then the most important step is
to spray a couple of coats of a protectant clear sealer. This will help the basket to last longer and
is a very inexpensive step to follow. If
you don’t want to pot directly into the basket you will need to line it with a
garbage bag that is cut to fit. If the
basket pot has a tight weave you can plant directly into it. Make sure the bag doesn’t show at the
top. You want to poke a few drain holes
in the bottom of the bag.

Next add some pea gravel, rocks or pot shards to the
bottom. This helps with the basket
planter drainage and to hold the basket down if it gets windy outside. Follow the rocks with potting mix but only
fill about 2/3 full. Because you will
need room for the plants and don’t want them all the way to the top of the
basket container.

Lastly, once the plants are potted, you can add some more
soil to cover the roots but don’t pack to hard and don’t fill the basket to
full and you should be good to go.
Display this lovely basket planter on the porch next to the front door,
on the patio on a table or anywhere you want some texture, color and beauty.
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Basket pottery, home and garden, planters, pots, pottery, arizonapottery, gardenpottery, DIY, |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 10/24/2018 2:15:52 PM |
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Yellow HousePlants??? |
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Do you have or have you ever had, YELLOW houseplants?
We think it's so vital to bring potted plants inside to decorate your home with. They provide wonderful, healthy benefits and also help clean the indoor air from toxins. However, selecting the plants, choosing the right garden container and keeping the plant healthy are all things you need to work at and consider.

When looking at your houseplants do you see healthy plants? Or, do you see brown or yellow leaves. Are your plants starting to look as though they have developed jaundice? If so then you may have a mineral deficiency - most likely nitrogen. Luckily plants, like a human provide telling clues when they need better nutrition.

Signs of a nitrogen deficiency: New leaves appear lighter usually a pale green. The solution: Add compost or manure both are high in nitrogen.
Mature leaves: Begin to turn yellow, starting at the base of the plant. Young leaves turning yellow before older ones may indicate sulfur deficiency.
Stems: Appear weak and spindly. Fruit or flowers are delayed and yields are limited.

All of these mean something is going on that isn't good. So pay attention and keep your eyes on those indoors potted houseplants. If you move quickly you can keep them looking healthy and happy longer and faster.
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[Read More] Hanging Planters |
[Read More] Drip Flower Pots With Candles DIY |
yellow leaves, sick houseplants, potted houseplants, yellow houseplant leaves, potted garden planters |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 9/19/2018 1:43:13 PM |
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Grow Your Own Spa |
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You do everything right. Pot fresh herbs every season to use in your kitchen. You place those garden planters next to the kitchen door so that you can get to them easily, or place the decorative pots on the patio so the fragrance can swarm your guests as they relax.
One thing you have noticed is that the potted herbs are getting overgrown cause you can't use them fast enough. So you think of clever ways to dry, or freeze them so you have them all year long but there is still an over abundance. You start giving them to neighbors and friends but even that doesn't help.

Well, here is another suggestion. Create your own spa goodies. Try these ideas and see if you love them as much as we think you will. With the holidays coming we think these make wonderful homemade gifts for loved ones!

Basil infused olive oil for facial - Fill a 16 oz mason jar with 2 cups of extra-virgin olive oil. Add 2 or 3 sprigs each of basil and chamomile. Cover with cheesecloth and let infuse for up to a month. Use as a moisturizing facial by dabbing 1/4 c max on face. Remove with a dry cloth. Yummy!

Herb & Honey Body Scrub - Warm 2 Tbs honey. Stir in 1 Tbs olive oil. Add 3 Tbs, salt or sugar. Add fresh herbs - such as 2 Tsp basil and 2 Tsp mint. Add a few drops of essential oil of your choice. The smellier the better....hummmmm Next bath, massage over your body and face, then rinse. Smooth, Silky, Smelly Good time.

Flower Petal Sugar Scrub - Mix 1 c brown sugar with 1/4 c honey and 1/4 c almond oil. Stir in 2 Tsp fresh flower petals or 1 Tsp dried petals. Try a mix of rose, lavender and calendula for a wonderful experience.
Add a few drops of essential oil of your choice. Use in bath, massage over body and face, then rinse.

