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Florida Gardening

question re planter box pottting mix(m)

teeka0801(7aNoVa)

15 years ago

I am about to take out an annual that is in bad shape and replace w/ new plant(not sure what? I'm looking for something orange! any ideas?) /flowers. It is by my front door and faces south/southwest so sunny.

What I am wondering is do I re-use the soil in the planter or should I replace it altogether? If I re-use, should I add fertilizer? The annual was in there for over six months.

thanks! teeka

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Comments (7)

manature
15 years ago
I would use new potting soil, and I personally prefer one with a time release fertilizer already in it, like Scott's or Miracle Gro. I've had good luck with both. Are you looking for a fall/winter annual, or something perennial?

Marcia
fawnridge (Ricky)
15 years ago
For the orange plant: there are several orange flowering Ixora that should do well in zone 9. Check your local HD or Lowes. Our native Firebush - Hamelia patens - is another one and you can keep it low.

As far as the soil mix goes, I would add some organic material and mix it up. Don't put fertilizer in unless whatever you plant starts to show stress.
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You may be assigning to perlite that which is probably more rightly attributed to gravity. I'll explain. Even if there was a consistent volume of perlite mixed evenly into the soil from top of pot to bottom, it wouldn't have much impact on either the drainage (flow through) rate, how much air the soil holds, or the height of the perched water table. If you mix perlite into pudding, it doesn't increase aeration, drainage, or the ht of the PWT because the pudding simply surrounds the perlite and by doing so, rods of of any significant value UNTIL the perlite becomes a very significant fraction of the soil. Pudding + 15% perlite yields a medium with virtually all the physical characteristics of pudding, but perlite + 15% pudding is a different story. In your case, when using the heavy medium, the soggy layer at the bottom of the pot would have been there anyway, but that's because gravity dictates that the water moves down in the pot until the capillary attraction of the soil is exactly as strong as the pull of gravity. The perlite, in smaller volumes, can't change that balance, but it does take up some space that would otherwise be occupied by water, so it reduces the o/a water retention of the soil without significantly increasing aeration or the ht of the PWT. When using soils that don't support significant volumes of perched water, you get a much more even colonization of the soil by roots. Since the entire medium is well-aerated, you don't get the roots running round and round the inside pot wall looking for (growing only where there is ample) air, though roots will start circling if the planting is left to go badly root bound. Al
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Petrushka that information was so helpful! Thanks so much for taking a look at the link for the soil mix and weighing in. I went ahead and ordered three bags of it based on your assessment. I have three 3-foot plastic window boxes that I will place side by side across the ledge. They will definitely be heavy once full, but the reservoir is refillable from the top so hopefully I can just use a watering can to do that and it won't be necessary to move them. The ledge is simply a visual divider between by living room and dining room which both have 2-story ceilings, so there will be open space on both sides of the planters as well as lots of open space above them. While I know I'm pushing my luck with 12 feet between them and a light source, there are large windows on both sides of the ledge (a large one in the dining room and two on the opposite wall in the living room), so at least they will have light coming in from both directions. There is also a very large wall-sized mirror on my dining room wall adjacent to that window, and my walls and ceiling are a pale cream color so that all helps reflect natural light and make the room a little brighter. To give you a better idea of how much light I'm working with, throughout the day it stays light enough near the ledge that one could read comfortably without switching a light on, but there are never any spots of concentrated light on the walls at any time during the day... It is all very filtered (and dim enough to feel slightly gloomy, so I always have lamps on when I'm in there even though I can see fine without them.) After doing some more research I'm now leaning toward buying Philodendron hederaceum (which I had thought was called Philodendron scandens until I read more of that very informative blog you linked to!) instead of the Syngonium I originally asked about. The sunlight issue is my biggest concern at this point, but I've been encouraged by several anecdotes about P hederaceum thriving in conditions even dimmer than mine, so I'll give it a shot (and probably have my husband remove the solar screen from the dining room window for an extra light boost). Cautiously optimistic!
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teeka0801(7aNoVa)
Original Author
15 years ago
Marcia, I am not sure what I'm looking for, perennial or annual...any recommendations? It's about 1 1/2footx 6foot planting box, right by our front door so the more it pops,the better!

I like the idea of a native, fawnridge. I would love to get some hummingbirds in the yard,too. I have lots of butterflies so they would like this plant for sure. I will call our local native nursery and see if I can go have a look.

teeka
manature
15 years ago
Well, for me, I wouldn't try the firebush in a box that shallow. It grows fast and even the dwarf would outgrow the space very soon, I would think. It seems like it would be a lot of work to keep it trimmed to size, and the roots would get crowded quickly.

For an annual, you can't beat orange profusion zinnias. They have smallish bright orange blooms, and narrow leaves, and don't get mildew like regular zinnias. They also have a nice rounded growth habit, and don't get overly tall. If the box is in full sun, they would work well.

For a tender perennial, you could try orange New Guinea impatience. They are sun tolerant and are really pretty. But they do require frequent water or they wilt.

I think your best bet is to go looking at your favorite nursery, and when you see an orange plant you love, check out the requirements and decide if it will work for you. Or write down the name and come home and ask here, if you can't get any good help at the store.

There are lots of things that might strike your fancy, and just sitting here trying to think of some orange stuff is kind of hard, for me at least.

Just one other thing. I know Fawnridge and I gave you two different answers on fertilizer. All I can tell you is that I have 25 or 30 containers filled with coleus (another good option if you find a color you like), herbs, citrus, roses, salvias, and more. I always use a potting soil with a timed release fertilizer, and it takes me right through the growing season without having to add more. The plants seems to grow strong and tall, and I'm happy with the results. Others might do it differently, and that's fine, too. In the end, all that matters is if you get the results you want.

Marcia
teeka0801(7aNoVa)
Original Author
15 years ago
I just got off the phone w/ the native plant nursery and they have firebush (12.99/3gal; 6.99/1gal). I think I am going out there this weekend to have a look.

I will also see if I can find something for the planter. I think I want the firebush in the butterfly garden now, more long-term planting and maybe try the zinnias in the planter.

I'll see if they have anything that catches my eye in the native nursery.teeka
manature
15 years ago
Just keep in mind that firebush gets 10 feet tall. Even the dwarf one gets about 4 feet or so. But they are wonderful in your garden.

Good luck!
Marcia
teeka0801(7aNoVa)
Original Author
15 years ago
sorry, I lost my SECOND digital camera a few months ago and can't post photos:

I decided for the planter box to put in two gold dust crotons(bright yellow, not orange, but definitely WOW factor,lol!).

I also bought an AFD-7 croton, red color, very cool looking.

At the native nursery, I picked up:

one dwarf firebush, I almost got two, but then I saw:

two bird pepper(capsicum annum var blob...something or other), another bird pleaser;

one Simpson Stopper , also for birds

one silver buttonwood...just couldn't resist and got two more gold dust crotons for the backyard to go with the silver buttonwood in back..that'll be one nice contrast of white leaves and bright yellow w/ some green.

Spent waaaayyy more than I thought, but I feel soooo good right now, so happy and excited that tomorrow is Sunday and I can putz around the yard while DH watches kids all day!!!

Thanks for all your input, I really appreciate it!

teeka

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