There are many things you need to consider when choosing garden containers for your home and garden needs.  Let’s start with the obvious and that is what is the planter going to be used for?  Are you looking for a garden pot to grow herbs and vegetables in?  Is this planter more for beauty and décor or is it to fill a blank area on the patio or porch. 

Terracotta garden pottery has been around longer than any other substance besides baskets.  It is made out of clay that breathes and is considered most healthy for a plants root system.  Terracotta is rustic and natural looking and comes in many styles and sizes.  As you must know a clay garden pot can only come so large. This is because they are fired inside a kiln and kilns are only so large. The larger the clay pot the more issues with cracks forming while being fired.

So, if you want a large garden planter you need to consider them made from mixes that can be poured into molds and cured over time instead of being fired in a kiln.  Concrete, Sandstone and Poly Resin can all be made in huge sizes since they are made with molds.  They are durable and long lasting which is what you want and need if you are using a large planter.

Glazed or ceramic colored pottery is great because it comes in shiny, colors and finishes.  Blue, Red, Green etc and so many more, where you can match your garden pottery to your home or landscape décor.  These pots are usually durable but only frost resistant which means they can’t handle the cold freezing temperatures.  Glazed garden pots are perfect for indoors where they add interest and beauty along with function to your homes design and décor.

Do you live in an apartment where you need a lightweight container where you can move it around, fill it up or take it with you when your needs change over time?  Then poly resin is the way to go. This is not an ordinary plastic pot but a commercial grade non-fade, will never crack, chip or warp or break.  With 32 color choices these are the super choice for indoors or outdoors.

We hope we gave you a few things to think about.  Call 800-420-1808 if you have further questions.

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.

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.