So you now have a choice. You can use up your own grown herbs and potted flowers and create your own spa experience. You can make these up for wonderful, personalized gifts or you can spend a small fortune to go to a spa to get the same experience. We think you will make the right choice. Have fun!!!
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[Read More] Let's Grow Cilantro In A Flowerpot |
[Read More] 15 min DIY Project |
spa, scrubs, make your own, diy, herbs, flowers, spa experience |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 9/19/2018 12:23:01 PM |
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Just Add Water |
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No space for a pond? No problem. Did you know you can create a water world in a garden container? Who doesn't like to look at or listen to water when on the patio, porch or in the garden.

Of course when trying to select a container you need to consider all your choices. Plastic buckets, colorful waterproof laundry baskets or garden pottery and containers where the drain hole has been plugged. Just make sure the container needs to be able to hold water. If for example you like the look of terracotta and really want to turn a terra-cotta container into a pond you can always line it with black flexi pond liners. They are easily cut to fit and will give you the illusion of depth when viewed thru the water.

Next choose the plant materials. There are really a lot to choose from. Aquatic plants that you buy can simple be placed inside your water garden container. There is no need to repot them in another medium. Just add a few floating plants for a finished look. When it comes to chooses you can go with submerged plants which grow partly in and partly out of the water in full sun or shade. Or floating plants like lilies like elephant ears. Lastly shoreline plants like paprus which grow to 18 inches and add height.

Whether or not you choose to have a pump that will circulate the water or create a fountain is up to you. You will have to contact them for further information but they are great options to consider.

Control algae in your container by limiting its sunlight and nutrients. Place the pot out of direct sun and include underwater and floating plants that elbow algae out and shade the waters surface. Above all else. Use what you like and think is attractive, find that perfect spot for the container and give it a go. You never know, this maybe the best garden feature you will own.
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[Read More] Orchids at Home |
[Read More] Potting a Jade Plant |
water gardens, container gardens, container ponds, water in pots. |
By ArizonaPottery Post Last Updated: 6/19/2018 2:49:45 PM |
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How to Grow a Avocado Plant from Seed |
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If you have read any health magazines you are probably already eating avocado. Well, have you ever thought about potting up that big seed and seeing what will grow? Many of us had the experience of trying to grow a avocado seed in school, where you poked holes in the sides of the seed with tooth picks and suspended the seed above a glass of water. Yep, remember that? Anyway, here are a few updated tips that will help you grow a real plant that you can pot up and keep.
First if you think that once you pot the seed and grow the plant you will be harvesting avocados that isn't going to happen. Even if you get fruit it won't be quality fruit. But, you can grow a healthy FREE houseplant that is lovely.

1. Remove the seed from a ripe avocado. Don't hit the seed with a knife but pull it out gently with your hand. Clean under warm water. Wrap seed in damp paper towel. Place in plastic food bag (not zipper) and store in a dark cupboard. Check every 4 days or so for germination. Ensure the towel stays damp.

2. When the seed germinates it will gradually crack open and a root will grow from deep inside the seed. Don't break open the seed. Just leave it alone. When the root reaches 3" long it is ready to pot up.

3. Start with a 8" flowerpot that has drain holes. Avocado plants like good drainage so use a new potting mix with perlite or sand to help out. Plant the seed with the bottom and roots aiming down into the pot. The bottom is the flat broader end.

4. Fill the pot halfway with potting meet and place the seed. Add more soil till the top inch of the seed is above level. Water until moist not damp and add more potting soil to the garden planter as needed. Place in a warm, draft free location with indirect sunlight.

Tips: Avocados are tropical plants so they like warm, growing conditions and can NOT dry out. Use consistent watering and mist if necessary. Fertilize ever 3 months. That is it. No toothpicks involved.
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[Read More] Tips to improve your indoor potting skills. |
[Read More] Why we love terracotta pottery |
grow avocado, avocado seed into houseplant, potted avocado seed, pot a avocado seed into houseplant. |
By Arizona Pottery Post Last Updated: 2/28/2018 9:17:39 AM |
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