Bryn WallaceRed, White & Blue Blooms Container for Sun
With blooms in shades of red, white and blue, this container packs a patriotic punch to honor America and is the perfect centerpiece for Memorial Day and Independence Day celebrations. The tall and tubular structure of the striking blue hued salvia provides height for this container, while the geraniums bring a pop of bold and vibrant red to the midground. The delicate white flowers of the bacopa bring your eye down, through the container and fill out the vessel. This container will perform best in areas that receive 6 to 8 hours of sun daily.
Plants Featured
Salvia
This is a perennial plant that produces tubular and tall blooms, coming in colors of blue, pink, purple, red and white. If you consistently deadhead the salvia by removing the blooms when they are finished, your plant will rebloom from spring through fall. Salvias are typically deer resistant and are beloved by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. They are heat and drought tolerant, making them ideal for full sun exposure. If you wish to take your salvia out of the container and plant it in the garden, find a space where it can get at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily.
Geranium
Geraniums are annuals that come in colors of pink, purple, red and white and will bloom in the spring and summer. These plants are drought and heat tolerant, profusely producing flowers until the first frost (typically late October in our area). Geraniums can be used in a variety of different locations, such as flower beds, paths, window boxes and containers, making it a versatile plant as long as it has enough sunlight to thrive. To keep your geraniums bushy and blooming all summer, we recommend regularly deadheading by pinching the spent blooms and stems as the flowers fade.
Bacopa
Bacopa is an annual that looks wonderful cascading over the side of a container in the garden. It can also be used in hanging baskets and window boxes. It can tolerate partial shade, but performs best in full sun like the other plants in this container. If you’d like to plant the bacopa directly into the garden, we recommend finding a sunny spot in a bed or border. Bacopa does not need very much maintenance, but we do suggest removing the spent blooms as they fade.
Planting Instructions
If you’re looking to replicate this container in your own home, follow our step by step potting instructions. Here is an abbreviated version.
1. Select a container. Choose a container with drainage holes. This allows excess water to drain out of the bottom of the pot, letting the roots take in the oxygen they need to survive. When choosing a container, consider the size of the plants you’re planning to put into it. You want to allow plenty of room for root growth. The larger the pot, the more soil you can use, meaning there is more room for growth and it is easier to keep that soil moist.
2. Add Merrifield Potting Mix. We recommend using a well draining potting soil to allow adequate moisture and oxygen balance for optimal plant health. Before you pour in your soil, place a piece of landscape fabric or a coffee filter over the drainage holes in your container. This will prevent soil from leaking out of the holes. Add Merrifield Potting Mix until the container is around ⅔ full.
3. Add a slow release fertilizer. Mix a slow release plant food, such as organic Plant Tone, into the soil. This will provide a continual release of nutrients for your plants to thrive. Follow the instructions on the bag for the amount of fertilizer to add based on the size of your container. Apply it 3 or 4 times during summer.
4. Add your plants. Before placing your plants into the soil, we suggest arranging your plants in their growers pots to see what the layout will look like when they are planted. Then, working with the tallest plant first, salvia in this instance, remove the growers pot and loosen the roots, tucking the plant into your fertilized soil. Continue planting with the geranium and bacopa in the same way. As you’re planting, you can tuck in more potting soil as you need it. The goal is to keep the soil around 1” below the lip of the container when you are finished planting.
5. Top dress your container. Use decorative ⅜” rocks or mulch in a thin layer over the surface of your soil to help retain moisture, keep critters out of the soil, and keep the soil in the pot when watering.
6. Water thoroughly. After everything is planted, water thoroughly until the soil is moist and water comes out of the drainage holes of your container. If you’re placing the container on a wood surface like a deck or a balcony, we suggest using a saucer or plant toes or plant feet to keep the container lifted off of the ground so that excess water does collect under your pot and potentially damage your surface.
7. Fertilize throughout the growing season. We recommend reapplying Plant Tone two or three times during the growing season, pouring it directly on top of the soil. Supplement this feeding with liquid fertilizer every three or four weeks as needed. If you’re using a decorative soil cover, push it aside to place the Plant Tone directly on the soil surface. Follow the instructions on the bag for the amount to apply for continual feeding.
Ongoing Care
Watering
The plants in this container will thrive with moist soil. You do not want the soil to completely dry out or remain soaking wet. In general, you will likely need to check the soil for water every 1 to 2 days. Use your finger to reach into the soil a few inches deep and feel if the soil is wet or dry. If the soil is beginning to dry out, water thoroughly until the soil is totally saturated and feels like a soaking wet sponge and water runs through the drainage holes of the container.
