Today’s Garden Ideas

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Sprucing up a drab patio can be achieved in many ways. Adding patio furniture, or a new and interesting patio tiled floor are two ways to achieve a new patio look. Or you can try growing a container garden with patio plants suitable to the size and shape of your patio. The nice feature of patio plants is that you can use patio plants that might not be suitable to your garden in terms of growing zone or hardiness. By having patio plants in containers you can control the climate of your plants due to their ability to be moved around the patio and indoors if needed. Also patio plants come in so many wonderful colors and species you can turn you patio into a rainforest jungle, English cottage garden or a virtual rainbow.

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Choosing the Right Container

The first element for patio plants that you want to look at is the containers themselves. Containers for patio plants come in all sizes, styles, and materials. You can choose to use plastic patio plant containers, as they are lightweight and relatively inexpensive. Just be sure these containers have drainage holes in the bottom. Another option is ceramic patio plant containers. They come in many different sizes and some have brilliant colors and detailed patters. They can be very heavy and expensive so you might want to choose patio plants for these elaborate containers that are plain and can remain stationary on the patio. Clay pots are rather porous and more frequent watering may be required. They are fairly cheap and sturdy and the larger clay pots can be difficult to move too. Other types of planter can include wooden barrels and tin buckets. You can even plant patio plants in a pair of old rubber garden boots or a child’s red wagon. No container is really off limits provided it has drainage holes and a saucer underneath the pot to catch the run off water so the patio does not get water stains.

Also, be sure to choose the right container for the right patio plants. For example, do not use a huge patio plant container and plant some tiny African Violets. The violets will be overwhelmed by the container.

Using the Correct Soil

Once you have chosen the containers for your patio plants you need to choose the correct potting soil. Make sure the soil for your patio plants is well drained but will still hold some water. Do not use garden soil. Instead choose soil particularly made for container patio plants. Also be aware of the type of patio plants you are using and their nutrient requirement. For example you do not want to plant cactus in a rich loamy soil when they prefer sandy soil.

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Plant Care

Be sure to position your patio plants where they will get the right amount of sunlight. If your patio is in a shady spot do not choose patio plants that love the sun and vice versa.

Some of your plants will need to be watered daily. Be sure to check on them daily and water as needed. If you plan to be away from your patio plants for any length of time and there is no one available to watch them there is a simple method you can use that will work fairly effectively. Fill up a large bucket with water and place in the middle of all your patio plants. Bury one end of the yarn in your patio plant soil and run the other end of the yard to the water bucket. The water will get absorbed by the yarn and keep the soil moist for you patio plants.

Types of Plants

For colorful patio plants try some trailing Lantana that comes in a rainbow of colors. Hanging baskets look beautiful with vibrant pink and purple Fuchsia or bright yellow and orange Nasturtium teeming over the edge. Patio plants like Lilies and Pansies come in a myriad of colors from yellow or orange to purple and blue. Try Salvia or Geraniums if you like bright red. You might even want to place a trellis in a larger pot and grow some vibrant pink Bougainvillea or Clematis. Remember just because a flower does not do well in your zone does not mean you can’t grow it in a patio plant container garden. Go ahead and give it a try.

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Tags: colorful patio plants, container garden, containers for patio plants, fuchsia, hydrangea, ivy nigra, nasturtium, Patio, patio plants, petunia, scented geranium, standard datura, standard marguerite, trailing lobelia, tuberous begonia, zonal geranium