Get Ready for Spring...
This newsletter is coming to you from the Pacific Northwest where we have just broken a 40-year record for hours of sunlight in February. I've been watering some of the planters on my deck for a couple of weeks now - unheard of at this time of year! It will be hard to be patient when rainy days return, thank goodness spring is only a few weeks away. The catalogues are well-worn, orders placed and this year's garden plans almost complete. This weekend I'll plant another tray of seeds and savor the sun while it lasts.
In this issue we're looking at ways to add drama and impact with large plants that grow well in planters, and we'll look at the color that cheerfully announces spring every year ~ yellow.
In this issue...
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Big is Beautiful in Outdoor Planters
One of the most spectacular sights on a balcony, patio or by the pool is a large tropical plant ~ regal and luxurious, and seeming to defy the restraint and size of its container. Many large plants do surprisingly well when grown in suitable planters. Whether you want to fill a large space with green or add vertical interest to a planter grouping, you have many attractive and easy to grow plants to enjoy.
 Banana
There are many Banana (Musa) plants to choose from that are excellent for container planting, including dwarf varieties. Try Basjoo Banana, Dwarf Red Banana or Rowe Red Banana for good results in planters. Many banana plants can be grown from seed and not all have edible fruit.
Plant in average to moist soil after all danger of frost has passed. Choose a site that is sheltered from wind so the leaves will not shred. Does not tolerate drought. Pot up plants before frost and bring indoors to overwinter in a sunny room with temperatures above 50°F. Water moderately during the winter and do not fertilize.
SPACING: 1 per 12" pot
DEPTH: level
SUN: Full sun
 Colocasia (Taro, Elephant’s Ear)
This is a spectacular plant for a focal point amongst a grouping of planters or as a majestic plant on its own. There is a good selection of varieties with giant leaves of green or dramatic purple-black ('Black Magic', picture to left). Wait to plant your Colocasia outdoors until all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to 60°F. Until then, keep your potted rhizome indoors in a warm (above 65°F), bright location. Move it outdoors once evening temperatures remain above 50°F in your area. Acclimate transplants to outdoor conditions slowly to avoid scorching the foliage.
 Elephant’s Ears are hardy to Zone 8 (10°F). In colder climates, they can be overwintered indoors in their container or dug and stored bareroot. Before the first frost in fall, lift the clump of rhizomes with a spade or fork. Store rhizomes in peat moss to help retain moisture, and keep them in a cool location (50-60°F) for the winter.
SPACING: 1 per 18" pot
DEPTH: level
SUN: Full sun - Partial Shade
 Canna
Cannas are an excellent large showy plant for containers, providing non-stop flowers from July till frost. Cannas have distinctive tropical foliage of large brown or green leaves and gigantic red, orange, pink or yellow flowers. If you have ever been to the Mediterranean region, you have seen these spectacular plants growing wild along country roads. They love full sun and hot weather, and average to damp soil. To plant the canna root, wait until all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to 60°F. Lay the root it on its side and bury one-inch deep in the soil.
To get a jump on a short growing season, start rhizomes indoors by potting up as soon as they arrive and placing in a warm, sunny location. Move them outdoors after the last frost date in your area. Acclimate transplants to outdoor conditions slowly to avoid scorching the foliage.
Cannas are hardy to Zone 7 (0°F). In colder climates, they can be overwintered indoors. When plants are grown in containers, you may also allow the pot to dry out and then store it in a cool location.
SPACING: 1 per 18" pot
DEPTH: 2-3"
SUN: Full Sun
 Brugmansia or Datura (Angel’s Trumpet)
For a wonderful dramatic and graceful plant on your patio or deck, choose an Angel's Trumpet in white, yellow or salmon-pink. With the added appeal of fragrance, this is one of the easiest large plants to grow in containers.
Start a rooted cutting in a 4" pot using a well-drained potting mix and keep in a sunny window until all danger of frost is past. If roots have filled the container, re-plant in next size planter and place in a protected area to start with and gradually increase exposure to sun and wind. When the roots have filled the pot again, transplant into a 12-15" container.
Angel's Trumpets grow vigorously in full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Where summers are short, Brugmansias may not flower the first year after planting. In succeeding years, blooms open in waves, followed by brief resting periods. Brugmansias may suffer from spider mites, especially in hot, dry summers. If you note a general yellowing of the leaves, spider mites are the likely culprit. Hose down your plants, including the undersides of the leaves, with cold water every 2-3 days until you note signs of improvement.
Brugmansias are hardy to Zone 8 (10°F). In colder climates, overwinter plants indoors in a cool (50-60°F) room. Water sparingly but don't let the soil dry completely. Plants generally drop their leaves as they enter dormancy and need little or no sunlight. Fresh soil, warm temperatures, bright light, and increased watering bring plants back to life in spring. Prune, hard if necessary, in spring to encourage bushy growth or to limit size.
SPACING: 1 per 12" pot
DEPTH: level (potted), 1-2" (rooted cutting)
SUN: Full sun - Partial Shade
 Agapanthus (Lily-of-the-Nile)
Agapanthus is a brilliant blue flowering plant found along the Nile. It is exotic and definitely a must for every container garden! The flowers cluster atop three-foot stems, towering above a whorl of bright green blade-like leaves. Best in a large container (one to three bulbs per container). In colder areas, protect the container over winter, the agapanthus will return to bloom even more next year.
Monmid Midknight Blue™ is hardy to Zone 6 (−10°F); all other varieties are hardy to Zone 8 (10°F). Plants in containers bloom best when they are pot-bound and when given a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus. Peak bloom: mid-summer to early fall. Full sun to partial shade.
Before the first hard frost in autumn, bring indoors and set in an east or north window in a cool room. Keep on the dry side (but not so dry that the foliage withers) and withhold fertilizer in winter.
SPACING: 1 per 8" pot
DEPTH: level
SUN: 1-2
 Bamboo (Musa)
When you want height and fullness in your container garden in a hurry, bamboo is a great choice. Tame this fast growing plant in a planter for an attractive screen or to provide a foliage background to flowers and containers. Bamboo is a little trickier than other large plants, but well worth the little extra effort required to choose the right variety for your conditions and to get the plant off to the right start.
Choose a planter that is at least as wide as it is tall with good drainage - terracotta is an excellent choice. Most bamboos will do well in shallow containers that are eighteen to twenty-four inches deep. The real key to success is good drainage. Bamboo in planters needs the right conditions for optimal development - some need full sun while others do best in semi-shade, depending on the species and genus.
To avoid damage from temperature extremes the planter can be lined or wrapped with insulating material. Ensure adequate watering through the hot season, never letting the plant soil completely dry out - container bamboos must be watered more frequently than those in the ground! A daily watering during our hot dry summers is highly recommended!
While the bamboo is actively growing, feed monthly with a full-strength high nitrogen fertilizer. Use a 17-6-12 slow-release fertilizer or a soluble fertilizer such as Miracle Grow or Rapid-Grow is fine. In the winter, or when growth has slowed, cut back on feeding to half strength. Overwintering bamboos can be somewhat trickier than for other container plants as they need more light in winter, otherwise their foliage may deteriorate.
Unlike in the garden, where the rhizomes are free to spread, in planters bamboos may become stunted, rootbound and difficult to water if left in the containers for more than 4 years. To prevent this, remove the bamboo no later than the fourth year and halve or quarter, and repot one of the newly cut sections back into a container.
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