Curb Appeal through Container Gardening

Admit it: your house might not be the dumpiest on the street, but it could probably use a little pick-me-up. It doesn’t take much to spruce up your house and add a little extra curb appeal, especially through container gardening. Outdoor planters are a fantastic and easy way to add a little extra oomph and increase your home’s curb appeal.

The front door can speak volumes about a house – it’s where visitors get their first impression of your home and the people inside. Outdoor planters can add a touch of life to the entryway to make your home more inviting and warm. When decorating around the front door, symmetry is key. Add a tall planter box, to either side of your front door with bright flowers or tall leafy plants. If you have steps line them to your front door with smaller planter containers in coordinating plants and flowers. Choose plants that fit with the overall style and feel of your home, such as short canna lilies for a modern home or petunias and geraniums for a more traditional style.

Any container will do remembering the larger the better. Large containers need less water which does not dry out fast and plants will grow better. An old stock tank, whiskey barrel, or fancy ceramic planters will work. Make sure the pot has a drainage hole so you will not get root rot. You can add a solar light in the middle for night décor.

As for plants, is your container going to be in the sun or shade and plant accordingly? Plant one or more tall plants in the middle depending on the size or if the pot goes against a background, plant the taller plants to the back. Get a few trialing plants for the edges then plant mid-size plants between the tall plants and the vining plants.

A Few Things to be Concerned about in the Landscape/Garden

A few things to be concerned about in the landscape/garden, starting with any shrubs or tree branches that have not leafed out should be pruned to a live stem or branch. If the shrubs produce canes, prune them to the ground. Last winter was hard on ornamental grass especially if under a heavy snowdrift. If they are not sending up any new blades of grass, think about replacing them.

A few questions were about our smoke from Canada. The smoke does block the UV light causing garden and flower transplants from greening up quickly. Along with longer dew times, this may increase the chance of higher fungus diseases. If crabgrass has been a problem, you still might have a limited time to apply a pre-emergence herbicide, but time is running out.

If you have newly planted lawn areas, wait until you have mowed twice before applying any chemicals. Dandelions can be controlled better at the puffball stage than when in flower. Treat this fall to kill them. Think about using grub control if you had a grub problem last year.

Remove tulip or daffodil heads after they flower so the energy goes to the bulb to produce next year’s flowers. If your rhubarb is throwing up flower stalks, remove them.

Moonflower gardens are becoming more popular

Moonflower gardens are becoming more popular in the last few years, maybe we are spending more time at night in our backyards. But what is a Moon Garden? It is a group of white flowering plants that seemly glow in the moonlight. Many flowers produced more scent at night bringing in various moths to pollinate them. Foliage plants are used with grey and white hues creating more ambiance. Adding solar lighting will make the beds stand out when the moonlight is missing. Add a fountain to create the sound of flowing water.

Plants that give off scent are flowering tobaccos, especially Nicotiana sylvestris with their long white flowers. Moonflowers with their large white flowers make a wonderful climbing vine. Angel trumpets can not be beaten with their neat, rounded growth and 8-inch flowers.

Any other white flowering annuals or perennials make an excellent addition. You can go will pale pinks, blues, and yellows for variety.

Add a few benches so you can enjoy your new moon flowerbed.