Outdoor

How Do You Plant in an Outdoor Flowerpot?

Outdoor flowerpot on a porch

When the time comes that you need to shop for a new outdoor flowerpot for your patio or porch, don’t be afraid to think big and go big. 

Larger outdoor planters are a great way of transforming your front porch to the next level and giving your property an instant curb appeal. By choosing a large planter, you can be sure that everyone will be able to see and admire your beautiful plants and flowers even from the street. 

These planters also let you grow several plants in just one pot, making it easier for you to grow healthy and strong container gardens. 

If you are wondering how to arrange and plant flowers in large outdoor containers, here are some tips to help you get started:

Find the Perfect Spot

If you have ever attempted lifting a flowerpot filled with soil and plants, you surely know how challenging it can be. On top of that, it is almost impossible to move planters without dumping out the soil in them. This can be bad for your plants and your back alike. 

Outdoor flowerpots in shadow
You must find the right spot for your outdoor flowerpot

This is why it is important that you carefully decide where to put your planters before you start planting your flowers. Consider the amount of sun and shade that your plants will get and pick the right plants that will grow and thrive under these specific conditions. 

For your planters to truly pop, choose those in colors that will best complement and blend well with the siding of your home. 

Pick the Right Plants

Once you have determined where to put your planters, choosing your plants is the next step to take. It doesn’t matter what specific type of plants or flowers you choose, it is important to make sure that these will grow in the spot you chose. Refer to the plant tag to determine the amount of sun that the plant needs and try to search for plants that will match the specific growing conditions you have. 

Flower in a outdoor flowerpot
You must choose the right size outdoor flowerpot for a specific flower

It is also recommended to go for annual plants or those plants that can be replaced yearly. You can also opt for slow-growing plants or else, your plants will end up outgrowing their pots before you even know it. 

The simple mantra of filler, spiller, and thriller is what you need to follow if you plan to grow several plants in just one large outdoor flowerpot. 

Now, this mantra is not a magic spell that can encourage the growth of your plants. These are basically the specific types of plants you will need for you to achieve perfectly designed and beautiful planters. 

Fillers 

Fillers are medium-height and billowy plants covering the thriller’s base. This type of plant can add texture and volume to your planter. You might want to try flowers such as Gerber daisies, geraniums, and petunias if you are looking for the right fillers for your outdoor planters.

Create the perfect container garden with thrillers, fillers and spillers

Spillers

Planters also need spillers or vine-like plants that will tumble over the container’s sides. You need to put these plants near the edge of the planter to allow the tendrils to spill over the pot’s side. Some of the most famous choices when it comes to spillers include trailing lobelia, sweet potato vine, and ivy. 

Thriller 

Thrillers are upright and tall plants that serve as the planter’s centerpiece. These plants often have some eye-catching features such as unique shapes, dramatic leaves, and bright colors. You need to place these plants near the back or in the center of the outdoor flowerpot. Ornamental grasses, elephant ears, salvia, and canna lilies all make wonderful thrillers. 

Avoid Overwatering

When your plants are planted in large planters, it is all too easy to overwater. Bigger planters have larger amounts of soil, which means that the planter takes longer to dry out. Even if the topsoil looks dry, the deeper soil layers are still moist enough. When the soil is too moist, the roots will not be able to get enough oxygen to the plant. It will cause stress on the plant and make it more prone to diseases. 

To check if your plant already needs water, try sticking your finger to your second knuckle deep into the soil. Your plants need some water if the deeper layers of soil already feel dry to the touch. 

Make sure you consider the weather, too. if the temperatures are much cooler, the water will take a longer time to evaporate from the outdoor planter, which means you don’t have to water the plants that often. 

Change the Soil the Easy Way

After you spent long hours planting your lovely flowers, it wouldn’t make sense to dump out the planter just to change the soil. However, every year, new soil should be added for your plants to stay healthy. Well, don’t worry because you don’t need to dump out the planter completely. 

Once a year, all you have to do is remove the old soil’s top layer and replace this with new soil mixed with a time-release fertilizer. Mix the new soil with the old soil as much as possible while making sure that you don’t disturb the root systems of your plants. 

Use Filler Materials for Your Large Outdoor Flowerpot

One of the main challenges of using large outdoor pots, that you can buy at Miravila webshop, is filling these with soil. The large size of these planters means that it will take plenty of soil to fill them up. This will not just make your pot extremely heavy because it will also waste a lot of expensive soil since the root systems of plants won’t be able to get to the soil at the planter’s bottom part.

To solve this issue, all you have to do is use a lightweight filler material to fill the bottom third of the planter. This filler material takes up space in your planter so there is no need to fill the planter with pricey soil that will never be used by your plants. 

You can also use various materials for filling up the bottom part of your outdoor flowerpot. Just make sure that these are non-toxic and will not end up breaking down when the growing season comes.