5 Great Tips For Planting A Beautiful Fall Container

If you’re a fan of planting container gardens, I’m sharing 5 great tips when planting a fall container that you should always consider.

If someone were to sit me down and demand an answer from me on which season is my favorite season to plant, I honestly don’t think I could answer them. I say this because, with the exception of winter, there’s so much about planting and gardening that I love with spring, summer AND fall. I feel a great reward with a little dirt under my fingernails.

But I also love a good gel manicure.  You can’t fault me for that.

This fall, in particular, I seem to really be holding on to my garden. I still want to plant and water, and tend. But the nights are already getting cold, and it’s almost time to put my garden to bed for the winter.

However, container gardens are all in favor!!

I say, I!!

So I went to the garden center, and picked up all the makings for several container gardens. I like to be surrounded; gimme alllllllll the plants.

5 Great Tips For Planting A Fall Container

Tip #1  Choose and out of the ordinary container. I love to plant containers in unexpected vessels and in this case, I’m using a vintage cooler.  A cooler like this one is readily available in antique stores, flea markets and even eBay. I’ve sourced a couple for you. Click here, and here.

Tip #2 Keep individual plants in the pots you bought them in. I didn’t fill the cooler with dirt, rather I crumbled up a couple paper grocery bags and placed them inside, and then simply nestled the plants, in their pots, right in the cooler. Of course I tinkered around a little bit, adjusting what went where and all. But that’s the fun of it. I only add a little water to each plant, every other day, so the paper bags don’t get soggy, and it keeps the container garden in good form.

Tip #3 Combine both indoor and outdoor plants. This is what I’ve done here.  You know me, I love to have options, and this container can hang out outside until the first frost, and / or it can come live inside so we can enjoy container gardening indoors. For now, it’s positioned in our den, but I might change my mind next week and put it on the dinner table on the back porch. Lots of options, and keeping them open. Isn’t that what container gardening is all about?!

Tip #4 Pick a container large enough for, say, at least three plants. A good rule of thumb is to work in odd numbers. If you choose a basket, line it with black anti-weed fabric, and then place your plants inside. Fill in the open areas with moss, to hide the lines of the pots and to keep the container looking in unison.

Only on rare occasions do I ever negate one plant to one pot. I like for plants to have neighbors. Friends. And in most cases where potted plants are concerned, it works beautifully. It’s all about variety, marrying colors and textures; heights and widths. It is artwork, really, and completely satisfying.

Tip #5 Don’t over-plant a container. Even smaller vessels can house a container garden. This one here has only two plants, and a faux stone pumpkin. Still working in odd numbers, the plants make two, the pumpkin makes three. And while I’m on the subject of faux, don’t shy away from adding a little decor to your container.  From faux pumpkins to pinecones to red berries, if it looks good, include them!

Here’s another great arrangement idea, using a pumpkin as a planter! Just remember, when cutting a pumpkin open, the shelf life before it starts to wilt is only a few days at most.

For this DIY how-to, click here.

The possibilities are endless, and I do encourage you to design and plant your own container garden. Or two. Or four. They’re beautiful and downright satisfying to create.