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Container Gardening

Ideas for fall planting in containers

11 years ago

A club I am working with is going to do a small class (about 15 to 20 people all novice gardeners) on container gardening in mid september. The thought so far by another member is to do a pansy, a bulb (daff) and a lettuce plant. I suggested perhaps a low growing sedum.

I knew the place to go for other ideas, never a time that I can't find the answers here.

Thanks for any assistance.

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Comments (5)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
Love, we might be a bit confused about the purpose of the class. Are you looking for suggestions for one demonstration container, or many ideas from these creative people?

One of my favorite winter containers was a shallow (5 inch) terra cotta tray in which I had sowed a nice thick crop of winter rye. Hidden in the soil were spring bulbs; muscari, crocus, and some lovely tiny bunching daffodils. What a treat when they began to break through my little patch of bright green grass.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
11 years ago
I like idea of winter rye - that probably looks very nice!?
have to try that...

For fall containers/display, anything would look nice. If the purpose is to grow it out in spring, bulbs are definitely good. Hardy sedums, grasess, hardy ivy, creeping jenny. Even a small evergreen or a boxwood as a centerpiece would look great & last until spring. Could be surrounded with anything low-growing including edibles...
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go back 2-3 weeks more. If your first frost is Oct 10th and the days to maturity mean planting on Aug 10th then you want to plant in July. The reason I advise to go earlier by 2-3 weeks is a number of reasons. The first is we don't want frost to come when our plants just start producing, we want a good harvest period before the cold weather slows them down. Also, we can't control the weather and some years it stays warm longer than usual and plants grow well, but other years it cools early and our season gets cut short. While there are a number of 'cool season' plants, the truth is they all grow best in warm soil. One exception is many varieties of lettuce that won't germinate in very warm soil(just bring the containers inside until they germinate), but just about everything else will. With a young plant warm air temps aren't a problem, it is when the plant gets to maturity that the hot air temps will adversely affect it. By the time our summer planted fall crops get that far the temps are cooling so they do really well and often taste better than our spring planted, summer harvested plants.
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Thanks for the tips. Yes, I can probably get my hands on some more bark/mulch. Turns out the romas aren't going to be yanked out just yet. They finally have a few fruit on them that haven't been attacked by BER yet. Instead, I plan to take out the eggplant plants that never grew much, and use the big 18gal container they're in. My broccoli spouted, but need a few weeks before they're ready to go in the garden, I think. I pulled up my peas (they were very very dead), but the kale is still puttering away, and maybe will start growing a bit more. Beans are still going. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks! Peg
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Bulbs that need a chill period will bloom most vigorously if stored at temperatures between freezing & 45* F. It's possible that the temperature on the floor would be cool enough to supply adequate chilling, but I think you are sort of borderline. I plant many containers of bulbs each year for early spring displays. I plant the bulbs anytime after Oct 1, use a fast soil, and keep the containers on the floor of my unheated garage where I occasionally throw a shovel of light snow on them to prevent them from drying completely. The air temperature in the garage varies from the extreme low of around 0* when the door is open on very cold days to around 50* on warm days, but the fairly steady temperature of the floor moderates temperature extremes and prevents the bulbs from getting so cold that water inside plant cells freezes & rots the bulbs or so warm that proper stratification doesn't occur. When I'm sure night temperatures will no longer drop below 25* F., I put the containers outdoors & allow nature to take its course. I've never found reason to be dissatisfied with the results of using this easy method. Al
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I have been told that bulbs will not survive planted in above containers here in MN. I know that Bachmans uses forced bulbs in their spring outdoor containers. I have had success planting tulips, daffodils and frittalaria in an 18"-20" d container that I keep in my unheated garage. Crocus did not survive. Have planted a couple of smaller containers of tulips that I am going to experiment with keeping in the garage this winter. Other years I have planted in those containers and sunk them in the garden beds. With a good amount of mulch those can be dug up early and brought into the garage to flower early.
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love2gardennc
Original Author
11 years ago
Each participant will do their own container. I have been asked to help with different ideas because in our community I am known for time spent in the garden. The problem is I know nothing about container gardening. I need ideas like you both have given me. The ladies doing the class will try to have a couple finished containers to show different ideas and how plants can work together. I am gathering plants as ideas are found. So far I have potted up heuchera seedlings and baby Lamb's ear.
I love the rye grass idea and will definitely use the creeping jenny in another one as I have tons of that.
Thanks so much and keep the ideas coming.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
11 years ago
Heuchera will go with so many plants...if for shadier location, maybe lady's mantle, siberian bugloss, 'cascading' type grass like japanese forest grass, creeping jenny, hosta, ferns (I love Maidenhair and Japanese painted and Ghost fern), and for something taller solomon's seal...

For sunnier location you still could use heuchera, even with lamb's ear - and just about any other perennial or annual will go with lamb's ear. Cabbages would look good with it too.
Or you can create more monochromatic container with other silvery plants (artemisia, dusty miller, licorice plant, silver sage, blue fescue...) I would plant euphorbia 'Diamond frost' in that container too...Rina
haleygrow
11 years ago
Planting in containers is a great idea. I usually plant flowers, herbs and other small plants in it.

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