How To Plant a Patio Pot Container Garden

Every year, Schaefer's plants up hundreds of beautiful, custom patio pots. The photos above show the pots planted by Adriena and Kandy for the Village of Montgomery Beautification Project.

Decorative patio pots add a splash of color to patios, decks, entrances and landscapes. You can create a masterpiece of your own by following these simple steps.

• Select a container - Consider color, weight and style. A larger pot will hold more moisture. Also, if the pot does not allow drainage, be sure to drill holes in the bottom of the pot.
• Choose plants based on color scheme and sun exposure (sun vs shade plants) - Select a tall grass or spike for center of pot, medium sized plants next and trailing plants near the edge of the pot. Schaefer's has hundreds of annuals, and we're here to help you with your selection. Placing the plants in the container before planting will help you see how many will fit into the pot. Remember that the plants will grow, so do not overfill the pot.
• Fill pot with potting soil. Water the pot along with all other plants (in their individual pots) to prevent root shock.
• Time to plant! Start in the center of the pot and work your way outward. Remove each plant from pot and softly loosen roots. Place in pot and firmly pack the soil around each plant.
• Water pot thoroughly
• Fertilize - Use a slow release fertilizer after planting, and then use a water soluble fertilizer for the rest of the season.

Remember to water your beautiful patio pot often!

To watch Adriena plant the custom patio pots for the Village of Montgomery, follow this link -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcYHjqpvs7E