Brighten up your front porch and areas in your yard where there is no easy way to till and garden with large pots of seasonal plants. You are limited only by your imagination!

Outdoor pots can display beautiful plant groupings, vegetables and even “salad bowls”. Look for lettuce-mesculin mix, chives,  parsley and anything else you love to serve fresh from the “garden” to the table.

Container garden essentials include:

• A large container with a flared mouth,
• Potting soil
• Slow-release fertilizer beads
• Gardening tools such as a garden gloves, a trowel and cultivator to loosen soil and remove weeds that might be left over from last season if you are re-planting.
• Flowering plants and vegetables
• Feet for your containers if they are sitting on wooden decks so they don’t trap moisture and rot the boards beneath.

The key to having container plants thrive all season long is to choose the right plants for the area they will live in. For instance, Impatiens don’t do well in full sun and Snapdragons really don’t like full shade. Choose your plants and plant combinations wisely and of course, the larger the container, the more room they have to spread and flourish in. Be sure to fertilize and deadhead regularly, and make sure that your containers are watered properly. No over-watering!

Have fun, use your imagination and enjoy your gorgeous containers this spring and summer.