Container Gardening advice needed....

[lesa]

In addition to my other jobs- I am adding another to the list. Dh and I will managing an apt complex near us. There are whiskey barrels for planting by each entrance door. There are 30 plus of these things... I could go with the old standby of spike in the middle, and begonias around it, but I would love to hear what plants have worked for you. It will be difficult to water everyday, and there is a mix of sun and shade. Anyone have any brilliant ideas? I have tons of vinca vine growing in my home gardens- so I will pot some of that up in the spring and add it to whatever else I choose. Anyone have an annual idea that I could start a billion of from seed? Dead heading is going to be difficult, as well. I know I am asking a lot, but help me out here! Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'll suggest morning glories. They climb so you will need a good stake and they do need water but maybe not every day. The main reason I'm thinking of them is that they don't need deadheading. Their need to climb may be an issue for you.

Marigolds are another possibility. They have brilliant colors. I think they can stand a little less watering than some other things and do better if you deadhead, but I don't deadhead and they still provide a lot of color.

How does Lantana sound to people? I don't start them from seeds but they are hardy and provide nice colors. They last a while too.

 

[Nyboy]

Wow 30 thats a lot of containers. Because you willn't be able to water every day use water absorbing polymer crytals ( ebay has large bags cheap). I used them in window boxs at a weekend home and they do work. I have tryed all types of flowers and found geraniums the most forgiving. Now they come in many great colors. Good luck

 

[bobm]

I worked for an 148 unit student (2-4 students per unit) apartment complex for 5 years...one of the best little care plants that the landscaper planted was jasmine . full to partial shade, little water, evergreen, a little hair cut now and then, profuse white flowers with a truely wonderful fragrance. row

 

[897tgigvib]

Upstate New York... There might be a kind of Jasmine that'd make it there, but more likely for a similar fragrance would be one of the Mock Orange shrubs pruned to a small standard form, and let the Vinca grow around it. The Vinca will dominate in the part shade areas. Some other ideas might be to have Petunias. Actually, right now is when a good time to start Petunia seed, and Pansy seed, and a lot of other annuals that most folks get from Nurseries in spring. I don't know, but Pansies are tough little buggers, and ya may even be able to start them directly in those containers providking you have a good propagation mix on the surface, and are able to plastic or glass cover them. Most likely will be a difficult and low germination rate start, so might want to get a variety that gets you a big packet, not one of those 5 seeds for 10 dollars packets! Swiss Giants or Old Fashionds. Or even easier, Johnny Jump Ups, which they've got all crossed up and stabilized in lots of colors nowadays.

If you go with pansies and Petunias in the same pot, separate them, Petunias on one side, Pansies on the other side. Modern Petunias always seem to win, plus, Pansies like cool, Petunias like warm.

Situation plan, situation plant. Cool lovers together, warm lovers together. Climbers in the middle, drapers on the sides. Tall in the middle, small on the side. Tall in the back, small in front. Round can have front and back. Pansies and sweet peas like each other. Allysum looks good at a lot of places.

Actual Baby's Breath and Silver Lace Bells make an awesome special container! both are zone 4 tough.

5 kinds of Huechera in one barrel that only gets skylight and maybe early morning sun would be awesome, especially if you tuck a few Cyclamen inbetween. Doing that to one barrel and then splitting and dividing the plants next october will make for enough plants to do 4 or 5 barrels for the following year.

that reminds me of INVESTMENTS

How many other investments can QUADRUPLE OR QUINTUPLE in one year besides plants?
How many other things can go from being worth 7 dollars one year, to 17 dollars the next, to 29 dollars the year after that, to 59 dollars after that year besides trees or shrubs?

Sorry, my mind does wander!

 

[thistlebloom]

Whoa Lesa! You're going to have so many jobs we'll never get to see you!

30 containers are a lot! One thing I have done for the past two years for one of my most upscale jobs is plant coleus in the containers.
It has worked fabulously! These folks do a lot of entertaining and like things very very well maintained, and showy.
The containers are large, about whiskey barrel size and I stuff them with about 5 to 7 different compatible colors of coleus ( about 15 plants from 4" sized nursery containers). About half of these containers are in full sun, one is against a south wall, and the other half are mostly shade, with a bit of sun as it moves over the trees. And they all do great in their different locations. The one against the wall does need daily water.

No need for those tired dracaena spikes that are so overused. Just pick a coleus variety that gets 15 to 20 inches tall and use that for your height. I also throw in some sweet potato vine and some white bacopa. Last year in a few of them I added a trailing fuschia with fall colored foliage and it bloomed around late August. But just coleus looks great too, and makes it simple.

Should be easy to start from seed, and no deadheading!

It would be a good idea to use the polymer crystals to extend the watering.

Sounds like your plate is very full Lesa, don't forget to take care of yourself and spend some time on what you really love so you can recharge.

 

[catjac1975]

Marigolds give you color for a long season and are easy to start from seed.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

I would be too temped to make them useful. Instead of the traditional spike.... what about some chives in the middle. Some pansy for awesome color and they are nice in a salad maybe a useful lettuce blend to add some texture and then some thyme that can hang down in the front for a beautiful finish. Maybe this would inspire some of the tenants to start a community garden.

 

[897tgigvib]

Oh yea, Hunkie,
some edible ornamental containers!

Chard and Beets, don't forget Tyfon or Turnips, Nasturtium comes compact or trailing, doesn't have to be especially ornamental kales, but those are nice,

 

[897tgigvib]

Oh, and there are dracenas with colorful leaves!