Do you lack a green thumb but desire a beautiful backyard with plants? Growing flowers in pots is a satisfying way to brighten up your porch or yard, and it’s a great way to get started with gardening.
Here’s everything you need to know to get going.
Shopping List
Here’s what you’ll need to start planting with containers.
- Flowerpot with drainage holes: There are all kinds of materials available — pick what you like in a size you can handle. (Just remember, it will be heavy when filled with soil and watered).
Water must be able to drain out, or your plants will drown.
If you want to use a decorative planter without drainage holes, plant your flowers in an inexpensive pot that does drain, and set it in the planter on top of a little gravel.
- Bag of potting mix for containers: Potting mix is lightweight and rich in nutrients, and some kinds have fertilizer already mixed in.
Don’t use soil from your yard — it’s too heavy.
- Piece of screen, shard of pottery, or a coffee filter: This is necessary if the drainage holes are large (over 1/2 inch). Put it over the holes to keep the soil from washing out.
- All-purpose plant food: Optional.
- Flowering Plants: The most important part!
I am doing a project for the FFA at my highschool, what flower do you suggest be: best for winter, easiest to grow, and the fastest. Because of the choice I’m thinking of growing them and painting pots to sell to the public. 🙂 please respond fast.
Megan, if you’re growing flowers in winter, you’ll need something that can handle the cold weather. Pansies and ornamental cabbages are popular winter choices. Good luck!
I am new at gardening and decided to get some gerbera daisies and put them in some pots I decorated. I’ve keep them outside and for the first month they did great, then they started wilted and petals fell off so I clipped them off at base of stem…. My question is, how long with it take for new flowers to bloom? Right now I only have leaves and it’s not the pretty look I was going for this summer.
Hi I have a weird question, what kind of flowers are those in the initial picture, the rectangular cement planter with mutlicolored flowers? I have these and don’t know what they are (lost their tag). thanks
Hi Beth, the flowers in the top photo are Portulaca. A great annual for sunny containers!
Aloha, I just planted portulaca in a container yesterday and when I bought the plant, the blooms were full and beautiful hot pink. This morning, they look wilted. Is this temporary? Do I need to pinch the wilted flowers off?
I just purchased 2 large concrete pots to go outside of our Church. The pots will be sitting on a concrete slab and they will be partially protected by an awning. I am wondering now if I need to line them with anything to prevent them from freezing and cracking. I live in zone 7. The pots are quite thick ay least 1 inch and they are wide at top and tapered bottoms.
Hi. I’m planning to begin a little garden in conteiners cause I live in a little apartment, without sun. Which flowers do you recommend me? Thanks.
I am filling my pots in preparation for planting flowers , which flowers should I plant ?
when should I start to plant in my outside containers
Hi there, I have just bought some lovely cement/stone pots and put new plants in them. Should I have sealed the inside of the pots due to them being pourus? Will the soil soak through and stain the outside or is the sealing not necessary. ?
Hi I’m new to gardening. I bought 4 (4 pack) of lobelia. I have 2 rectangular planters prob 9×3. I put 2 2 pack and separated them evenly into 8 singles. Is that too much for one planter? Or is that ok? I have some hanging planters if it is, I’m just unsure. Thank you
I don’t think you want to seal the outside of the pots. An important advantage of using stone pots is that they are breathable. Plant roots like that. That’s one reason why you more people use terra-cotta pots than porcelain pots for plants.
I live now in retirement in rural Latvia. I have built an English gentleman’s estate with formal settings vast lawns and statues but one large stone urn set high on plinth is hopeless for anything in winters in Latvia. Summers are lovely and so reliable one takes things for granted. I have made a container to fit this urn so to take it out in autumn. It is wide and shallow in the 1786 style of vase arrangement for gardens. Boxwood no, rhodies or azeleas may do well and use them in the conservatory later over winter. I can’t think of anything else. One tip is Indian mint. We have it all over now and it spreads like crazy at the pond side. It is light blue flowered and mistaken as thyme by many. I use it as a herb in lamb dishes and and nothing kills this plant. I just do not want more of it and not in a classical urn. Any ideas please.
My garden soil is virtually sand. I keep planting flowers and they keep dying. Can I dig holes in the garden and bury the pot in there keeping the plants in the pots?
Very helpful information for someone like me who knows nothing about plants! Thanks for the article!
Have purchased several pre-planted pots(plastic with bottom drain holes) filled with flowering annuals (lobelia, petunia, etc.). Afraid of plants breaking up if I try to transplant into garden pots. If I slice several sides and enlarge the existing drain holes, can I just sit the entire pot into potting soil in the concrete pots? Or do I have to remove entirely and re-plant without the stabilizing plastic pot? Thx.
Should I take flowers out of the plastic hanging container and put into cement pots or can I keep them in the plastic containers. It’s for the cemetery
I am looking for a flower container in the shape of a baby’s pram. Where can I find one??
how many plants to a hanging basket?
Very helpful information! We just re did our landscaping and I’m looking forward to putting out some potted plants! Thanks for the tips!!
There are so many different container for flowers. I could not choose one so I always buy plastic containers. They are simple, easy to carry.
What potting plants can I plant that will come out every year.
You need to make sure they are Perennials. They are the type of plants that if healthy come back each year. Annuals, die off at the end of their seasons.
Summer came late this year, so in the last week i have just put out 15 window boxes, 5 tubs and 4 hanging baskets found this article very helpful.
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I’d like to have potted plants that last all year. What are the best ones to have that only get sun in the afternoon on my front porch?